Sleep Problems for Youth with Autism: Common, Treatable, At Times Challenging 7/6/22

Sleep disturbances are common among children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Up to 80% of parents in one review of youth with ASD reported prolonged sleep disturbances (Malow et al., 2016).  Many studies have explored epidemiology, phenomenology and treatment strategies for insomnia in children with ASD or other neurodevelopmental or psychiatric disorders. While […]

Recommended Transition Interventions for ASD/DD Youth 11/8/2021

Reality……Autistic Children Become Autistic Adults! Services drop off and jobs are hard to come by. Most research on autism focuses on kids. Most adults with autism (85%) live with their parents after high school 85% of ASD adults who graduate from college are unemployed Unemployment among people with autism is approximately 90 percent 40% will […]

Autism and Repetitive and Restricted Behaviors 4/22/2021

In this discussion of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), we will review the latest evidence in treatment for repetitive behaviors.  Individuals and families impacted by ASD can present with a range of challenges and needs, it is important for providers to be familiar with a range of interventions and supports.  Most particularly, youth with ASD can […]

Autism Meltdowns & Aggression 8/10/23

With autism currently affecting nearly 1 in 36 children, most healthcare providers will be treating individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at some point in time. Particularly for those more significantly affected, the issue of agitated and aggressive outbursts is often a major concern, though even in those with less significant symptom profiles, affectively charged […]

Signs of a Sensory Processing Disorder

Case Presentation 7 year old boy with chief complaint of “frequent meltdowns”. Additional history: daily meltdowns (crying, hitting) with loud sounds or when asked to wear certain clothing; wants to make friends but poor boundaries and accidentally hurts peers at school when he is playing with them; hard time sitting during seat work at school […]