Everyone’s brain processes information at a different rate. There are a variety of factors that may contribute to why some teens take longer to understand concepts and complete tasks. This doesn’t mean that they are not capable of grasping this information, but rather they may process it at their own pace. Slow processing speed can […]

There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. While circumstances of global uncertainty are often rare, there are powerful types of forces that can happen in a person’s life that feel out of their control. On our latest podcast of Neurodiversity University, our founder, Dr. Brandon Park discusses ways to help neurodiverse students […]

About 30% of teens on the autism spectrum have symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but until recently, diagnostic guidelines suggested that they could only be diagnosed with one or the other. Since the introduction of the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) into the DSM that allows for variability in symptomology, psychologists are beginning to […]

It can be hard to recognize if your autistic teen is being bullied at school if you expect them to report social struggles. Autistic teens with social struggles may also be less likely to understand that they are being targeted and may believe they’ve chosen to withdraw. As they may have a hard time understanding […]

Most parents identify possible signs of autism in their child in the first few years of their lives, often as they notice developmental delays in motor skills, language, and social skills before elementary school. A recent study found that at least 25% of teens on the spectrum are undiagnosed, even though they show traits of […]

Autism Spectrum Disorder encompasses a wide range of symptoms that sometimes overlap with signs of other neurodevelopmental disorders and learning disorders. In a recent episode of our podcast, Neurodiversity University, our founder, neuropsychologist Brandon Parks sat down to talk about the similarities and differences between Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder.  What is Fetal […]

Between 30% and 40% of teens on the spectrum struggle with some degree of social anxiety, according to a study by Stockholm University. While many autistic teens experience anxiety in social situations, the root cause is often feeling overwhelmed rather than specific fears of rejection or humiliation. In order to better understand how to help […]

Is your child feeling overwhelmed by holiday stress and social events? For many, the holiday season is a time of joy and connection, but teens on the spectrum often experience significant holiday stress as festivities may disrupt their familiar routines. Without the structure of school over winter break, teens struggle to channel their energy into […]

While Autism is considered a developmental disorder and is often diagnosed in early childhood, some signs of autism become more noticeable in adolescence. When autism is diagnosed in teens, they may struggle more to accept their diagnosis as they haven’t had years of support to understand what it means. During adolescence, social and behavioral differences […]

Our brains are evolutionarily wired to respond to distractions. As our world has become full of distractions, teens with autism often struggle to filter out irrelevant information and become easily overstimulated. They’re either caught up in the future or the past and constantly jumping between the two and struggle to be present when they need […]