Atypical, The Good Doctor, and the new Power Rangers movie: what do they all have in common? They all include a main character on the spectrum. While neurodevelopmental disorders on tv is more inclusive than ever before for autism in the media, some have pointed out that it’s only showing one side of autism. No […]

Research has indicated that students with autism can make progress on educational and social goals within inclusion classrooms. While both public and autism-focused schools can provide assistance for your child, there are a few important things to consider prior to making the decision of where to enroll your child. According to the National Research Council […]

Learning disorders can already make school difficult enough, but societal views and practices regarding the treatment of learning disorders have led to a variety of issues in the emotional realm.  A recent study, published in the British Journal of Sociology and Education, found that grouping students based on their academic ability shows significant negative impacts […]

  Teens with autism struggle with becoming more independent and making decisions on their own. They are more likely to reject help and act impulsively or self-destructively or rely on caretakers to continue to meet their needs. Neither of these paths are effective in helping teens with autism live healthy, independent, and productive lives. While […]

Parents of teens on the autism spectrum know how hard it is for their child to handle change. But the reality is change is not something we can protect them from. And while teens on the spectrum can thrive with schedules and routine, when it is time for change, there are tools you can use […]

Many people assume that teens with limited social skills may fall somewhere along the autism spectrum; however, there is a wide range of explanations for difficulties with social communication. The newest version of the DSM includes a description for Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder, which captures some of the social skill issues associated with Autism Spectrum […]

We often discuss Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) when we find a student that has really strong language abilities and weakness in other areas. If teens with learning disorders have verbal abilities that are overdominating other abilities that aren’t used as often or as skillfully, it creates an imbalance in the strategies teens use to communicate […]

According to a recent study led by Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) may be one of the most common learning disorders among children in the United States. Despite the prevalence among teens, Nonverbal Learning Disorder is often misunderstood, as there is some overlap between more common neurodevelopmental disorders, like Autism Spectrum […]

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 […]

While many teens watch movies mindlessly, they are unconsciously picking up on social cues and learning how to relate to characters. Many teens find that lessons characters learn on the big screen can translate to their own lives. Using movie time to teach social thinking is not necessarily a new concept. Teachers are beginning to […]