If you are a sibling, a parent or grandparent, an aunt or an uncle, a cousin, a friend, a neighbor or just a passer bye, I want to give you my perspective of the autistic brain, as a daughter and as a sister. It is important to understand that autism affects the entire family, not …
The Effect of Cultural Differences on Autism Diagnosis
According to the CDC, about 1 in 100 children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder globally. Autism is diagnosed in all socioeconomic and ethnic groups and makes up about 1% of the world’s population. However, a dominating factor calls this statistic into question: cultural differences throughout the world. In a scientific article published in …
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Managing Anxiety & Stress Through Yoga
For the past several months, yoga has been a great way for me to cope with stressors, whether that be feeling anxious about a test, worrying about girl drama, or simply just going to work on myself emotionally and physically. I take an hour out of my day to unplug and be mindful about myself …
Innovative Therapies – A Podcast with Dr. Maja Mataric
Dr. Maja Mataric is at the forefront of innovative therapies for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Combining her skills in engineering and her passions in helping people, she has worked for over 20 years to improve human quality of life. To improve human life, she has created human-centered technologies, including socially-assistive robots for those with …
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Nature vs. Nurture
Nature versus nurture has been a debate for centuries, even going back to the medieval French. As Francis Galton stated in 1874, “[nature vs. nurture] is a convenient jingle of words, for it separates under two distinct heads the innumerable elements of which personality is composed. Nature is all that a man brings with himself …
Depression & Suicide Risk – A Conversation with Dr. Jessica Schwartzman
Dr. Jessica Schwartzman’s research goes above and beyond when it comes to helping improve the quality of life of the neurodiverse community. She has researched critical real-world problems, such as COVID and suicide, as they have affected adolescents with autism and studied them to find solutions to such serious current issues. She is a professional …
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Sensory Processing in Infants: A Conversation with Dr. Grace Baranek
Whenever I’ve interviewed a researcher specialized in studying autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, most of them recommend that I continue my interview series with Dr. Grace Baranek, a globally renowned professional in sensory characteristics and occupational therapy in children with autism spectrum disorder. She has co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in several prestigious journals, …
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A Future-Focused Approach to Help Improve Quality of Life – A Conversation with Dr. Sneha Kohli Mathur
Dr. Sneha Kohli Mathur is an ally. She created a company, Spectrum Success, to provide adolescents and adults on the Autism Spectrum with numerous services to improve their quality of life. They offer consultation services for parents, adults, colleges, and parents. A founding member of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion SIG in ABA, Dr. Mathur …
All for LUV – A Conversation with Dr. Lisa Liberatore
Dr. Lisa Liberatore is not only a supportive Mom and talented doctor. She is one of the strongest advocates for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has really taken the necessary steps to improve the quality of life for her son on the autism spectrum, Michael. With the help of her husband, Dr. Dimitri Kessaris, Dr. …
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Early Intervention and Training The Community – A Conversation with Dr. Connie Kasari
If you look up the most influential autism researchers, Dr. Connie Kasari Ph.D., Professor of Human Development and Psychology at UCLA is on that list. A founding member of the Center for Autism Research and Treatment at UCLA, Dr. Kasari aims to develop new and evidence-based intervention strategies for children with ASD that can be …
A New Resource In Boca Raton – Toby & Leon Cooperman Therapy and Family Resource Center
Walking out of the elevator, I was greeted with bursts of color along the hallways of the Toby and Leon Cooperman Therapy and Family Resource Center. Feeling like a child once again, I followed the pathways along the tiles across the floor, putting me at ease. A tactile wall with different materials lines the hallway, …
The Real Spectrum 