Pet Ownership Brings 'Huge Benefits' To Adults With Autism, Study Finds

 Pet ownership leads to better mental health outcomes in adults with autism, new research suggests, and the gains exist no matter what type of companion animal an individual has. Read More >

Professor Writes About The Pain Of Hiding His Autism

 

Devon Price long kept himself from talking too much about his interests or flapping his hands, but now he's helping others with autism embrace their differences. Read More >

Missing Teen With Autism Found Safe After More Than 2 Years

 After over two years of desperation, the family of a missing California teen with autism is overjoyed that he was found in Park City, Utah. Read More >

How Parenting Kids With Disabilities Affects Marriage

 Parents of children with developmental disabilities experience varying levels of stress, but new research suggests that some key factors influence how much their kids' needs affect their marriage. Read More >

With Crossover Between Autism And Mental Health, Diagnosis Can Be Tricky

 Recent studies show a strong link between autism and mental health and the prevalence of mental health disorders in kids with autism appears to increase as they get older. Read More >

Changes Wrought By Pandemic Helped People With Disabilities. They're Not Ready To Give Them Up

 Some people with disabilities say they're hesitant about going back to in-person services and want to keep things virtual, but the practicality of whether that's possible remains uncertain. Read More >

Growing Up Is Hard, Especially For Young People With Disabilities

 Young adults with disabilities say the transition to adulthood is filled with extra challenges and schools, disability providers and health officials need to better prepare families. Read More >

Pandemic Leaves Families Of Children In Special Ed Feeling Left Behind

 With a wildly spreading delta variant, many families of vulnerable children with disabilities feel forgotten by state and school leaders and disregarded by those who reject mask wearing. Read More >

Children Are Waiting Longer In The ER For Mental Health Care, Study Finds

 Kids who visit emergency rooms for mental health crises are increasingly likely to spend more than six hours there, a noisy, chaotic experience that experts say can be traumatic. Read More >

Across US, Most Counties Have No Behavior Therapists

 Access to behavior therapists is woefully lacking in many places, with a new study finding that more than half of the nation's counties don't have a single one. Read More >

Kids Coping With Mental Disorders Spiral As Pandemic Topples Support Systems

 Many children with serious emotional or behavioral difficulties depend on schools for vital therapies. When schools and doctors stopped providing in-person services, kids became untethered. Read More >

Mental Health Issues Affect 3 In 4 Kids With Autism

 

The vast majority of children with autism have at least one mental health condition too, new research suggests. Read More >

Pandemic Helpline Launches For People With IDD, Caregivers

 As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, a new 24-hour support line is working to help individuals with developmental disabilities and those who care for them cope during this tough time. Read More >

Coronavirus Pandemic Takes Toll On Disability Community

 People with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been especially vulnerable to the social and emotional upheaval brought on by the pandemic and they face heightened health risks too. Read More >

Woman With Autism Brings Unusual Message To The Streets

 When the stress of 2020 finally became too much, a thirty-something with autism painted some signs, left her cozy apartment and began standing on street corners, offering messages of love. Read More >

Zoo Reserves Time During COVID-19 For Visitors With Disabilities Who Can't Wear Masks

 In a bid to ensure access for all, one zoo set aside two hours each week to welcome people who have disabilities that make it hard for them to wear masks, a group that's increasingly isolated. Read More >

Mom Equips Ambulances With Sensory Kits To Help Children With Autism

An EMT who has a son with severe autism has developed sensory kits to help kids on the spectrum cope with the flashing lights, sirens and other stimuli of an ambulance ride. Read More >

Pandemic Hitting Families Of Those With Disabilities Harder

 Family caregivers of people with disabilities are experiencing isolation, anxiety and other ill-effects from the coronavirus pandemic in far greater numbers than others, new research finds. Read More >

Pandemic Pushes Parents Of Kids With Special Needs To Breaking Point

 Parents are feeling isolated, stressed and overwhelmed at a time when families need more support than ever to deal with a loss of routine, heightened anxiety and other challenges. Read More >

Mom Hasn't Seen Son With Autism Since March Because Of COVID-19 Lockdown

When the pandemic hit, long-term care facilities were among the first to close doors to visitors, but with no plan to reopen, one mom worries how long it will be before she sees her son again. Read More >