Several class-action lawsuits have been filed in an effort to require private health insurance companies to cover treatment for autism. The parents want it covered like other conditions that affect the brain are. The insurance companies have been placing caps on the amount of treatment that kids with autism can have covered, Autism spectrum disorders affect one out of every 88 children. There is no cure, but there are some treatments that can be helpful. Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, is a treatment that has been successful. This is not the type of treatment that can be administered once or … Continue reading →

A mother of a teenager who has autism has filed a lawsuit against Autism Speaks. The reason is because Autism Speaks rescinded on a job offer after she requested workplace accommodations that would allow her to care for her son. It seems strange that an autism awareness group would deny that that type of request. According to Disability Scoop Simone Greggs was offered a job as a walk events manager at Autism Speaks office in Washington D.C., in May of 2012. To get this job, she had to successfully complete five different interviews, a pre-employment background check, and a drug … Continue reading →

No one wants to get “that look” from the other parents in the room. It is the look that implies that you are a failure as a parent because your child is misbehaving. Parents of kids who have autism want less judgement, and more understanding. What others see as “acting up” could be nothing more than a coping mechanism, and there isn’t anything wrong with that. The other day, I opened up a bottle of tea, and found writing on the inside of the lid. It was one of those “6-Word Memoirs”. This one said: “I have Aspergers. What’s your … Continue reading →

A study that was recently published in the journal “Pediatrics” suggest that mothers who are obese are more likely to have a child with autism, or with another type of developmental problem. Moms who have diabetes have the same risk. The implication is that obesity and diabetes are affecting early brain development. There has been a lot of research done in an attempt to discover the causes of autism. I’ve lost track of the wide variety of things that are said to be the cause of autism, or that are found to increase the risk of it. Perhaps, one day, … Continue reading →

A brand new study confirms the findings of a preliminary study that was released in 2011. The new study shows that the income of a family that includes a child who has autism is significantly less than the income of families who don’t. This is due to a number of factors. In 2011, there was a preliminary study that used data that came from a survey done by the United States government’s Medical Expenditures Panel. Researchers looked at information about families that included children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), about families who had children with other types of chronic health … Continue reading →