Category Archives: Education

iPad, Therefore I am

Posted on July 18, 2020 by dclemen

Assistive technology takes special education classrooms by storm… I’m standing inside the entrance of a classroom at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in Hoffman Estates, IL where autism spectrum students and typical students are interacting in groups during a reading session. … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Featured, Living with Autism, Science & Research | 8 Comments

Epigenetics: Marrying genetics and environment in autism research?

Posted on July 17, 2020 by dclemen

Funny how these few simple words can create so much tension. Down the years just about every area of health and disease has witnessed the grudge match that is nature or nurture. Obesity: food intake, or differences in the genes … Continue reading →

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The Autism Revolution: An Interview with Dr. Martha Herbert

Posted on June 26, 2020 by dclemen

Martha Herbert, MD, PhD, is an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and a pediatric neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she is the director of the TRANSEND Research Program. Dr. Herbert’s book, The Autism Revolution: Whole-Body Strategies … Continue reading →

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What We Can Learn From Silent Spring

Posted on June 25, 2020 by dclemen

Samuel Johnson, the crusty English literary critic, once defined a “classic” as any book that readers are still reading 50 years after its publication. We are now approaching the 50th anniversary of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and it is still … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Education, Featured, Science & Research | 1 Comment

Homeschool How-to

Posted on April 19, 2020 by dclemen

As parents of children diagnosed with autism, we have more jobs than most parents. We are therapists, nutritionists, researchers, advocates, playmates, managers, poop analysts, sanitation workers, human moon bouncers, squeeze machines, chefs, their voice and more, while loving our kids … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Featured | 1 Comment

The Art of Asking for Help

Posted on April 3, 2020 by dclemen

I have many Aspie clients (i.e., clients with Asperger’s syndrome) who struggle with the value of asking for help because they don’t have the insight of how and when to do so. I’ve read Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that school … Continue reading →

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Preparing for the Real World of Work

Posted on April 2, 2020 by dclemen

Jeremy does not like jobs with physical activities but likes to work with ideas and be able to tell others what to do…. As the case manager, I see Jeremy’s strong assets like working data, communicating with people to purchase/buy/manage … Continue reading →

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Emerging Science Combined with Common Sense Gives Parents Better Options for Preventing Autism

Posted on March 8, 2020 by dclemen

Switch to green cleaning and personal care products (e.g., shampoo, toothpaste, body lotion, facial cream). The average American home contains 3-10 gallons of hazardous materials, and 85 percent of the chemicals that are registered have never been tested for their … Continue reading →

Posted in Diet & Nutrition, Education | Leave a comment

The Vaccine Debate

Posted on January 11, 2020 by dclemen

While formal conclusions regarding autism’s causes have yet to be drawn, many researchers today believe autism occurs as the result of genetic and other predispositions coupled with environmental factors or triggers. Of the possible environmental components involved, the most heated … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Science & Research | 1 Comment

Understanding and Addressing Sensory Integration Dysfunction