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Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Resources Online
Where Should I Start?
Newly diagnosed? Download Autism
Speaks' free
"100 Day Kit" for information and advice to help you make the most
of the first 100 days after receiving a diagnosis of an autism spectrum
disorder.
Autism Society of America:
To find a chapter in your area and receive autism information, visit
their web site or call 1-800-3AUTISM. ASA chapters are a good place to
meet other parents in your community. To find an autism organization
outside the U.S., go to the National
Autistic Society.
Need help with education or therapy
funding, insurance, respite care or other services? Find your state's
Developmental Disabilities Agency and other resources on this
STATE LIST,
and call to ask about services.
Looking for tutors, advocacy groups,
special education lawyers or psychologists in your state? Visit
www.yellowpagesforkids.com.
Check the credentials and references of anyone you consider hiring.
Would an online college course on
autism help you? Yale University has made its
Understanding Autism class
available online and free to the public.
For information on Asperger's Syndrome,
a milder type of autistic disorder that does not involve a language
delay, see the:
Autism Information
Center at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Indiana Resource Center for
Autism
publishes articles about autism.
Families
for Early Autism Treatment, a non-profit organization in
California, provides education, advocacy and support through chapters in
some states.
Teaching
Tools and Communication Symbols
(return to top)
Model Me Kids
has videos that
teach social skills to children and teens with autism spectrum disorders
and developmental delays. It also sells teaching manuals and student
workbooks.
The U-PLAY MAT for Autism ABA Therapy, Speech and Language Development:
play mat and 10 language exercises for kids ages 1-5. Designed by a pediatrician. Web site has a
free, downloadable
Autism Manual
with activities developed by behavior analysts.
Natural
Learning Concepts has teaching materials,
social story books and conversation starters for young children and
students with autism.
Materials for Teaching Programs:
See AutismWeb's complete list.
Several companies sell different
picture communication symbols or other devices used to help children
with speech delays and autism learn words and express themselves. Visit
Pyramid Educational Consultants,
Mayer-Johnson Co. or
CommuniPix.
The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding: Web site of
educator Carol Gray, who developed stories to teach social
skills. Her books,
The New Social Story Book and Comic Strip Conversations ,
are used with children and teens with autism spectrum
disorders.
Social Thinking: Speech
pathologist Michelle Garcia Winner's program for teaching social learning to students with Asperger's syndrome, ADHD and social-communication problems.
Winner is the author of books on social thinking
and the recipient of a 2008 Congressional award.
National Lekotek Center: offers
advice on toys and activities for kids with special needs on its
free helpline,
1-800-366-PLAY.
Help with
Special Education
(return to top)
IEPs, ESY, IFSPs, what does it all
mean? Here are web sites that help parents understand the
federal laws that require that children with a disability receive a free
and appropriate public education from birth to age 21. Find out what
your child's rights are, and what to do if you believe your school is
violating those rights.
Wrightslaw - Attorney Peter Wright and psychotherapist Pamela Wright
run the top-ranked web site for special education law and advocacy
information. Hundreds of articles and legal cases are available in a free online library and
newsletter. The Wrights are
the authors of
From Emotions to Advocacy: The Special Education Survival Guide
and Wrightslaw: Special Education Law .
NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know
and Do: This printable guide explains two important U.S. laws, The
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA). From the National Center for Educational Outcomes with
Council of State School Officers and National Association of State
Directors of Special Education.
Council
for Parent Attorneys and Advocates is a nonprofit group of parents,
lawyers and advocates involved in the education of
children with disabilities. Search for a special ed attorney or advocate in your
state.
Families
and Advocates Partnership for Education has online summaries of
federal special education law and No Child Left Behind, along with
research on the education of children with disabilities.
Medical
and Dental
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Defeat Autism Now!
maintains a list of health care providers who have attended one of its
conferences on alternative biomedical treatments for autism and related
conditions. Such therapies include chelation, vitamins and supplements,
hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT, and special
diets. Webcasts of past DAN conferences can be viewed
here.
Is your child or patient uncomfortable with dental care and
appointments? Get this guide and video about helping sensory-sensitive
kids with dental care:
Dental Tool Kit to Promote Good Oral Health Care for Kids with Autism.
Medline Plus: Autism information from the National Library of
Medicine and NIH.
Autism Treatment Network at Autism Speaks.
Yale Developmental
Disabilities Clinic
Autism One Radio:
Web-based radio with programs on biomedical treatments
and other topics.
Autism
Research (return
to top)
Autism Speaks, a nonprofit group founded by Bob and Suzanne Wright,
financially supports research into the causes, prevention and treatment of
autism spectrum disorders. Programs include the Autism Genetic Resource
Exchange, Autism Treatment Network, Clinical Trials Network and
Innovative Technology for Autism.
Autism
Research Institute, established in 1967, researches the causes,
prevention, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. This
site contains information on experimental and alternative biomedical
treatments and theories, vitamin therapy, dietary intervention and chelation.
Interactive Autism Network,
or IAN, is an online project linking researchers and families. Parents
can fill out online questionnaires and read preliminary research data.
IAN is supported by Kennedy Krieger Institute, a medical center for
people with developmental disorders, and Autism Speaks.
National Institutes of
Health
Autism Research Network lists major U.S. research projects.
Keeping a Child with Autism Safe
(return to top)
Autism Risk and Safety
Management, a web site by safety expert
and author
Dennis Debbaudt ,
has autism safety information for parents, teachers, paramedics and
police.
Project Lifesaver, a
nonprofit group, provides wristwatch-like tracking devices to people
with autism and disorders that place them at risk for wandering and getting
lost. The devices help police who participate in this program quickly find
someone who wanders away. More than 1,000 agencies in 45 states
participate in the program. 757-546-5502.
Protecting the Child or
Adult with Autism article.
L.E.A.N. on Us has information
for police, fire and rescue personnel on serving people with hidden
disabilities such as autism. Free safety ID cards.
Safe and Sound program of the Autism Society of America.
Visit our
Autism Links page for more web resources. |