Life Construction Ahead
Typically developing children and adolescents follow a fairly consistent pattern of learning about relationships and love. They find “chums” in early elementary school—usually same-sex friends—who help them attain important milestones such as paying attention to each other’s interests; confiding just the right amount of information; resolving disagreements; and sharing friends. In late elementary and middle school, same-sex friendships tend to evolve into same-sex groups. Members of the opposite sex may be brought into the group by virtue of siblings, neighbors, or teammates. These social groups allow children to get to know the minds and actions of other people (including opposite-sex people) before hormones and desire for romance begin to rage. With their emerging “mental maps” of other people, typically developing children and adolescents learn to get “in sync” with their friends and, thus, become closer. . . . For a host of reasons, many children and adolescents with ASDs do not move through the “acquaintance to BFF” (best friend forever) sequence as efficiently as their typically developing peers. To read this entire article Subscribe »
Feature Articles
By V. Mark Durand, Meme Hieneman, Ph. D.
Drs. V. Mark Durand and Meme Hieneman describe a brand new approach to behavioral parent training that helps parents to become more optimistic about both their own parenting skills and their child's ability to make positive changes.
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By Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.
Dr. Geraldine Dawson addresses the progress made over the past decade in early intervention and insurance coverage; genetics and autism-specific drug research; initiatives in GI and immune system research; and the recently increased autism prevalence rates.
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By Pat Crissey
You'll not only find easy-to-implement strategies that directly address the often elusive generalization of communication skills, but also ways to increase your child's or student's desire to communicate.
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By Donna Richards
In this first article in our brand new series, Autism and Everyday Life, a mom who really gets it brings child-proofing your home to a whole new level.
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Great Resources for Families and Professionals
The editors of ASQ highlight some outstanding resources that are appropriate for school, home, and clinic. To see the list, Subscribe »
Meet the "Kids on the Cover" Contest Finalists
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