Going on vacation is is supposed to be relaxing but it can often turn out to be the opposite for those on the spectrum if we don’t plan it right. And for parents of autistics, that stress can spread to the whole family. When I was a kid, my parents made a lot of efforts to take our family on vacations and while I’m sure they probably felt frustrated...

People on the autism spectrum usually have one or more sensory issues. Mine happens to be a sensitivity to sounds, especially bass. Because of this I’ve tried a variety of things to make life bearable ranging from soundproofing my apartment, using white noise machines or fans to sleep, and getting noise cancelling headphones as well as ear muffs and...

  My criticisms of Atypical’s freshman season were certainly no secret, as I shared my feelings both publicly in various news outlets and privately with Robia Rashid, the show’s creator.  At the time, I mentioned that a lot of issues could be fixed, but my biggest problem with season one was the lack of autistic involvement.  To remedy this problem,...

Rio’s fascination with water began at a very early age; he has always been almost magically drawn to it. After all, his name means “River” in Spanish. It was meant to be! One way that Rio’s autism manifests itself is in his obsessions with certain things. The sea and all the living creatures that inhabit it are two of those focal points for him. He’s...

When I was 19 years old, I packed up my things, put them in my Dad’s car, and we drove two and a half hours to my new living situation, a college dorm. It was one of the most exciting and scariest moments in my life. He helped me unpack my things, made sure I was settled in, and we said our goodbyes. I was finally living away from home.For many autistics...

The media has a subtle yet powerful effect on our lives. Everything we do, everything we think, and everything we feel is influenced by the stories told by those in the media. Autism is relatively new in the public eye so the stories we hear have an even greater impact on what we think.When I was growing up, I developed much of my interpretation of...