Autism Resources

In honor of April being Autism Awareness Month (and the fact that my wife and I are raising a young man with Autism), we have added this new page to our school's website dealing Autism and Autism Related Disorders.

Note: Links open in new windows.

Organizations

Autism Society of America - The largest national autism organization in the United States.

National Autism Society - Another national autism organization that provides the Helping Hand Program (financial assistance to families in need of therapies or treatments) and FAM1LY F1RST program, (providing couples with access to and financial aid for counseling as well as raising awareness about the divorce rates within our community and around the country).

Research

Autism Research Institute (ARI) publishes the Autism Research Review International, a newsletter that reports on research in many different areas of autism.  ARI also sponsors Deaf Autism Now! (DAN), dedicated to educating parents and clinicians regarding biomedically-based research, appropriate testing and safe and effective interventions for autism.  The site addresses a number of research issues.

Autism Speaks committed $30 million to new research  funding in 2007 to uncover the cause(s), prevention, treatments and cure for autism, making it the nation's top private funder of autism research.  The organization also launched an online family services resource guide with over 15,000 entries that allows families to search by state or zip code to find a wide range of local or regional services.

The Interactive Autism Network (IAN), is an online project funded by Autism Speaks, designed to accelerate the pace of autism research by linking researchers and families. Anyone impacted by an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can become part of IAN's online community to stay informed about autism research, provide feedback, and make their voices heard.  In addition, families of children with an ASD can share information in a secure online setting and become part of the nation's largest online research effort.

Autism Information Center sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, includes information regarding vaccines.

Knowledge Path: Autism Spectrum Disorders prepared by the Material and Health Child Library of the Georgetown University, it offers a selection of current, high-quality resources about ASD identification and intervention.  It includes resources about biomedical research into the causes of ASD; resources that address the communication, education, and vocational challenges of autism; and resources about autism's impact on family life.

Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is an autism organization which focuses solely on applied research, providing grants to research studies that investigate treatments, educational approaches, and statistical aspects of autism.

Unlocking Autism contains links to a lot of biological and biomedical treatment options for autism.

Information/Support

Autism Link - Provides database with resources by state, discussion forums, information for emergency personnel.  As they state on their website, their mission is to "provide a place on the internet that gathers information from ALL organizations and put it in one place".  Very helpful site.

Advice for Parents of Young Autistic Children (Revised  2008),  located on the Autism Research Institute website it includes a wealth of information by Dr. Bernard Rimland, Temple Grandin and others for parents of newly diagnosed  children with autism and parents of young children with autism who are not acquainted with many of the basic issues of autism.

Beyond Autism is a parent run web site with 2,700 links to information and a lot of fun activities.  The graphics are pretty cool as well (great Pooh graphics).

FSU CARD - The FSU Center for Autism & Related Disabilities is a community-based project that provides information and consultation to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and related disabilities.  The CARD Center in Tallahassee is located at 625 B North Adams Street.  Their phone number is (850) 644-4367/(800) 769-7926.

The (Louise R. Goldhagen) FSU Regional Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Consulting Center is a university-based diagnostic and training center that serves preschool and school-aged children presenting complex academic, medical, emotional or behavioral problems in school programs.  Services include:

Diagnostic Evaluations

• psychological assessment of children and adolescents, specialized evaluations of children suspected of having an Autism Spectrum Disorder, specialized evaluations for hearing impaired, visually impaired, and bilingual children, and audiological, central auditory processing, and speech and language evaluations

Therapeutic Interventions and Consultation

• school-based individual and group counseling with children and adolescents, participation on school-based intervention teams, academic and behavioral consultation with teachers and school personnel and, referral to and collaboration with appropriate community-based agencies or resources

GFCF (Gluten-free/ Casein-free) Diet Home from Talk about Curing Autism (see link below) has a wealth of information about this dietary intervention treatment for autistic spectrum disorders, including Diet-on-a-budget meal plans.

Pecanbread.com offers a great deal of information about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD).  If the Gluten-free/Casein-free diet does not work, take a look at the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.  This a diet currently being used by Defeat Autism Now (DAN) Doctors with success.

Talk about Curing Autism - Families with Autism helping Families with Autism, provides information, resources, and support to families affected by autism.  Jenny McCarthy – actress, comedian, model, and Evan's mother is the author of Louder than Words – A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism which was released September 17, 2007.

Education

ABA Educational Resources is a Canadian Based website for parents/caregivers/professionals interested in educating children with autism using principles of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis).  There are a lot of free downloads that can be used for educational programs for children with autism or Asperger Syndrome.

Tinsnips  is a Special Educational Resource for Teachers with information about specialized teaching tools, techniques, worksheets, and activities for students who have Autistic Spectrum Disorders and related Developmental Disabilities. Many of these activities may be appropriate for Pre-K and Kindergarten children.

Page updated: 04/09/2008