Guest Blog Post by Dr. Steven DeLisle, DDS
A trip to the dentist can lead to some anxiety, even for adults. The process of regular dental cleanings and X-rays can be uncomfortable for children who aren’t familiar with them. Even more involved treatments like fillings are done more quickly and painlessly than most people expect.
 But parents of children with ASD, know that a trip to the dentist is quite different. The unfamiliar location, people, sights, smells, and sounds can easily make a child uncomfortable and uncooperative. Many parents feel helpless when their child is at the dentist, not knowing what to do or how to help their child deal with the ordeal.
Below are six ways parents can help. Of course, you know the saying, “If you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism.” Since every child with autism processes sensory events differently, not all of these tips may apply to their unique situation.

Guest post by Don Lewis of AbilityLabs.com

Are you at your wits end with a child who won't sleep? There are many reasons children with autism may have sleep problems, from allergies to circadian rhythm disorders. These are some of the most common issues contributing to sleep problems in children with autism and how bedroom design can help combat them.

Guest post by Tracey Cohen, author of Six-Word Lessons on Female Asperger Syndrome 

​     Socializing and social events are incredibly difficult and 'tricky' for many people on the autism spectrum including myself. We very much want to be included but are overwhelmed quickly - by the social situation itself as well as the very notion of attending. As a result, we often decline invitations and/or make very brief appearances which are often seen as standoffish; some even assume us to be arrogant. But such assumptions could not be further from the truth. In fact, what may appear to be a small 'token' effort is actually monumental and often a huge achievement for many of us on the spectrum.

Guest post by LighthouseAutismCenter.com
It can be a challenge for children with autism to stay active and healthy. Here are some activities and ideas for meeting those challenges.

Guest post by Autism Home Support Services

Guest Post by Dr. Greg Grillo of Dentably.com

Dental issues are something that most people experience at some point in their life. A lot of these issues can be prevented by practicing good dental hygiene. However, because of sensory issues, oral health for patients with autism can be difficult. I’ve been practicing family dentistry for 17 years and my staff and I personally work closely with patients and their needs. Each person is different, and we like to accommodate their specific needs the best we can. I like to make families aware of some of the common dental issues that occur in patients with autism so they can work to treat or prevent them.

by Lonnie Pacelli

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) Special intelligence Unit 9900 is dedicated to everything related to geography, including mapping, interpretation of aerial and satellite photographs, and space research. Within this unit there is another, smaller unit of highly qualified soldiers who can detect even the smallest details—the ones usually undetectable to most people.

These soldiers all have one thing in common; they are on the autism spectrum. Their job is to take visual materials from satellite images and sensors in the air. With the help of officers and decoding tools, they analyze the images and find specific objects within the images that are necessary to provide the best data to those planning missions. The IDF has also found that soldiers with autism can focus for longer periods of time than their neurotypical counterparts.

by Lonnie Pacelli

This is part two of How an Autistic Child has Changed a Career…For the Better

In 2006 I wrote of Patty’s and my decision to homeschool our son Trevor to help provide a learning environment more conducive with his autism. It’s now twelve years later and time to write about how things worked out.

by Lonnie Pacelli

My fiction book, The Lawless One and the End of Time, has four main characters who meet at age 14 in Naples, Italy and all grow into globally-recognized figures. One of the characters, Bert Winn, was fascinated with history. He loved the concreteness of historical facts; they either happened or they didn’t. He met and fell in love with Laura, a math major he met in college. He graduated college with a Ph.D. in history and became an acclaimed professor. Bert and Laura married and had a son they named JT. The Winn family became internet celebrities and millions of people subscribed to their online video blog. Subscribers loved to hear their messages of fact, inspiration, and challenge. Their message? An unvarnished, inspirational view of life with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

by Lonnie Pacelli

Recently our son Trevor published a blog post entitled Every Oscar Winner for Best Picture, Ranked Worst to Best. In this post, he ranks, from 90 to one, each and every Oscar winner since Wings won the very first Oscar in 1928. Each winner is listed by the movie name, year it won, a picture from the movie, and a review summary. It took him three years to watch, review and rank the movies, which he did in addition to living a full work and social life. The ranking list, whether you agree with where they fall or not, is not only a fun read but is a major achievement for Trevor.