An autism diagnosis triggers tough questions and difficult emotions for parents. As the number of children diagnosed with autism has risen, so has the amount of misinformation about autism spectrum disorders (ASD). An autism expert helps you separate fact from fiction.
When Thomas Frazier, PhD, works with parents of children with autism, he knows what they’re experiencing firsthand. And he has plenty of empathy and advice to offer.
Contributor: Thomas Frazier, II, PhD For many kids, spotting a fire truck might be a high point in the day. But what happens when the blaring sirens or flashing lights trigger sensory overload? That’s often the case for children with autism. Many experience what we call “hypersensitivity” when it comes to hearing, vision, touch, smell … Read More
Contributor: Thomas Frazier, II, PhD A lack of speech is one of the biggest anxieties parents have about children with autism. In some cases, when a child is struggling to develop verbal skills, help comes in the form of technology. Speech-generating devices have long been available for children with autism, and the era of tablets … Read More
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What’s the best way for your family to get involved in caring for a child with autism? Our expert explains.
Contributor: Thomas Frazier, II, PhD Making new friends can be challenging for any child. There’s always a bit of anxiety in approaching people, introducing yourself and building a new relationship. Now imagine trying to make friends when you have a tough time reading social cues: figures of speech, body language, hand gestures and facial expressions. … Read More
It started with an observation: Children with autism who also have a certain gene mutation tend to have especially large heads. That observation led to some of the first research linking the PTEN genetic mutation to developmental issues in a group of children with autism. Researchers Thomas Frazier, PhD, and Charis Eng, MD, PhD, published … Read More
Contributor: Thomas Frazier, II, PhD Imagine I’m having a light-hearted conversation with a friend who says something silly. I gently joke, “Your head is full of rocks.” I don’t mean that literally. If you are a neurotypical person, you understand I’m joking. You hear it in my tone of voice and see it in my … Read More
If you want to manage challenging behavior in autism, it helps to understand the “why.” Our expert explains.
When is medication for autism an option? Get the facts on symptoms and solutions.
