Autism at About.Com - Welcome to a Wealth of Resources
While I'm thrilled to hear from readers of this blog, and am always glad to receive comments, it occurred to me that some readers may not know that the blog is just one small part of a wealth of autism-related resources here on About.com. In fact, some readers may not be aware that this site is part of a much larger, richer network.
So... I thought I'd offer a little tour, to give readers a better sense of just what this site is all about.
Autism.About.Com is actually just one of over 700 websites on the About.com network. About.com itself is a part of the New York Times Company.
Within About.com, Autism.About.Com is a part of the Health Channel, which contains over 80 similar "guided" sites on topics ranging from Food Allergies to Social Anxiety Disorder to Pediatrics. The Health Channel has been accredited by HonCode, which means every article written for every site on the channel (with the exception of the blogs) is reviewed by a member of a Medical Review Board - and includes citations of appropriate studies and other sources. The blogs are not intended to be stand-alone articles; instead, they allow guides to announce new resources on the site, invite input from readers; update readers on relevant news; and start conversations.
Many of the Health Channel guides are medical professionals; others are therapists, patient advocates, and authors. All of the guides are available, as I am, by email. A feature available through any Health Channel site will guide you to a resource called UCompare, which helps you to find and compare medical professionals in your area.
But wait - there's more!
Dig into some of the other channels, and you'll find sites, articles and guides to help with almost any autism-related concern you may have. You'll find entire sites, each with hundreds of articles, recipes, glossaries and reviews dedicated entirely to topics such as Gluten Free Diets, Dairy Free Diets, Parenting Special Needs, Special Education, and much more.
If you're particularly interested in autism, and want more from this site, I've written hundreds of articles on topics ranging from Asperger Syndrome to Autism Treatments to Adults and Autism. I've also written dozens of reviews of books, products and resources for families living with autism. A twice-weekly newsletter sent free to your email box will keep you up to date on autism issues and on new articles on the site. Free e-Courses send selected topical articles to your mailbox daily or weekly. The active Autism.About.Com Forum is a great place to meet other parents and professionals who can offer support, suggestions, and ideas for managing autism every day.
In short, About.com offers a very broad, deep set of resources that are well worth exploring. More importantly, every site is "guided" by a real, qualified person who is (almost always!) available by email. I urge readers to take a little while to explore the site and its amazing collection of articles, recipes, reviews, insights, updates and databases!
As a final note: while About.com is a part of the New York Times Company, the New York Times is not involved in the day to day editorial process here at About.com. In fact, the Times has its own, separate website with its own, separate medical and health content.
Comments
My boyfriends son,(Zach), has ADD & Autism & We are looking to get him a dog. Was wondering if you had any idea on what type of dog would be best for children with Autism? He is 12 years old & could defiently help care for it!
golden retrievers are known to be good dogs with kids and my sister’s two have always been good with my son. but my son cant stand furry dogs.
we have a mixed breed, Shih Tzu and weiner and this little dog fit the bill for not alot of fur. she would protect my kid if it killed the little thing.
You may want to consider breed of dogs that have hair vs fur….less people are allergic to this type of animal…there are also breeds with no fur at all.
Those breeds may be more “acceptable” in say a school setting.Unfortunately, it may be more challenging to find people that will train them as therapy dogs,golden retrievers being the dog of choicefor trainers.
It’s the individual dogs perosnality that seems to be key though.
Are you thinking about a therapy dog or just a pet? Of course, a pet is VERY therapeutic, but I’m just wondering if you are looking for a highly trained therapy dog or a “buddy dog” to hang around with Zach. Some of my friends with autism have enjoyed having a dog or a cat, and others have learned from experience that the only pets they like are fish in an aquarium (fish are silent, predictable, contained, and move slowly and calmly in pretty patterns.)
Though some of the youngsters and young adults have adapted to indoor pets, most of the folks with autism I know have adapted best to “outside” dogs rather than dogs who stay in the house all day and sleep on their beds. The outside dogs are a friend to greet them when they come home from school, to fetch a ball and run around, to go for walks on a leash around the block or in the park, and generally be a buddy.
If Zach hasn’t been around dogs in the past, you might want to visit friends or something to let him see if he likes dogs and to let him learn his preferences. Does he prefer frisky or calm? Can he tolerate barking and tail wagging? Does he have allergies to dogs? Does he want a lap-sitter or a ball-chaser? Does he understand the critical nature of daily care of a pet? If he wants to play with his dog outside, do you have a fenced yard?
Lots of issues must be considered when getting a pet, whether a youngster is diagnosed with autism or not. So many folks just fall in love with a cute little puppy without realizing the nature and personality of the grown dog, and without realizing the significant responsibilities of daily care, training the dog, vet bills, boarding when the family travels, etc. etc.
BUT…dogs can be precious friends who add joy to each day, so best wishes as you consider getting Zach a dog.