California resident Deb Peralta didn’t set out to be an Autism activist parent. In fact, parenthood was thought to be off the table entirely until it suddenly wasn’t – Devin and Darius were a miraculous gift for Deb and her husband, Dean, changing their lives in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine.

Helen Ezell has a deep understanding of the elopement concerns of parents of special needs children. As the mother of four amazing special needs sons – three diagnosed with Autism, two profoundly so – Helen lives with worries about her children every day.

It has been a little more than a year since the start of my journey to obtain a Medicaid waiver for my six-year-old son with autism, but I am relieved to say I finally walked through the “Front Door” and obtained a Medicaid Service Coordinator for my son – another step toward accessing additional therapy, family reimbursement and more.

Yes it’s February and currently theme of the month is – we must be in love. Well the truth is regardless of whether you have a romantic relationship or not we all feel extra pressure to make an effort when at every turn we are being bombarded with images of cupids and love hearts. When parenting a special needs child finding the space…

Lopsided and gloopily glued craft projects are a hallmark of childhood. Sharing time with your children to do these fun activities can present issues for kids with sensory issues, for example. Setting up a Valentine’s Day project that is attuned to their strengths and modified for comfort will make for a fun afternoon!

All my life I knew what I wanted…at least I thought I did. I was an Air Force Brat – that’s what they called us back then, kids that grew up in the military. Our parents were “lifers” – they’d retire from the military. Growing up on military bases around all those planes, dad was a mechanic and it allowed us to get up close and personal.

Animal Assistance and Pet Therapy are either present in your lives as parents of children with special needs – or as article or blog post that you quickly click by! Maybe allergies are a factor, maybe cost, maybe you don’t know where to start amongst the myriad of choices – maybe you don’t even want to imagine another living thing to keep track of in your busy daily life!

To our sweet Wally and Olivia: At times you may feel the world only revolves around your brother. You may feel unknown and invisible, but to me you are your brother’s guardian angels on earth, even at a very young age. You have learned about responsibility…

I am the mother to two wonderful little boys, one who has autism and one who is “normal” (whatever that is!). There are many things we didn’t know before we became parents, and even less when you hear a word like “autism.” There are some things I wish I had known before my son was born, and I wish I could share them with every parent out there.

The AngelSense community has compiled a list of 10 of the best books on autism spectrum disorder to help you and your loved ones see the world through the eyes of someone with autism. Our hope is that these books will make you more tolerant, understanding and will improve your relationship with your child with special needs.