Autism File Magazine

The Season of Giving

As we get older and our kids get older, the holidays take on different meaning. We are all so scattered each day at various jobs, schools, extracurricular activities, and other appointments that it can be difficult to spend quality time together. Sleeping under the same roof as your loved ones each night does not equal instant connection. Read more

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Hoping for Happy Holidays

Whatever you celebrate, wherever you live, one thing’s for sure: the holiday season is about to begin, starting with Thanksgiving and extending for weeks thereafter. Read more

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Foiling Aluminum

Of all the potentially harmful chemicals swirling around in the atmosphere,one of the most well known is aluminum. Most people are familiar with aluminum because of aluminum foil, a popular component of food packaging that many people also use for cooking. Read more

A Weighty Issue

Parents of children on the autism spectrum have countless thoughts running through their minds at any given moment. They deal with the worries all parents experience, like whether a child is generally happy, sick, or safe, and also with a set of anxieties unique to their particular situation. Read more

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Warning: Glyphosate is Toxic and Everywhere

When it comes to our children’s health, it seems there is a new boogey monster every week. Whether mercury, bisphenol-A, phthalates, or something else, there is no shortage of carcinogens permeating our environment.  Read more

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Happy & Healthy Halloween

Trick-or-treating can be extra frightening for parents of kids on the spectrum. Advance planning for comfort and safety can set the stage for fun and memorable moments. Read more

Green School Gear

There are few times of the year as revitalizing as the beginning of fall, when children of all ages and temperaments wipe the slate clean and prepare to return to school. Read more

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The GMO Health Debate

What is a GMO? Surely by now you have heard of this three-letter combination,and maybe you know it has something to do with food. Read more

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Providing Help and Hope for Autism Families

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Environment-Enhancing Holiday Gifts

The holiday season elicits a range of emotions, depending on your station in life. For some, this time is pure, overwhelming, uncontrollable joy.These people are mostly children. Read more

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Cold & Flu Season Is Almost Here- Take Control Of Your Family's Health
 

Much like birthdays, anniversaries,and the holidays, cold and flu season is one of those annual occurrences that just kind of sneaks up on you. Except instead of

Have a Safe Sun-Kissed Summer

Despite longer days and a slower pace, summer goes by in a flash. We squeeze the most out of every drop of sunlight, each muggy night amidst the mosquitoes and crickets. And yet, the season can feel like it’s over before it even begins. Read more

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Time To Reboot

Spring cleaning is cliché, but sometimes clichés exist for a reason. In this case, it just makes good sense: as the seasons turn (finally!) and we bid winter a long overdue farewell, it’s time to purge your house/apartment/ office/playroom/garage/basement of all that stuff you don’t use anymore. And in the process, free your mind and body from the burden of clutter and dirt. Read more

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Aging Gracefully?

As the saying goes, life has few certainties. There is, however, one thing I know for sure, and it is happening to all of us at this very moment: we’re getting older. You’re older now than when you started reading this sentence. You’re younger now than you will be when you finish reading this article. It’s okay—we’re going to get through it together. Read more

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A Balancing Act
 

Electronics are ubiquitous in our everyday lives. We rely on a range of handy devices to wake us up in the morning, make us coffee, dry our hair, communicate with friends and family, read books, and much, much more. In this day and age, it is nearly impossible to exist without these items. Read more

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Gratitude And Giving
 

It is often during life’s most challenging times that we learn about gratitude. We are grateful for the help of family, for a friend’s unconditional support, or for a steaming cup of coffee. Sometimes, we are grateful simply because we know that no matter how difficult circumstances seem—and with kids of any nature, there are some doozies—usually, it could always be worse.  Read more

Playground Pesticides

As parents, we rely on our children’s schools to provide more than just an education. Whether in a mainstream classroom or not, school is where our kids go to learn social skills, time management, sharing, independence, and other intangibles. Read More

Summertime Stress-Busters

As a kid, summer is everything. Just the word evokes a sense of nostalgia in most of us: carefree days and nights spent on the beach, chasing lightening bugs in the yard, licking melted ice cream off sticky fingers. Maybe you attended summer camp, played on a traveling sports team, or goofed off with friends at the neighborhood pool. Read more

It was wise old Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, who said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. This adage feels particularly relevant when discussing our health. Keeping all the different systems of the body in good working order adds up to a better quality of life. Read more

When a child is diagnosed with autism or a related disorder, thescope of his or her lifechanges forever. One of the areas in which this differential can be most striking is education, and the list of questions facing  parents in this domain is exhaustive. Read more

As parents, we devote a lot of time to protecting our children from the wide world out there, whether they’re on the autism spectrum or not. From school to sports to socializing, the worrying about their well-being feels endless, and often out of our control. There remains perhaps just one realm over which we, as parents, can preside to keep our kids safe and healthy: the home. Read more

Look around! It’s fall, and that means color, color everywhere.

How can the average parent keep their kids prepared for school, but also safe? Shop for PVC-free school supplies that won’t contaminate your child’s growing body or exacerbate symptoms in children on the autism spectrum. PVC products are often labeled with the word “vinyl.” Additionally, the number “3” might appear inside the universal recycling symbol, or look for the letters “V” or “PVC” below it.  Read more

Parents of children on the autism spectrum have countless thoughts running through their minds at any given moment. They deal with the worries all parents experience, like whether a child is generally happy, sick, or safe, and also with anxieties unique to their particular situation, like how to control mood swings, prevent violent outbursts, or ensure a child well past potty-training age will actually use the potty. Read more

Of all the reasons to go green—health, style, environmental responsibility—affordability does not often top the list. Organic, natural products and food are typically more expensive than their conventional counterparts because manufacturers use better quality ingredients and less toxic growing practices, two factors for which consumers pay a premium. Read more

Whatever you celebrate, wherever you live, one thing’s for sure: the holiday season is upon us, which means countless parties, presents, and potentially disastrous situations, especially if you’re caring for a child on the autism spectrum. Read more

For many people, family vacations are a rite and a right, offering the oppurtunity to make memories, have a blast and escape from the chores of everyday life.  For families with children on the autism spectrum, however, taking a trip can require more work than staying home, especially since one of autism's hallmarks is the ferocity with which many kids cling to routine. Read more

For over a decade, I’ve been writing about harmful chemicals in our environment and how they jeopardize our children’s health and development. We have made significant strides in identifying, controlling and eliminating many toxic exposures but there is still an overwhelming amount of harmful chemicals that go unregulated in the market place and parents continue to be concerned about their safety. Read more