Category Archives: Articles & Journals

Dear Family and Friends, I know you love us and you think you need to let your thoughts be known for how we handle our life because somehow you believe you are helping. I think there is something you should know. When you single out how I parent my autistic daughter it makes me feel […]

During this time of unprecedented change, many children will be feeling the kind of uncertainty, lack of control and anxiety that is normally experienced by a high percentage of autistic children. I am a researcher working on education strategies for children on the autism spectrum, and I have also worked as a special education teacher. […]

Speaking to The New Paper last week, the 48-year-old said the information can be complicated for children and adults with limited language ability. “Things like wearing a mask are new habits to them (and) can be hard for them to pick up. Changes in routine can stress a child with special needs because it is […]

With schools across Europe closed in an effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, millions of children and their parents are now being confined to their homes. My eldest son has autism, severe epilepsy and associated learning difficulties. He also cannot talk so communication is often down to guesswork. My current guess as […]

SINGAPORE – Educators in mainstream schools will be better equipped to support students with special educational needs (SEN). From July this year, all teachers will get access to bite-sized online learning modules that will help them expand their repertoire of teaching and support strategies to cater to students with special needs, said Second Minister for […]

Families with disabled children who are attending special student care centres will get more fee subsidies, and more will qualify for help as the income criteria are expanded. With the extra help, most families will, on average, pay between 30 and 80 per cent less in fees. For example, a family with a total monthly […]

The first day Clarabelle attended poetry lessons at the Very Special Arts (VSA) Singapore in Bedok more than a year ago, she had to be carried into the classroom by her father. The 10-year-old was unable to walk for more than a few metres without assistance as she suffers from hypotonia, a condition which causes […]

For the past 36 years, Madam Emalin Rom, 71, has been the sole caregiver to her three adult children who have special needs. Never once did she expect to be lauded for what she considers to be her duty as a mother. But her tireless dedication to her children was recognised on International Women’s Day […]

SINGAPORE: Mr Wee Pang Chun has had so many jobs that he cannot remember all of them. The 25-year-old, who has mild intellectual disability, started working after graduating from secondary school. Until recently, he worked at NTUC FairPrice as a store assistant for two years, his longest stint yet. But he found the work boring […]

It’s not uncommon for people with autism to have so-called “age-inappropriate” interests—beloved toys, TV shows, movies, or other interests that were originally intended for younger age groups. For example, a 20-year-old man playing with LEGOs. Or a 16-year-old girl who still loves shows like Barney or Sesame Street. Or a college-aged student still preferring picture […]