No matter what the symbol or message that is used, April is a month to celebrate Autism. It is an opportunity to learn about, raise awareness and understanding of those on the Autism spectrum. This leads to acceptance and inclusion. We need to realize that our neurodiversity is a gift.
We created this page to share videos, books, resources, ideas, information and more to help all of us learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder. If you have information or resources you would like to add, please email us at [email protected].
Videos:
Amazing Things Happen - by Alexander Amelines
Alexander’s film gives an uplifting introduction to autism for young non-autistic audiences, aiming to raise awareness, understanding and tolerance in future generations. (Recommended for elementary, middle school, high school audiences)
Marvelous Max - Autism Awareness for School Kids:
Marvelous Max is a 3 minute animated video for Primary School kids. The aim of the video is to create more awareness of autism spectrum disorder.
Based on the bestselling book by Naoki Higashida, THE REASON I JUMP is an immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity through the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world. Learn more here.
Disney+ offers two insightful short films about autism and neurodiversity:
In Pixar's "Loop," all a boy and girl have to do is get in a canoe, paddle around a lake, and get back. He's neurotypical; she's on the autism spectrum.
In "Float," a father discovers that his son is different in the most unusual way. To keep them both safe from judgement, Dad covers him and keeps him out of sight—but when his son’s ability becomes public, Dad must decide whether to run or to accept his son.
Books:
Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
by Sonia Sotomayor, Rafael López (Illustrations)
Feeling different, especially as a kid, can be tough. But in the same way that different types of plants and flowers make a garden more beautiful and enjoyable, different types of people make our world more vibrant and wonderful. Watch it being read aloud here.
Izzy is Me: Adventures in Autism
by Vincent Michael Dela Luna
This is a funny story about a young girl named Izzy, who has autism and goes to school but still can't talk. While she may have trouble saying things, Izzy loves to express herself using all of her senses. She would like to share with you a glimpse of why she does the things she does.
The Awesome Autistic Go-To Guide: A Practical Handbook for Autistic Teens and Tweens
by Yenn Purkis and Tanya Masterman
This book explores what it feels like to be a young person on the autism spectrum and looks at all the brilliant things people on the autism spectrum can do.
Just Right for You
by Melanie Heyworth (Author), Celeste Josephine (Illustrator)From the moment you began to grow, I knew that you would be just right ...Just Right for You offers a warm, optimistic way of introducing Autism to your child and embracing their differences.
Autistics on Autism edited by Dr. Kerry Magro Ed will share with you topics about autism: receiving the diagnosis, early intervention, overcoming obstacles, disclosure, acceptance, and what helped them succeed both in K-12 and college with a learning disability. Dr. Kerry Magro Ed., is an award-winning professional speaker, author, autism entertainment consultant and autistic self-advocate.
Little Big Sister by Amy B. McCoy
Winner of the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Children’s Fiction! Meet nine-year-old Katie, the little sister who feels like a big sister. Her eleven-year-old brother, Mikey, has autism. Katie can ride a two-wheeler, but Mikey’s bike still has training wheels. Katie rides the bus to school, while Mikey takes the special needs van. When a new student with special needs joins Katie’s class, she notices that some kids just don’t “get it” about autism and other disabilities. Discover how Katie, along with her friends Lauren and Bella, are determined to make a difference at their school. (3rd grade level) Learn more here.
I'm Sorry Jimmy Muscle: My Son with Autism Wanders by Debra J. O'Fee
Local Massapequa mom discusses her son's sensory issues lead to his elopement. She says "My son, who seemed to be disinterested and unable to focus on most things, was calculating and strategizing in one area: removing himself from situations in which he was uncomfortable...The theme of our lives became trying to keep one step ahead of his beautiful, creative mind. This is our story." Learn more here. You can also buy it here.
Debra J. O'Fee has also written an article for the Autism Parenting Magazine entitled, "Is It When They Have "Man" Hands? Asking for a Friend" which shares her own heartwarming account of her journey as her son grows up fast. Read it here.
Online Resources:
Sesame Street introduced Julia, a four-year-old girl with autism, in 2015 as part of the Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children initiative. She is a young girl with bright orange hair and big green eyes and is friends with Elmo and Abby. Learn more at sesame workshop and find more resources here.
Maybe Autism Is My Superpower: Ben Blanchet is a teenage boy from Long Island who has autism. He is a homeschooled student, with unique interests and abilities…abilities he refers to as his superpowers! After seeing a superhero movie, Ben Blanchet, claimed that maybe autism is his superpower and he wrote a book about it. Ben has a website and social media pages helping people learn to shift their focus onto the abilties of autism. Ben is also promoting the idea of having neurotypical and neurodiverse people "Meet Autism In The Middle." "Maybe one day we won't have to join their world all the time...maybe one day we can meet in the middle" he says. Learn more at his website.
Apps for Autism: Both iTunes and the Android app store have heaps of apps designed specifically to help children with varying types of Autism and ADHD. Read more here.
Autism Level Up: Focused on collaborating with individuals, families, and educational teams to provide person-specific, developmentally- appropriate, evidenced based educational recommendations and supports to empower autistic individuals to navigate their days. Autism Awareness? Autism Acceptance? Autism Appreciation? None of them work perfectly. It is true that Autism Appreciation and Acceptance seem far better than Autism Awareness, but it is also true that a large percentage of the population still lacks awareness of the realities of autism and neurodiversity. Read more at the website: https://autismlevelup.com/
"A Medical Guide to Autism" by Dr. Mary Williams, R.N. D.C. from CPR Certified providing further information about Autism.
Famous People with Autism:
Many people throughout history have had autism. Some speculate that Albert Einstein, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Darwin, and even Mozart may have been on the spectrum. Many contemporary celebrities, activists, and scientists are also on the autism spectrum including Dan Aykroyd - Actor and Film Writer, Daryl Hannah - Actress & Environmental Activist, Anthony Hopkins - Actor, Heather Kuzmich - Reality TV Contestant & Model, Tim Burton – Movie Director, Bobby Fischer – Chess Grandmaster, Jerry Seinfeld – Comedian, Satoshi Tajiri – Creator of Pokémon, Elon Musk - Entrepreneur, Clay Marzo - Professional Surfer, Dr. Vernon Smith - Professor, Lionel Messi - Football Player, Greta Thunberg - Environmental Activist.
Read of them and more here: https://www.psycom.net/autism-famous-people and
https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/historys-30-most-inspiring-people-on-the-autism-spectrum/
Organizations:
Local Organizations:
NSSA (Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism): A non-profit organization dedicated to the education and treatment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Learn more here.
The Family Center for Autism (FCA) is an inclusive environment where people of all ages can explore a variety of activities, classes, and programs. Learn more here.
The Asperger/Autism Network (AANE) provides individuals, families, and professionals with information, education, community, support, and advocacy. Learn more here.
Parent to Parent of New York State builds a supportive network of families to reduce isolation and empower those who care for people with developmental disabilities or special healthcare needs to navigate and influence service systems and make informed decisions. Learn more here and information for the Long Island office is here.
SASI Specialized Autism Support & Information: A 501c3 non-profit serving the needs of the autism community throughout Long Island with over 1,500 member families and growing each day. SASI aims to enrich the lives of special needs families and be a central resource for them to bettering the lives of their children and their family as a whole. We run support groups, provide resources, guide families to help secure essential services for their children, aid families in the OPWDD process and give emotional and financial support to asd families in need. Learn more here.
The Flying Point Foundation for Autism, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is dedicated to creating and supporting programs and services that enrich the lives of those with autism. Recognizing the limited opportunities for organized activities geared toward individuals with autism, the Foundation’s main focus is to provide programs that meet this need on the East End. Learn more here.
National Organizations:
Autism Society
Learn more about the Autism Society’s programs including affiliate networks, public policy efforts, training, and safety. Everyone deserves to live fully. Learn more here.
National Autism Association
Go to their website to learn about all of their programs, conferences, webinars and more.
Autism Speaks
Enhancing lives today and accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow. Learn more here.
Ideas:
Websites with ideas:
- Here's a website with autism awareness activities will help you support kids on the autism spectrum and their families! Whether you are looking for autism books, fundraising ideas, autism training, autism printables, autism activities for adults, autism awareness crafts or autism awareness recipes, you will find some great ways to support autism awareness!
- Here's another website with a lot of ideas!