NEWS

Community integration experiences are vital for the growth and development of children and youth with autism. Experiences shared with family members and care givers build bonds, trust, mutual interests, and are fun. Sarah Dooley Center for Autism highlights these upcoming community integration opportunities: Sensory-Friendly Movie Matinee On August 19th, join friends and family for an […]

Autism can be both a very difficult and very expensive condition with which to live. Fortunately, there are many organizations that understand the financial hurdles involved in getting the most out of life when living with autism spectrum disorders. While the following listings are neither endorsed nor validated by the Sarah Dooley Center, they are […]

Children with autism often have special requirements when it comes to summer activities and programs. There are some excellent options available in the Richmond area, including those that focus on music, art, outdoor activities, sports, and more. Keep in mind that these programs may not necessarily fit your needs, so make sure to check out […]

Every student deserves a full and functioning education that makes use of their best abilities and emphasizes life skills, whether it’s during the elementary, middle school, secondary, or post-secondary years. During the latter years, it’s important to help students learn about the options that are available to them once they get old enough to join […]

As Autism Awareness Month came to a close, Sarah Dooley Center for Autism staff came together to put on a festival celebrating our students and their families.  Programs from across the St. Joseph’s Villa campus were also invited to join the fun.  With music, balloon animals, therapy dogs, an inflatable slide, and food provided by Joey’s Hot Dogs […]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can range from individuals who are very mildly impaired to those who are very severely impaired. Tailoring your teaching to kids on either end of the spectrum carries unique challenges. Here are some tools to help you understand and meet those challenges. Teaching Severely Impaired Students With Autism Severely impaired children […]

Being able to relate to people with autism requires effective communication – including listening and being open-minded. In this article, we’ll discuss a few basic concepts you should understand, tips for smoother communication, and a few things you should avoid if you want to succeed in relating to those with autism. The Basics: General Challenges […]

As you know, Autism is exhibited by a wide range of verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction, and abstract behaviors. And because the disorder can be displayed in so many ways, there is a tendency to categorize people with Autism into groups. Of these groups, the labels of high or low functioning are perhaps the […]

Navigating social interactions can be one of the biggest challenges for children with autism. That’s what inspired Carol Gray to develop a learning tool called Social Stories in 1990. The approach of using Social Stories has been widely adopted and has even earned Carol several awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. In general, […]

Positivity is powerful. The impact of positivity has been acknowledged and encouraged by many great people through the years. “In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.” -Dalai Lama “You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot – it’s all there. […]