autism
Planning a family vacation with Autism – 10 tips for success
By Alex Plank on November 2, 2018
Going on vacation is is supposed to be relaxing but it can often turn out to be the opposite for those on the spectrum if we don’t plan it right. And for parents of autistics, that stress can spread to the whole family. When I was a kid, my parents made a lot of efforts […] 5 Noise Cancelling Headphones for Autism
By Alex Plank on October 10, 2018
People on the autism spectrum usually have one or more sensory issues. Mine happens to be a sensitivity to sounds, especially bass. Because of this I’ve tried a variety of things to make life bearable ranging from soundproofing my apartment, using white noise machines or fans to sleep, and getting noise cancelling headphones as well […] Atypical’s 2nd Season is a Step Forward in Autism Representation
By Alex Plank on September 30, 2018
My criticisms of Atypical’s freshman season were certainly no secret, as I shared my feelings both publicly in various news outlets and privately with Robia Rashid, the show’s creator. At the time, I mentioned that a lot of issues could be fixed, but my biggest problem with season one was the lack of autistic […] Leaving Home & Living Independently on the Autism Spectrum
By Alex Plank on August 26, 2018
When I was 19 years old, I packed up my things, put them in my Dad’s car, and we drove two and a half hours to my new living situation, a college dorm. It was one of the most exciting and scariest moments in my life. He helped me unpack my things, made sure I […] Before You Look for Work Here Are Four Things You Should Absolutely Know
By John Marble on June 28, 2017
Our team used to hate conversations like the one below. We really did. “That’s really incredible,” said a well-meaning educator who had called in April about our Autism Advantage program, which runs six-week training cohorts for autistic individuals around specific talent sets. “I’m searching for a program which can teach autistic people acceptable behavior for […] The Dawn of Autistic Space – Excerpt from NeuroTribes
By Alex Plank on September 8, 2016
This is an excerpt of Steve Silberman’s award-winning book NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity, which was recently published in paperback. This section of a chapter called “In Autistic Space” describes how adults on the spectrum became early adopters of the Internet, using it to share stories of their lives, build […] This is the Most Important Election of My Life Because I’m Autistic
By Alex Plank on August 17, 2016
Many people are calling this the most important election of our lives. That’s certainly true for me because I’m autistic. This is the first election in the history of the United States where disability rights and autism are playing a central role. This is the first election where individuals with disabilities have been in the […] In a Different Key – Interview with John Donvan and Caren Zucker
By Alex Plank on July 20, 2016
In Autism Talk TV Ep. 26, I speak with authors John Donvan and Caren Zucker about their bestselling book on the history of autism, In a Different Key: The Story of Autism. In addition to being authors, Donvan and Zucker have worked for ABC News, where Donvan is an Emmy award winning correspondent and Zucker […] Autistic Jack Robison Escaped 60 Years in Prison; Now He’s Revolutionizing the Internet
By Alex Plank on January 5, 2016
I’m excited to share the news that Autism Talk TV host and Wrong Planet contributor Jack Robison has joined the LBRY project as a core developer. Jack is a great guy and incredibly passionate about technology and science. Here is the announcement from LBRY: Today, we officially announce the addition of Jack Robison to […] It Takes Brains! – Autism Brain Net
By Alex Plank on November 16, 2015
When I was first contacted by The Autism Science Foundation about being involved in the It Takes Brains campaign, I honestly didn’t know what to think. The campaign has the goal of urging families and individuals on the spectrum to “make the heroic decision to register for brain tissue donation.” It was certainly one of the […] 
