On a more serious note than most of what I post here, this checklist from the “We Are Like Your Child” site (a very useful group blog written for parents of autistic kids by autistic adults, based on their own childhood experiences) is really good. Some of the things on it have really helped me understand some of Little A’s bad days, especially the difficulty with disruptions to routine, and the need for downtime, both of which are big factors for her. Any parent with kids on the autism spectrum, as well as teachers and anyone else who deals with them, needs to follow that blog, and pay attention to that post in particular.

Another useful resource: this post, from the also-awesome blog Emma’s Hope Book, which includes some very eloquent writing from a non-verbal autistic girl (non-verbal in the sense of not speaking aloud – she writes very well) and some advice from autistic adults as well.