Category: Blog

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Preparing to Move with a Child Who Has Autism? Here’s What You Should Know

Autism Moving

Moving to a new home can be exciting and stressful. When you have a child with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, there are a few extra considerations that need to be made. It’s important to plan and ensure that the move will go smoothly for everyone involved. From finding the right home to researching therapy options in the area, here are some things to keep in mind before you buy a home and move with a child with autism on board, shared below by ADAutism.

Affordability is Key

No matter what your budget is, it’s important to find a home you can easily afford so that money worries don’t cause undue stress down the road. This means not only considering the cost of rent or mortgage payments but also taking into account other costs like property taxes, utilities, and maintenance costs. If you decide to buy a house, make sure you factor in closing costs as well.

Size and Safety Matter

When it comes to choosing a new home for your family, size and safety should be at the top of your list of priorities. Make sure there’s enough space for your family now and in the future — including any additional members who may join after you move — and consider whether there are any safety issues that could pose risks for children with autism. For instance, does the home have stairs or balconies without railings? Are there locks on all exterior doors? Investigate these safety concerns before making your decision.

Rent Before You Buy

If you’re unsure about an area or neighborhood, renting before buying is often recommended as it gives you time to explore potential neighborhoods without making a long-term commitment. It also allows you more flexibility if you decide later on that it’s not the best fit for your family after all. That being said, renting isn’t always feasible if money is tight — but if it is possible then it’s definitely worth considering!

Neighborhood Matters

The neighborhood where your new home is located can have a huge impact on how easy (or hard) it will be for a child with autism to adjust to life after moving day. Factors like noise level, traffic volume, amount of foot traffic in front of homes at night, and local crime rate all play an important role in creating a safe and comfortable environment for those with autism. If possible, try visiting each potential neighborhood during different times of the day so that you can observe what kind of activity goes on throughout the day and night.

Investigate Therapy Options in the Area   

Researching local therapy options should also be high on your list when preparing for a move with a child with autism. Make sure there are qualified professionals nearby who specialize in treating ASD so that they can provide necessary care when needed without having to travel too far from home. Try talking with other families who have moved recently or are currently living nearby.

Get the Child Ready

With proper talk and explanation, you and your child can both be ready for the upcoming changes. Start by talking to your child about the move early on; explain why you are moving and what to expect in the new house or neighborhood. Let them talk through their feelings so that they know their thoughts and feelings have been acknowledged. By maintaining an open dialogue throughout the process, you and your child will be more prepared when it comes time to move into your new home.

Moving with a child with autism requires extra consideration; however, by doing research on home prices before buying and planning accordingly, families can ensure their transition into their new life goes as smoothly as possible. Be sure to find out what kind of support systems already exist within schools and communities near potential homes; talk directly with teachers about their experience working with autistic students; investigate therapy options available; considering size and safety when choosing between potential homes; avoid areas with extra nose pollution or environmental irritants; and talk openly and honestly with your child about upcoming changes; these steps will make fewer sources of stress when moving day arrives.

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Balancing Caring for a Child with Special Needs and Self-Care

Parents With Children

Caring for a child with special needs can be difficult. Many parents in this situation find it hard to balance their own needs with those of their children. However, it is important to find this balance. If you don’t care for yourself as well as your child, you will become overly fatigued and spread yourself too thin, making it more difficult to care for anyone. Learning to master this balancing act is a must-do for any parent caring for a child with special needs, so here are some tips and resources from ADAutism to help.

Learn to Evaluate You Fatigue Levels and Negative Emotions

Self-evaluation is the starting point for an effective self-care strategy. You need to be able to determine your fatigue levels and identify other challenges, such as negative emotions. The following are a few questions you can ask yourself to start your evaluation:

  • How is your sleep quality?
  • How would you rate your parenting satisfaction?
  • How are your depressive and anxiety symptoms?
  • What is your level of physical activity?

While fatigue is not uncommon among adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic, it becomes a problem when it excessively impacts your life or causes you to be unsafe (such as feeling drowsy while driving). Fatigue can be caused by poor sleep, poor diet, lack of exercise and more. Better self-care starts with self-assessment. Once you know there is an issue, you can take steps to make improvements.

Create a Self-Care Plan

After assessing your fatigue and negative emotions, it is time to create a self-care plan. This should include both a daily routine for general well-being and some strategies for dealing with particularly difficult days. Practicing good sleep hygiene is one of the best ways to ensure that you have full energy.

Additionally, general good health practices, such as eating breakfast, maintaining a good diet, keeping an organized home, and exercising daily can help create an environment where de-stressing is possible. Adding a few plants will also allow you to enjoy the stress-reducing benefits of nature even when you can’t make it outside. You should also have a plan for giving yourself a break. This may be asking a family member to babysit every so often so that you can unwind or finding a little time to sit and read or engage in a hobby.

Self-care should be a part of every adult’s life, even those whose families really need them. However, it is also important to know when something extra is needed. Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children points out that self-care cannot be used as the sole treatment for clinical anxiety or depression. Similarly, it should not become an excessive burden on your support network (although it is a good thing to ask for help). Thus, finding balance is important and seeking professional help may be necessary.

Remember to Invest in Your Personal Goals

Finally, don’t forget to live your life for yourself (at least to a reasonable degree). Just because you have a child who needs you doesn’t mean that you should completely forget your personal goals.

For example, you may want to start a business. You could take your first steps by forming a limited liability company (LLC) to get tax and liability benefits for your new company. Just make sure to check your state’s rules. Then, you’ll want to develop a business plan to ensure everything is well thought out. Many entrepreneurs choose to have a formation service set up their business up as, for example, an LLC. If that is what you are looking into, be sure to first check the best LLC services online to ensure you outsource this task based on affordability and the types of service they provide, such as ongoing support.

Or you may want to pursue a degree online to master a new skill set. Online education can often be relatively self-paced and could help you lay the foundation for a new career.

Get Started Finding the Ideal Balance for Your Family

If you have a child with special needs, it can be hard to find the right balance between self-care and caring for your family. Do your best to create a low stress environment in your home, and never forget to set time aside for yourself, whether it’s enjoying a hobby, starting a business, or practicing yoga. Although there will be challenges, you can now take your first steps toward finding that balance.

Photo Credit: Antoni Shkraba via Pexels

ADAutism supports and helps Autistic children throughout the world by utilizing Cardano (ADA). Contact us today to learn more! [email protected]

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Autism

ADAutism

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.”

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html – CDC

The CDC is committed to continuing to provide essential data on ASD, search for factors that put children at risk for ASD and possible causes, and develop resources that help identify children with ASD as early as possible.

ASD (which includes Asperger’s Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder [PDD-NOS]) is a complex, lifelong developmental condition that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. The Autism experience is different for everyone. It is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is often referred to as a “spectrum condition” that affects people differently and to varying degrees. While there is currently no known single cause of Autism, early diagnosis helps a person receive resources that can support the choices and opportunities needed to live fully.

https://autismsociety.org/the-autism-experience/ – Autism Society

How Prevalent Is Autism?

Autism’s prevalence is growing. In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that 1 in 44 eight-year-old children were identified with autism, a rise from the 1 in 54 rate announced the year prior. It is unclear why the rates are rising, although better diagnoses and a change in the definition of autism likely play a role.

What is the Autism Spectrum?

The autism spectrum is very broad. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. People with profound autism typically have significant cognitive impairments and require around-the-clock care, while other people with ASD can have high-powered jobs and live independently. Between 30 to 50% percent of people with autism also have seizures.

https://autismsciencefoundation.org/what-is-autism/ – Autism Science Foundation

National Autism Association Fact Sheet

https://nationalautismassociation.org/resources/autism-fact-sheet/

What causes autism?

Scientists have learned that there is not one thing that causes autism, but that a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors is the usual cause.

The specific genetic cause of autism can be pinpointed in approximately 15-20% of people with autism.  In some cases, autism can be caused by a single gene being mutated; these are called rare genetic variants.  In addition to rare variants, there are also genetic influences from common variation. Common variants are mutations that have small effects individually, but if there are enough of them they can significantly contribute to an autism diagnosis.  Finally, there are genetic and environmental interactions, which means that certain environmental factors (from toxic chemicals to maternal medical conditions to the age of parents at conception) may also interact with any or all of these genes to change the probability of a diagnosis.

One theory, popular in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, that vaccines cause autism, has since been disproven by numerous studies conducted around the world.

https://autismsciencefoundation.org/causes-signs-and-symptoms/ – Autism Science Foundation

What is Asperger’s Disorder?

Asperger’s syndrome (also known as Asperger’s Disorder) was first described in the 1940s by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger, who observed autism-like behaviors and difficulties with social and communication skills in boys who had normal intelligence and language development. Many professionals felt Asperger’s syndrome was simply a milder form of autism and used the term “high-functioning autism” to describe these individuals. 

https://www.autism-society.org/what-is/aspergers-syndrome/ – Autism Society

What is Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS])?

PDD-NOS stands for Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. PDD-NOS was one of several previously separate subtypes of autism that were folded into the single diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with the publication of the DSM-5 diagnostic manual in 2013.

In the past, psychologists and psychiatrists often used the term “pervasive developmental disorders” and “autism spectrum disorders” (ASD) interchangeably. As such, PDD-NOS became the diagnosis applied to children or adults who are on the autism spectrum but do not fully meet the criteria for another ASD such as autistic disorder (sometimes called “classic” autism) or Asperger syndrome.

https://www.autismspeaks.org/pervasive-developmental-disorder-pdd-nos – Autism Speaks

Final Words

Hopefully by reading through this article, you start to see the important work some of these organizations do in support of fighting Autism. Personally, I have a step son on the ASD spectrum and have first hand experience with children dealing with it. We feel at ADAutism ensuring the great work these companies do continues for years to come. We will do our part to provide support through donations and information sharing. Our goal is to enhance everyones lives including Cardano and its ecosystem, through our foundation’s journey. If you decide to stake your Cardano (ADA) or get your updates from another source, we urge you to get involved and learn more about ASD and how it effects the children of this planet.

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Cardano

Cardano.org

If you found our site, there is a good chance you’re asking yourself “What is Cardano?”.

Simply, Cardano is a proof-of-stake blockchain platform: the first to be founded on peer-reviewed research and developed through evidence-based methods. It combines pioneering technologies to provide unparalleled security and sustainability to decentralized applications, systems, and societies.

Cardano is built by a decentralized community of scientists, engineers, and thought leaders united in a common purpose: to create a technology platform that will ignite the positive change the world needs. We believe the future should not be defined by the past, and that more is possible – and, through technology, can be made possible for all. We measure the worth of a task not by its challenge, but by its results.

Cardano began with a vision of a world without intermediaries, in which power is not controlled by an accountable few, but by the empowered many. In this world, individuals have control over their data and how they interact and transact. Businesses have the opportunity to grow independent of monopolistic and bureaucratic power structures. Societies are able to pursue true democracy: self-governing, fair, and accountable. It is a world made possible by Cardano.

Technology realized through evidence-based science

Cardano is a blockchain platform built on the groundbreaking Ouroboros proof-of-stake consensus protocol, and developed using the Haskell programming language: a functional programming language that enables Cardano to pursue evidence-based development, for unparalleled security and stability.

Imagine better. Think bigger. Create change

Cardano powers new, more secure, and globally scalable solutions. Its technology is continuously improved upon through evidence-based development methods, and guided by a democratic voting system, in which every member has a voice. The opportunity of Cardano is adaptable to your use case. It is an opportunity that creates other opportunities, continuously.

If you are interested in finding out more about the eras Cardano where each milestones are outlined, we recommend becoming familiar with the Cardano Roadmap. The Cardano roadmap is a summary of Cardano development, which has been organized into five eras: Byron, Shelley, Goguen, Basho, and Voltaire. Each era is centered around a set of functionalities that will be delivered across multiple code releases. While the eras of Cardano will be delivered sequentially, the work for each era happens in parallel, with research, prototyping, and development often in progress all at once across the different development streams.

The text above was cited from Cardano.org and is only a fraction of the information available. We highly recommend spending some time reading more about Cardano and fully understanding what it means to believe in and be part of their mission. This would then give you a better understanding of why we are using this platform to support the Autism community. We are excited to begin this adventure and look forward to all the friends we help and meet along the way. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us using any method available.

We’re Cardano, and if you’ll permit us, we would like to change the world.

Charles Hoskinson
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Fathers Day 2022

Fathers Day 2020

We would like to wish all the amazing father’s out there doing their best to provide a better life for their children then they had. You teach your children about right and wrong and encourage them to do their best. See that your children make good choices. Involved fathers use everyday examples to help children learn the basic lessons of life. Today it seems that it is harder to be good father than 30-40 years ago.

This father’s day was extra special. While out attending brunch with my wife, in-laws, and son; we saw a unique car that supported Autism in a special way. We love seeing this type of love and support.

This demonstrates the importance of doing our part, regardless of size, to show our love, support, and message to everyone what causes are special to our heart. We make a difference everyday, without even knowing it. Why not do it in a way that helps others who need it. This is why we started ADAutism and built our foundation on Cardano.

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Telegram

https://t.me/ADAutism

We are happy to announce that you can now connect with us through Telegram. If you need help, have questions, or want to say hi you now have another option. You can use the link below to reach out.

https://t.me/ADAutismStakePool

TELEGRAM URL

What is Telegram?

Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security, it’s super-fast, simple and free. You can use Telegram on all your devices at the same time — your messages sync seamlessly across any number of your phones, tablets or computers. Telegram has over 500 million monthly active users and is one of the 10 most downloaded apps in the world.

With Telegram, you can send messages, photos, videos and files of any type (doc, zip, mp3, etc), as well as create groups for up to 200,000 people or channels for broadcasting to unlimited audiences. You can write to your phone contacts and find people by their usernames. As a result, Telegram is like SMS and email combined — and can take care of all your personal or business messaging needs. In addition to this, we support end-to-end encrypted voice and video calls, as well as voice chats in groups for thousands of participants.

Telegram FAQ

How do I get Telegram?

Telegram is available for download on many platforms including mobile (Android, iPhone, and IPad), desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux), and web apps (WebK and WebZ). In addition. Telegram is open source and support reproducible builds. This means that anyone can independently verify that their code on GitHub is the exact same code that was used to build the apps you download.

We recommend visiting the Telegram application site or visiting your favorite app store to download and setup your account today.

Telegram Applications

Final Words

We hope this option helps in connecting people to us and our services and provides opportunities to build lasting relationships. If you do not have Telegram, that’s ok. You can still use other means to connect with us listed out on our contacts page. If you do have Telegram, feel free to click the button below to start you conversation with us today.

Telegram