Tag Archives: autism

Autism 101: What First Responders Need to Know

Posted on February 25, 2018 by Dr. Bucher

A while back, my wife made reservations for the two of us and Jimmy to fly to Vegas to visit family. Pat requested bulk-head seating so Jimmy would not kick the passengers in front of him. When the airline agent … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged airline, autism, autism spectrum, autism training, diversity training, firefighters, first responders, law enforcement, paramedics, police, Rain Man, sensory sensitivity, Shaun Murphy, The Good Doctor, TSA | Leave a comment

Empowering with a Push

Posted on January 23, 2018 by Dr. Bucher

At a recent lecture by Dr. Temple Grandin in my hometown of Frederick, Maryland, a father of a local high school student with autism shared, “People with autism have the same desires as anyone else, and those can be squashed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, autism spectrum, Debra Moore, empowerment, Eustacia Cutler, Frederick Maryland, temple grandin, The Loving Push | Leave a comment

Rain Man: Then and Now

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Dr. Bucher

The movie Rain Man hit movie theatres on December 16, 1988; almost 30 years ago. Our son Jimmy was 12 at the time. Who would have guessed a movie about an autistic savant would become a box office hit, grossing … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, autism and media, autism awareness, autism movies, autistic, autistic savant, Barry Levinson, Dustin Hoffman, media and autism, Rain Man, Tom Cruise | Leave a comment

A Debt of Gratitude

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Dr. Bucher

Bernie Rimland , along with his wife Gloria, have a special place in my heart. Twelve years ago this month he died. Mr. Rimland was an ordinary parent who lived an extraordinary life. More than sixty years ago, his son … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, Autism Research Institute, Autism Society of America, Bernie Rimland, Gloria Rimland, infantile autism, Mark Rimland, Rain Man, Stephen Edelson | Leave a comment

Where Are the Fathers of Autistic Children?

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Dr. Bucher

For the last two years, I have been immersing myself in the research on autism. One area of interest to me is what research can tell us about the role of fathers in raising children with autism. A few observations: … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, autism communication, autism exercise, autism extended family, autism marital satisfaction, autism parental conflict, autism parental depression, autism parental stress, autism parenting, autism research, autism siblings, communication, depression, exercise, family conflict, fatherhood, gender roles, marital satisfaction, mental health, parenting, stress | 2 Comments

Time to Get Rid of a Symbol?

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Dr. Bucher

A heated debate has been going on for some time now. It concerns a symbol that has been around for a while. The symbol seems to be everywhere these days; on key chains, shirts, cars, coffee cups, websites, and advertisements. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, Autism Journal, autism logo, autism puzzle, Autism Speaks, blindspots, Chief Wahoo, Cleveland Indians, Confederate flag, meaning autism logo, National Autistic Society, neurotypical, puzzle piece imagery, symbol, Wahington Redskins | 1 Comment

Forest and DT: Bringing Out the Best in Each Other

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Dr. Bucher

Forest, Mississippi is a small southern town with a population around 6,000. One researcher, using Census data and science to rank the most economically and ethnically diverse cities in the state of Mississippi, put Forest on top. People of many … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, Caren Zucker, diversity, Donald Triplett, Forest Mississippi, In a Different Key: The Story of Autism, John Donvan, Millsaps College | Leave a comment

Siblings and Autism: A Key Piece of the Puzzle

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Dr. Bucher

Harriet’s younger brother, Archie, was diagnosed as insane at a young age. Because of that diagnosis, Archie would spend the vast majority of his life in cold, sterile state-run institutions. Institutional staff considered Archie untrainable. He was housed with adults, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, Linwood Center, siblings and autism | 1 Comment

Autism and Jimmy’s Loud Hands

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Dr. Bucher

Difficulty making eye contact Difficulty dealing with changes in routine Hand-flapping and other repetitive behaviors Meltdowns or tantrums According to findings from one recent study, these autistic symptoms and behaviors are primarily responsible for the social exclusion experienced by individuals … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged attitudinal barriers, autism, autistic behaviors, autistic symptoms, communication, eye contact, Fischbach, hand flapping, Julia Bascom, Loud Hands, meltdowns, non-verbal, praise the Lord, religion, repetitive behaviors, social isolation, social norms, sociologist, stigma, Walmart | 2 Comments

Autism and “being the other”

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Dr. Bucher

In a poignant article about his life as an “other,” Arturo Madrid talks about growing up in a small village in New Mexico, going on to graduate school at UCLA, and then teaching at Dartmouth College. As a Mexican-American, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Arturo Madrid, autism, barista, being the other, bias, Dartmouth, disability, exclusion, isolation, Mexican Americans, otherness, Starbucks, stereotype, stigma, UCLA, Washington Post | 3 Comments