Community Autism Resources

• ASD & Me
• Loved Ones
• Adult
• Older Child to Young Adult

Transitional skills are skills that help autistic individuals move into adulthood and become more independent. Daily living skills are an important part of a successful transition to adulthood. These skills include getting dressed, taking care of personal hygiene, and preparing food.

• Community Stakeholders
• Adult
• Older Child to Young Adult

Many people believe that autism was first introduced to the medical community in 1943. However, more recent discoveries indicate that autism may have been described in medical literature as early as 1925. Since then, research on autism has greatly expanded. Several key figures in the history of autism have contributed to our understanding of the condition today. These historical figures include Dr. Leo Kanner, Dr. Hans Asperger, and Dr. Grunya Sukhareva.

• ASD Healthcare
• Community Stakeholders
• Loved Ones
• Infant to Child

Mercer University School of Medicine is working to make autism diagnosis more accessible to families living in rural Georgia through their Early Autism Detection Program. Through this program, Mercer is using EarliPoint to help identify autism in young children in a timely manner and without requiring their families to drive long distances for testing.  

• Autism & Daily Living
• Community Stakeholders

Many autistic people engage in repetitive movements or behaviors known as stimming (short for self-stimulatory behavior).  In the past, these behaviors were often viewed as problematic and were discouraged by caregivers, researchers, and healthcare providers.  However, autistic self-advocates have helped reshape this perspective by emphasizing that stimming often serves important purposes, such as regulating emotions, managing sensory experiences, and expressing feelings.

• Autism & Daily Living
• Community Stakeholders

Many autistic people have trouble sleeping, feel anxious, find social situations difficult, or are sensitive to sounds, lights, or certain textures.  These challenges can be stressful and make everyday life harder.  Therapies and healthy lifestyle changes can help many people, but they do not work for everyone or improve every symptom.  Because of this, researchers are studying new ways to help autistic people.  One treatment that has received growing attention is cannabidiol (CBD).