Finding the Most Effective Drugs for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum
When you’ve met someone with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. That statement also holds true for every individual’s genetic make-up. No two people have the exact same gene variants in their DNA, so different behavior and mood medications for autism will...
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EPIC Players Give Another Epic Performance
Kudos to EPIC Players who gave an epic and heartwarming cabaret performance at Joe’s Pub this week. Singing to a sold-out crowd, EPIC performers chose songs that were personally meaningful to them, about their relationships, challenges in love, and everyday life. ...
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Dysfunctional Millennial Relationships and Neurodiversity
Recently I ate lunch and caught up with an old friend who is the mother of two neurotypical adult children. We traded stories about the dysfunctional romantic relationships of our kids. She told me about her son’s broken engagement, involving a series of twists and...
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No Escaping Politics Even at a Health Club
Occasionally at my health club, people on bikes or elliptical machines skirmish over switching TV stations (from Fox 5 News to a soap opera or sports). Usually once TV stations have been negotiated, everyone exercises in peace. But not lately. The Brett Kavanagh...
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A Night of Nostalgia with Paul Simon
A Night of Nostalgia with Paul Simon For me and my best friend Robin, Thursday night’s Paul Simon concert was not just any girls’ night out. It was our first and last chance to see Paul Simon on his “Farewell Tour.” Both of us remember listening to “Bridge Over...
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Coping with Unfairness—Another Challenge for Adults with Autism
On any ordinary day, processing complex and emotional information can be confusing and challenging for my 27 year old daughter Samantha, who has autism. But on the day she realized that some of her adult friends live in their own apartments because their parents are...
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Dream Vacation for an Autism Mom
Hard to believe I took a 16-day vacation with my husband, while Samantha—our 27 year-old daughter with autism—not only survived, but thrived on her own at home. As far as I know, Samantha continued enjoying her life: going to rehearsals for her theater groups,...
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Bugging Out: Preparing our Daughter with Autism to Survive Her Parents’ Vacation
For the first time since our twins were born, Howard and I are taking a long (16-day) vacation to Europe on our own. Usually, we travel with one or both of our twenty-somethings, but this year we are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. Besides, Samantha is 27....
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What to Do About Autism Labels
Labelling a human being “autistic,” “on the spectrum,” or as “having autism” sets even the most sensitive speaker (or writer) skiing down a slippery slope. Unfortunately, the autism diagnosis is complex and still poorly understood by many. Adding terms like “high...
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Autism- Endings and Beginnings
For the past week, I've been horribly busy fighting, yes, a SECOND severe infestation of bed bugs in Samantha's bedroom. I thought we had defeated the bedbugs, but thanks to an incompetent exterminator, our bedbug battle has begun again—in the same exact place....
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About Marguerite
Marguerite Elisofon is a New York City writer and the author of My Picture Perfect Family, a memoir about how her family navigated life with a child on the autistic spectrum before the internet and support groups existed. She also blogs about parenting young adults and disability related issues in The Never Empty Nest. Her writing has been featured in a variety of publications, including Time and NY Metro Parents magazine, and her family’s story has been featured by the NY Post, Fox News, The Daily Mail, and on Jenny McCarthy’s Dirty Sexy Funny radio show. A Vassar graduate, Marguerite was born and raised in New York City, where she still lives with her husband, Howard, in their mostly-empty nest. She is available to speak about a wide variety of issues relating to twins, parenting, and autism. 