by Marguerite Elisofon | Nov 1, 2019 | Uncategorized
As the mother of a 28 year-old daughter on the autism spectrum, I will always be a caretaker. When Samantha was born 7 weeks early, I promised her that if she just kept breathing, I would help with everything else. That was before the diagnosis of autism and...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Oct 11, 2019 | Uncategorized
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could find new ways to create greater understanding and acceptance of special needs children in the mainstream community? Nearly one-fifth of all Americans—more than 54 million men, women and children—have a physical, sensory or...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Sep 27, 2019 | Uncategorized
On Sunday, September 22nd, EPIC Players sang their hearts out to a full house at Joe’s Pub. Described as a “neuro-inclusive Musical Experience,” EPIC Players performed “Songs About Ourselves,” addressing cast members’ individual dreams and challenges in love,...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Sep 20, 2019 | Uncategorized
Just when I was complaining to my husband that I had writer’s block and wasn’t inspired to post a blog this week, he happened to mention that Kodi Lee, a blind, young autistic man, 22, won “America’s Got Talent.” What could be more inspiring for an autism mom...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Sep 13, 2019 | Uncategorized
Before our family vacation, friends gently suggested that the trip we planned might be “overly ambitious.” Translation: “You’re crazy! It sounds exhausting.” Autism families might even think we had cooked up a recipe for disaster. Certainly, I had my own doubts. How...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Aug 14, 2019 | Uncategorized
How would you feel if you went to a doctor for a needle biopsy on your breast a week before you were leaving on vacation? What if you arrived there not knowing if those white dots that showed up on yesterday’s mammogram are calcification or cancer? And you’re forced...
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. 