As I was preparing for a parent conference, gathering information on autism and making copies to provide to the parents, I realized I was anxious. My stomach was in knots and I asked myself why I was nervous. It dawned on me that I was getting ready once again to tell parents that their child has autism. My Read more
Autism
EDITORS’ NOTE: This post first appeared in Bronx Voice. “Nothing about us, without us.” In Spanish we would say, “Nada sobre nosotros, sin nosotros.” No matter the language, the meaning of this powerful statement remains the same. Originating centuries ago, and later recognized as the mantra of the disability rights movement, it speaks to the core premise that Read more
On the morning of January 7, 2022, I woke up to a winter wonderland. I usually welcome snow—but on that day it inspired worry, not wonder. I am a first-year developmental-behavioral pediatrics fellow at Einstein’s Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (RFK-CERC), where 32 of our 5- to 11-year-old patients with autism and Read more
EDITORS’ NOTE: This post first appeared in Bronx Voice. A year ago, pre-COVID, my team of developmental pediatricians and other colleagues at the Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation & Rehabilitation Center at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, where we diagnose and treat children with autism and other developmental disabilities, participated in an international collaborative discussion Read more
One day when I was speaking to a medical student shadowing me in my developmental pediatrics practice at the Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, where I specialize in the early identification of autism, I commented that I often spend my days contending with blind spots. “How so?” he asked. I started with Read more
In my family, as in many others, during the holiday season we volunteer at soup kitchens and purchase gifts to donate to children who might otherwise have none for Christmas. It’s our way of expressing our gratitude. This got me thinking about gratitude in the face of developmental disability. Daily life is often difficult for Read more
