Note: We are a US-based, pro-vaccine organization. We are not affiliated in any way with the pseudoscience UK organization “Thinking Autism,” which was exposed in April 2022 as having anti-vaccine connections, which was known as “Treating Autism” before 2017, and which upon changing their name claimed not to know our organization existed even though we have screenshots from 2012 disproving that claim. Onward.

ABOUT US

Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism (TPGA) is the resource we wish had been available when we and/or our autistic loved ones were first diagnosed.

Autism misinformation clouds and is perpetuated by the Internet; we aim to create a reliable, centralized, and accessible resource by writing, curating, and sharing original autism news and articles. We also want to help new autism community members develop a positive yet realistic attitude, and to appreciate autistic people’s strengths while supporting their struggles.

Our attitude is cautionary yet loving—we are interested in strong opinions, but not in negativity. We need energies for evidence-based optimism!

The book and website are not intended as, nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified care provider before trying any new therapy or remedy for your or your child’s personal health. Information displayed here should not be considered professional legal advice. Please seek licensed counsel if you need legal help.

Each essay or contribution is the opinion of the particular author of that contribution. It should not be construed that any other contributor shares the same opinion. although he or she might. Although our fact and source checking is thorough, the editors of Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism do not guarantee or warrant that any information written by individuals is correct, and disclaim any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information.

CONTACT US

OUR EDITORS

shannon_rosa_headshot_avatar_100-7389734Shannon Des Roches Rosa is our senior editor and co-founder, and manages our social media and content. She writes about autism and parenting for Washington Post and Spectrum, among other outlets. She is the parent of three neurodivergent humans—all of whom are all now bigger than she is.

hs3jpg-2802481Jennifer Byde Myers is a writer, editor, and parent of an autistic young adult. She has been writing since 2003 at www.jennyalice.com, chronicling her family’s journey from diagnosis to daily living with her son’s disabilities. She is also a founder and editor of Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism. Her writing has been featured in Family Circle Magazine, and at Salon.com, Care.com, and in several books including My Baby Rides the Short Bus, and Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism. Jennifer has been interviewed on KQED Forum, and has appeared on several BlogTalk radio programs. She is a Parenting.com Must-Read Mom, a Top 10 Autism blogger at The Stir and a regular contributor at Dandelion. She lives on the San Francisco peninsula with her supportive husband, two wily children, and their dogs. Follow her on Twitter at @jennyalice.

carol-9765731Diagnosed  with  Aspergers Syndrome at the age of 44, Special Education advocate Carol Greenburg‘s understanding of autism is enhanced by the daily triumphs of her autistic son’s struggles with verbal language. Carol is both the East Coast Regional Director of AWN  (Autism Women’s Network) and an editor at Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism book and blog. She has spoken in venues throughout the United States, including two BlogHer conferences in New York City, conferences for Autism Society of America, Asperger’s Association of New England and UCSF’s  Developmental Disabilities Conference. From her home base in Brooklyn NY, where she lives with her husband and son, she has presented local educational institutions such as Hunter College, City University of New York in Queens, and St. Francis College in Brooklyn, as well as a variety of parent support groups and community-based organizations. A member of the Council of Parents Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) Carol has written articles for or been interviewed by diverse media outlets ranging from Family Circle Online, Child Mind Institute, Parents.com to Neurology Now.