Written by Dr. Carosso Is it good to talk to yourself? Sure it is. In fact, this is how we, as humans, problem-solve and work through our difficulties. We learn, beginning at a young age, how to ‘talk things through’ in our head, which helps us to process our feelings, experiment with potential problem-solving strategies, […]
Written by Dr. John Carosso Proud to Announce: I am very pleased to announce that I’ve taken-on the role of Director of the nonprofit Autism Center of Pittsburgh (ACP). Of course, I’ll be continuing at Community Psychiatric Centers, with Dr. Lowenstein, conducting evaluations, providing consultation, and overseeing clinical matters. Thrilled to be part of the […]
Written by Dr. Carosso The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual is the primary manual psychologists use to diagnose. The upcoming Fifth Edition will have some significant revisions to how autism is diagnosed, and I’m hearing concerns from parents that this could effect insurance reimbursement and services. Well, there are some significant changes; gone are the current […]
Written by Dr. Carosso Sorry to mention it, but… Don’t hate the messenger but, yes, it’s about that time to start thinking about ‘back to school’. I shudder even writing those words given the implication of summer coming to an end. Summer vs School Routine Need I mention the difference between summer and school-year routines? […]
Written by Dr. Carosso Every so often we get a review of research that tries to shed some light. Three government funded studies, published in Pediatrics, is the latest in that regard. Lets take a look: Three targets The researchers looked at meds, behavioral interventions and, for some reason, Secretin (it’s long been recognized that […]
Written by Dr. Carosso In the autism community, parents must sift through a host of confusing, murky, and contradictory words, terms, and concepts. It’s no wonder there is frustration and misunderstanding. Hopefully this post will help to clear the waters a bit. In a prior posting (autism: facts and fallacies), I discussed that “autism” is […]
Written by Dr. Carosso Children with autism invariably demonstrate what are called ‘self-stimulatory behaviors’. These are compulsive rituals and behaviors that can be quite challenging to squelch, including hand-flapping, rocking, jumping, squealing, pacing, echoing, and obsessing. To manage these behaviors, parents must first realize that we all ‘self-stimulate’ to one degree or another; hopefully we […]
Written by Dr. Carosso Lets clear some things up:) First: “autism” is not a diagnosis, but a term used to describe the wide spectrum of autistic disorders, ranging from Autistic Disorder, to Asperger’s, to Pervasive Developmental Disorder NOS. Second: children with “autism” are, far more often than not, loving, affectionate, and empathic (to one degree or […]
by Dr. John Carosso, Psy.D. Article at a Glance It's 10:47 PM, and my child won't sleep! You've done the bath. You've read three stories since the first two "didn't count." You've fetched the water, adjusted the blanket, checked under the bed for monsters, and answered a truly baffling question about whether fish have dreams. […]
by Dr. John Carosso, Psy. D. Here's a scene I see in my office all the time: a parent sits down, takes a breath, and says, "My child can't focus, they're restless, they melt down over homework, so it must be ADHD, right?" Maybe. But here's the thing. Anxiety can look exactly the same way. […]
