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Autism America

We developed this site for parents of children who are autistic. We, as parents who live with autism, experience many things over the years. We wish we had had a "blueprint" to follow along the way, so as parents, sisters, brothers, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and those on down the line who are living with autism 24/7/365 can tell you, we know you need help - “honest help”. We can provide you answers from credible sources that have a practical use, from people who understand autism related challenges in more than just an academic context.

- Parents of Aaron, our autistic son, providing a community of support for parents.

 

What we Offer

Our goal is to encourage healthy lifestyles, promote independence and inclusion, and expand personal growth to improve the quality of life for all individuals impacted by autism.

We empower parents by providing them with access to autism related resources and relevant information from credible sources that have a practical use, from people who understand autism related challenges in more than just an academic context. We believe that every person affected by autism has the right to have access to quality resources and a “blueprint” of guidance needed to develop and build life skills in order to achieve an abundance of independence.

Advocacy and Independence

• Education and Information regarding Autism, its symptom(s), and treatments.
• Unique lessons learned advice to help you respond appropriately to a specific or exclusive situation.
• Advocacy to support you with learned procedures that ensure your insurance claims get covered and paid
• Volunteer help or professional information regarding the person with Autism.
• Products we’ve used that help mitigate and better manage the numerous symptoms of the disorder.

Service Dogs

Autism Service Dog Friend

Service Dogs are trained to work for a variety of special disabilities and provide physical assistance or control for some autism behaviors.

The Human-animal interaction alleviates stress in children, reduces disruptive characteristics and abnormal behaviors. 

Service Dogs are an essential part of managing extreme cases of Autism. 

Read more: Service Dogs

Therapy Dogs

Autism Therapy Dogs

Therapy dogs can assist autistic children by making them feel socially and emotionally secure.

We are now personally working with Angel and Benji, Havanese breed dogs, to reduce the severity or totally circumvent the onset of a meltdown.

Read more: Therapy Dogs

Early Intervention

We know that early diagnosis is invaluable, and early intervention is very effective.

The earlier a child receives treatment and parents receive training the easier it is on everyone, especially the child.

Read more: Early Intervention

Autism Management

Autism Management

Useful and practical products that parents and families can use to help manage Life with Autism.

Read more: Autism Management

Facebook Feed

Here is a quick overview of articles on our Facebook page. Click the 'f' top right in each tile to see the whole article, or visit our Facebook page.

Autism News

Autism News -- ScienceDaily

2023 Site Maintenance Notes

Contemporaneous notes from post-release maintenance activities 

27 September 2023

  • Take backup
  • Add site to mySites.guru
  • Check baseline
  • Update components

Admin Tools Professional package
v7.4.1 v7.4.2
Regular Labs - Sourcerer
v9.8.0PRO v10.0.0PRO
Regular Labs - Extension Manager
v8.5.0 v9.0.0
Regular Labs - Articles Anywhere
v14.2.0PRO v15.0.1PRO
Regular Labs - Cache Cleaner
v8.5.0PRO v9.0.0PRO
Regular Labs - Advanced Module Manager
v9.8.0PRO v10.0.1

19 September 2023

  • Manually expunge directories
    • Coalaweb and cwgears
    • mm4
  • Complete J4 upgrade to 4.3.4
    • Facebook feed pro still has issues
  • Create baseline
  • Take back, copy offsite

14 September 2023

  • Foinal blog presentaion updates
    • take backup
  • Push site live via MM4
  • Upgrade php version on Siteground servers to 8.1.3
  • Make config adjustments:
  • Reinstall Akeeba BAckup
  • Upgrade Regular Lab componetns
  • Upgrade to core J4.3.3

 

13 September 2023

  •  Add Causes of Autism to Topics
  • Add articles Anyuwhere for blog presentation

 

11 September 2023

  • Create new logo psd and replace on site with the "1/?" version
  • Remove stale product links
  • Take backup
  • php File scan
    • check baseline;OK
  • Review Changelog; Update Extensions
    • Akeeba Admin Tools Pro - to - 7.4.1
    • Akeeba Backup Pro - to - 9.7.1
    • Akeeba Frontend Framework (FEF) - to - 
    • Akeeba FOF 4.x - to - 
    • FacebookFeedPro - to -  3.11.3
    • Installer from Web - to-  2.1.2 - unable to install plugin
    • JoomDonation - to - 
    • JoomlaShack Extension Support - to - na
    • JoomlaShack Framework - to - 3.7.0
    • JSiteMap Pro - to - 
    • JSocialIcons - to - na
    • MigrateMe4 - to - 4.3.4 - deferred 
    • OSSystem - to - 
    • Reg Labs Adv Mod Mgr - to - 9.8.0 - deferred - needs php 8.1
    • Reg Labs Articles Anywhere - to - 14.1.0 - deferred - needs php 8.1
    • Reg Labs Cache Cleaner - to - 8.4.0 - deferred - needs php 8.1
    • Reg Labs Extension Mgr - to - 8.4.0 - needs php 8.1 
    • Reg Labs Sourcerer - to - 9.6.0 - deferred - needs php 8.1 
    • Shack Slides - to - 
  • Update Joomla core
    • 4.3.3 to 4.3.4 - deferred 
  • php File scan
    • purge cache & reports
    • Create new baseline
  • WAF Check & prune logs to Jun 30
    • Auto IP blocking history
    • blocked request log
    • Site IP disallow
  • Take backup; copy offsite
  •  

9 August 2023

  • Reinstall extensions
    • Facebook Feed Pro
    • Joom Donation
    • JSitemap
    • Shack Icons (replaces JS social icons)
  • Remove extensions
    • Shack Slides
    • SigPro
    • Custom Head
  • Settled on Joomla51 Emani template
    • reworked content to fit
    • significant progress made
  • Take backup

7 August 2023

  • Install new Joomla51 templates for trial: central, emani, magnolia
  • configure modules to use new Joomla51 family modeule positions
  • Unpublish several less used/obsolete modules for convenience
  • Take backup

5 August 2023

  • Created coipy via MM4
  • Removed coala web and old Akeeba components
  • Reinstalled Akeeba and Reg Labs components
  • Adjsuted all module poistions to be compatible with Casiopeia
  • Web page displays!
  • Uninstalled JS Novitas
  • Take backup; copy offsite

5 August 2023

  • Review J4 Pre-update recommendations
    •  
    • Need to delete:
      • Akeeba GEOIP
    • Need to replace with similar functionality:
      • Coala Gears
      • SigPro
      • Custom Head
      • Shack Slides Pro
      • JS Visionary
      • JS Novitas template
    • Need to reinstall:
      • Akeeba admin and Backup
      • Regular labs extensions
      • Jsitemap Pro
      • Facebook Feed Pro
  • Install component MigrateMe4

4 August 2023

Prep for final J3 updates before J4 

Server was relocated on request to Siteground's Virginia data center to fix the issue with Regular Labs update site

  • Take backup
  • php File scan
    • check baseline;OK
  • Review Changelog; Update Extensions
    • Akeeba Admin Tools Pro - to - 6.1.11
    • Akeeba Backup Pro - to -8.3.2
    • Akeeba Frontend Framework (FEF) - to - 
    • Akeeba FOF 4.x - to - 
    • FacebookFeedPro - to - 
    • Installer from Web - to-  
    • JoomDonation - to - 
    • JoomlaShack Extension Support - to - na
    • JoomlaShack Framework - to - 
    • JSiteMap Pro - to - 
    • JSocialIcons - to - na
    • OSSystem - to - 
    • Reg Labs Adv Mod Mgr - to - 9.8.0 - deferred
    • Reg Labs Articles Anywhere - to - 14.1.0 - deferred
    • Reg Labs Cache Cleaner - to - 8.4.0 - deferred
    • Reg Labs Extension Mgr - to - 8.4.0
    • Reg Labs Sourcerer - to - 9.6.0 - deferred
    • Shack Slides - to - 
  • Update Joomla core
    • na
  • php File scan
    • purge cache & reports
    • Create new baseline
  • WAF Check & prune logs to Jun 30
    • Auto IP blocking history
    • blocked request log
    • Site IP disallow
  • Take backup; copy offsite

25 July 2023

  • Take backup
  • php File scan
    • check baseline;OK
  • Review Changelog; Update Extensions
    • Akeeba Admin Tools Pro - to - 6.1.10
    • Akeeba Backup Pro - to -8.3.1
    • Akeeba Frontend Framework (FEF) - to - 2.1.1
    • Akeeba FOF 4.x - to - 4.1.4
    • FacebookFeedPro - to - 3.11.2
    • Installer from Web - to-  
    • JoomDonation - to - 5.9.16
    • JoomlaShack Extension Support - to - na
    • JoomlaShack Framework - to - 3.6.8
    • JSiteMap Pro - to - 4.14
    • JSocialIcons - to - na
    • OSSystem - to - 
    • Reg Labs Adv Mod Mgr - to - na
    • Reg Labs Articles Anywhere - to - na
    • Reg Labs Cache Cleaner - to - na
    • Reg Labs Extension Mgr - to - na
    • Reg Labs Sourcerer - to - na
    • Shack Slides - to - 
  • Update Joomla core
    • 3.10.11 to 3.10.12
  • php File scan
    • purge cache & reports
    • Create new baseline
  • WAF Check & prune logs to Jun 30
    • Auto IP blocking history
    • blocked request log
    • Site IP disallow
  • Update php on Siteground server from 7.4.33 to 8.0.29
  • System reports "Could not retrieve data from the Regular Labs website. Please try again later."
    • Reinstalled extension Manager 8.3.0 - still fails
    • upgraded php to 8.0.29 - still fails
    • regenerated server htaccess files using admin tools - still fails
  • Take backup; copy offsite

5 May, 2023

  • Delete menu link to insurance mandates; remove Insurance module

 

Template for later..

  • Take backup
  • php File scan
    • check baseline;OK
  • Review Changelog; Update Extensions
    • Akeeba Admin Tools Pro - to - 6.1.7
    • Akeeba Backup Pro - to -8.1.10
    • Akeeba Frontend Framework (FEF) - to - na
    • Akeeba FOF 4.x - to - na
    • Coala Web Contact - CORE - to - 
    • Coala Web Gears -CORE - to - 
    • FacebookFeedPro - to - 3.6.6
    • Installer from Web - to-  
    • JoomDonation - to - 5.9.8
    • JoomlaShack Extension Support - to - na
    • JoomlaShack Framework - to - 3.5.0
    • JSiteMap Pro - to - 4.9.3
    • JSocialIcons - to - na
    • OSSystem - to - 
    • Reg Labs Adv Mod Mgr - to - 9.2.0
    • Reg Labs Articles Anywhere - to - na
    • Reg Labs Cache Cleaner - to - na
    • Reg Labs Extension Mgr - to - 8.2.0
    • Reg Labs Sourcerer - to - na
    • Shack Slides - to - 
  • Update Joomla core
    • 3.10.10 to 3.10.11
  • php File scan
    • purge cache & reports
    • Create new baseline
  • WAF Check & prune logs to Aug 31
    • Auto IP blocking history
    • blocked request log
    • Site IP disallow
  • Take backup; copy offsite

24 June, 2023

  • Take backup
  • php File scan
    • check baseline;OK
  • Review Changelog; Update Extensions
    • Akeeba Admin Tools Pro - to - 6.1.6
    • Akeeba Backup Pro - to -8.1.8
    • Akeeba Frontend Framework (FEF) - to - 2.1.0
    • Akeeba FOF 4.x - to - 4.1.3
    • Coala Web Contact - CORE - to - 
    • Coala Web Gears -CORE - to - 
    • FacebookFeedPro - to - 3.6.2
    • Installer from Web - to-  
    • JoomDonation - to - 5.9.6
    • JoomlaShack Extension Support - to - 2.0.15
    • JoomlaShack Framework - to - 3.4.8
    • JSiteMap Pro - to - 4.9.2
    • JSocialIcons - to - 3.4.3
    • OSSystem - to - 
    • Reg Labs Adv Mod Mgr - to - 9.1.6
    • Reg Labs Articles Anywhere - to - 12.4.1
    • Reg Labs Cache Cleaner - to - 8.1.2
    • Reg Labs Extension Mgr - to - 8.1.2
    • Reg Labs Sourcerer - to - 9.2.3
    • Shack Slides - to - 
  • Update Joomla core
    • 3.10.45 to 3.10.10
  • php File scan
    • purge cache & reports
    • Create new baseline
  • WAF Check & prune logs to May 31
    • Auto IP blocking history
    • blocked request log
    • Site IP disallow
  • Take backup; copy offsite

 

29 January, 2023

  • Report from siteground that site is being used to spam emails from domain bestpaleoreviews.com. Reconfigured email to:
    • use SMTP
    • use This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as sender
    • changed email for info@ to i#1%12#xehf_
    • send queries to kitty email

19 January, 2023

  • Update Therapy dogs section and About
  • Add blog entry for Therapy dogs
  • Take backup
  • php File scan
    • check baseline;OK
  • Review Changelog; Update Extensions
    • Akeeba Admin Tools Pro - to - 6.1.4
    • Akeeba Backup Pro - to - 8.0.15
    • Akeeba Frontend Framework (FEF) - to 
    • Akeeba FOF 4.x - to - 4.1.1
    • Coala Web Contact - CORE - to - 
    • Coala Web Gears -CORE - to - 
    • FacebookFeedPro - to - 
    • Installer from Web - to-  
    • JoomDonation - to - 
    • JoomlaShack Extension Support - to 
    • JoomlaShack Framework - to 3.3.8
    • JSiteMap Pro - to - 4.8.2
    • JSocialIcons - to - 
    • OSSystem - to - 
    • Reg Labs Adv Mod Mgr - to - 8.0.5
    • Reg Labs Articles Anywhere - to - 12.0.0 - deferred
    • Reg Labs Cache Cleaner - to - 8.0.1 - deferred
    • Reg Labs Extension Mgr - to - 7.5.1
    • Reg Labs Sourcerer - to - 9.0.3 - deferred
    • Shack Slides - to - 
  • Update Joomla core
    • 3.10.4 to 3.10.5
  • php File scan
    • purge cache & reports
    • Create new baseline
  • WAF Check & prune logs to Dec 31
    • Auto IP blocking history
    • blocked request log
    • Site IP disallow
  • Take backup; copy offsite

 

Sponsors

As a family that is personally touched by Autism, Draut and Sons sponsors and supports this website.

Draut and Sons is a Demolition, Grading and Hauling contractor serving metro Atlanta and surrounding areas in Georgia.

Donate Now

Your donation will help us provide grants to others and maintain this forum of information.

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