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Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

@peelautismresource.bsky.social

1.2K followers 80 following 580 posts

With a focus on Peel Region (Ontario, Canada), PAR is an online resource providing information about autism, Special Education, government programs & community supports. Skeets are my own https://linktr.ee/Peel_Autism_Resource

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Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 8d

Latest in the blog!

A list of upcoming virtual and in-person autism-related events in October for Mississauga and GTA

#autism #workshops #PeelRegion #GTA #Mississauga #Brampton

peelautismresourceblog.wordpress.com/2025/09/29/u...

Upcoming Events in October 2025

A list of upcoming virtual and in-person autism-related events in October for Peel region and GTA

peelautismresourceblog.wordpress.com

Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

The Autistic Coach | Matthew (he/they) @theautisticcoach.bsky.social · 11h

Autistic meltdowns aren’t tantrums.

They’re the bodymind saying “I can’t hold this anymore".

They’re not moral failures.

They’re overload.

Pressure leaving the system.

You don’t need punishment.

You need safety.

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · Dec 12

Accommodations for neurodivergent students should be implemented from the start - not after they've already become distressed

And they shouldn't be taken away b/c they're "doing well"

Schools need to be proactive - not reactive

#OntEd #EduSky #autism #neurodiversity #disability

(From Neurowild)

Image of illustration by Neurowild that shows two people with speech bubbles. First person is saying "Jack seems to be doing quite well lately. Does he still need all those supports?". Second person is saying "Yes. He's doing well BECAUSE he is appropriately supported".

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Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 7h

From @selfreg.bsky.social

"Self-Reg can help us understand and respond positively to the roots of many behaviour, emotion and social challenges that affect children and families."

Blog: self-reg.ca/practices-of...

#SelfReg #parenting #ChildDevelopment #autism #stress

On a green background, white text reads "There are five practices in The Shankar Method:

1. Reframe the behaviour
2. Recognize the stressors across the five domains
3. Reduce the stress
4. Reflect and enhance stress awareness
5 Restore energy"

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 10h

From SENDwise Hub

Why accommodations can't replace intentional, inclusive design

ndwisehub.substack.com/p/accessibil...

#OntEd #EduSky #autism #inclusion #accessibility #disability #neurodiversity

Square image with orange background and white text

Text reads "Accessibility: A Right, Not a Request. Why accommodations can't replace intentional, inclusive design. A while back I wrote a short post about why accommodations are not enough on my social media. It was more of an overview on their inadequacies and why we should rethink and reframe...."

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 12h

How many survey respondents actually voted for their school board trustee?

Many parents don't even know who their trustee is. Most school issues that parents face fall under the superintendent's purview

Not saying what Calandra is doing is right but how school boards operate DOES need to change

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 12h

Sometimes it's staff who escalate a student's dysregulation. They mistake it for defiance/disobedience

Punitive measures & discipline aren't the courses of action to address dysregulation. Yes the child can learn calming strategies & improve communication BUT the ENVIRONMENT must also change #OntEd

Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Educational Psychology Services for Schools @edpsychschool.bsky.social · 18d

Fantastic summary of recent research on anxiety and interoception- super useful to think about as educators, especially when designing for belonging & attendance.

Experiences of interoception and anxiety in autistic adolescents

A reflexive thematic analysis Kiera Adams, Jonahs Smith, Mary Brown, Geoff Bird, and Polly Waite (2025) research gate We all know the feeling: your heart races before a big event, your stomach twis…

crae.ioe.ac.uk

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

National Autism Implementation Team @naitscotland.bsky.social · 26d

The importance of using #neuro-affirming language is a strong message from #AEC2025. This NAIT guide to writing neuro-affirming reports is free to download and use nait.scot/document/neu...

Neuro-affirming Reports Guidance for Practitioners (2024) - National Autism Implementation Team

This guide provides practical guidance for health practitioners about taking a neuro-affirming approach to writing reports or plans. It synthesises insights from published research, as well as observa...

nait.scot

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences @uclbrainscience.bsky.social · 1d

Autistic children and adults may be experiencing PTSD at higher rates than official diagnoses suggest, with their symptoms misdiagnosed or dismissed as being autism traits because of 'diagnostic overshadowing,’ finds a new analysis by @uclpals.bsky.social researchers.

PTSD often overlooked in autistic people and needs better diagnosis, new analysis finds

Autistic children and adults may be experiencing PTSD at higher rates than official diagnoses suggest, with their symptoms misdiagnosed or dismissed as being autism traits because of 'diagnostic…

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Autistic Adam @autisticadam.bsky.social · 15h

Being autistic can be so frustrating at times, and here's just one reason why.

Sometimes you can't just "do that"

Even if you were to "do that" before or yesterday, it makes no difference.

Being told well you did that before or yesterday don't help ethier.

Sometimes you simply can't do that.

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Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 13h

Read more here www.facebook.com/kellymahler/...

#autism #interoception #sensory #OT #MentalHealth

Credit: Kelly Mahler

Image description: Orange tile with lighter orange stripes. Text reads: Why Compliance Hurts Mental Health. When you’re forced to mask, ignore, and override your body’s signals, you lose self-trust. Interoception can help undo compliance and reconnect

Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Community Living Ontario @clontario.bsky.social · 1d

Join us for an engaging webinar led by Community Living Toronto on their vision on the future of inclusive housing.

Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Join us for an engaging webinar led by Community Living Toronto on their vision on the future of inclusive housing.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/nm08xOaZSWm0CoVF1XAZPA?fbclid=IwY2xjawNR98JleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF5cWg4V2JkTjJSR2hIdVhuAR5iMGvDDyE6qmnLCLiIoGc3GxtsCQoISE71rgxjpJwJri-Ui7dafi5QQdPQFg_aem_SxdjGeMKt5RflorubX1-3w#/registration

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 1d

Without reform, Ontario’s elected school boards face inevitable death: Paul W. Bennett in the @theglobeandmail.com | Macdonald-Laurier Institute macdonaldlaurier.ca/without-refo...

#OntEd #ONpoli #education

Without reform, Ontario’s elected school boards face inevitable death: Paul W. Bennett in the Globe and Mail | Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Education is too important to be left solely to Queen’s Park bureaucrats.

macdonaldlaurier.ca

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 1d

From @autisticadvocacy.org:

Saying your child has "profound autism" does NOTHING to get the support they need

Functioning labels are harmful. Period.

The focus should be on improving services for ALL autistic people

autisticadvocacy.org/2021/12/func...

#autism

Functioning Labels Harm Autistic People - Autistic Self Advocacy Network

On December 6th, a group of autism researchers commissioned by The Lancet released a report on the future of autism services and research. This report primarily deals with the need for better services...

autisticadvocacy.org

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 1d

While more funding is needed, "true inclusion demands a fundamental shift in attitudes, environments and policies"

SO MUCH needs to change - class sizes, staff training, board policies, MoE guidelines

#OntEd #ONpoli #autism #inclusion

@inclusioncanada.bsky.social @clontario.bsky.social

The Conversation Canada @ca.theconversation.com · 3d

Many autistic students are denied a full education — here’s what we need for inclusive schools

Integrating autistic students fully and meaningfully in classrooms is important for their education, for broader classrooms as well as for families’ employment security and well-being.

theconversation.com

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 1d

As long as schools are permitted to use seclusion & restraint, true inclusion will not be possible

It's not just lack of training, but lack of the right type of training. Compliance-based methods like PBIS don't work

Schools need to become trauma-informed & neuro-affirming

#OntEd #ONpoli #autism

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 1d

Is more funding needed? Yes. But it's not enough. We need the entire system needs to be overhauled

As the article says, there needs to be a shift in ATTITUDES to make inclusion possible

Schools need to STOP using a compliance-based model. It's OUTDATED

#OntEd #ONpoli #autism #inclusion

Image is a screen capture from an article put out by The Conversation titled "Many autistic students are denied a full education — here’s what we need for inclusive schools"

Text reads "The assumption that simply integrating autistic students into mainstream settings guarantees inclusion is not only misleading, but harmful. As many advocates warn, true inclusion demands a fundamental shift in attitudes, environments and policies."

Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · Mar 9

'The term “profound autism,” like the terms “high functioning” and “low functioning,” dismisses the service needs of people who do not meet the definition, and it ignores the strengths of people who do.'

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

#autism

“Profound Autism” Label Does Not Predict Strengths or Help Plan Supports

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · Mar 31

From Neuroclastic:

The majority of the Autistic community hate the puzzle piece

While the puzzle may be significant & have special meaning for some, using it as an organization or "brand recognition" for #autism causes harm to the community

1/3

#AutismAcceptance

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Louise Ting @neuro-observant.bsky.social · 2d

I wish I didn’t have to say this but…

If someone tells you they’re autistic and you find that hard to believe, it might be because:

- They don’t feel safe enough to unmask around you
- Your knowledge of autism is limited

Arguing won’t help. Kindness, curiosity, and listening to understand, will ❤️

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · Apr 11

Many autistic & neurodivergent people have skills that fluctuate from day to day. Accommodations make a difference

Read more from @occuplaytional.bsky.social here www.occuplaytional.com/2023/04/26/f...

#autism #neurodiversity

Image is titled, “Accommodations make a difference”. Underneath the title it reads: “The ability to do a task can be impacted by many factors. On any given day, the combination that results in overload can be different. Simple accommodations can increase someone’s enjoyment of, or capacity and ability to do, a task.” Beneath these words are 3 columns. The first column is labeled "One more task demand, or something unexpected, could result in overwhelm/meltdown for this person". It has an illustration of a scale that goes from 0 to 100, showing different blocks with descriptions on them showing what could be overwhelming that person.

The second column reads, “What if the same person has: taken a break, had a snack recently, can wear comfy clothes to work, has been given clear task demands, colleagues don’t wear strong perfume, and can wear noise cancelling headphones?” It shows “These factors now have less impact” with several of the factors from the prior post: Tight clothes, hunger, need a break, strong perfume, multiple noise sources, and don’t understand task have been taken off of the scale from 0-100.

An arrow points from the second column to the third column.
This one says, “With accommodations in place, the same demand, ‘someone asking a question’, doesn’t have the same impact. This is the difference simple accommodations can make.” The same scale is shown, 0-100, but now the only factors remaining are 0-10 Bright Lights, 10-20 Didn’t sleep well, and 20-30 High pain levels. So when someone asks a question, it might take the person from 30-40…but it doesn’t take them to 100% overwhelmed.

The image was made by The Chronically Resilient OT

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · Apr 28

Lack of funding or staffing shouldn't mean it's acceptable to restrain & seclude children

There ARE better ways

#OntEd #ONpoli #EndSeclusion #autism @clontario.bsky.social @endseclusion.bsky.social @etfoeducators.bsky.social @osstf.bsky.social

Image is a screen capture of page 4 from Community Living Ontario's April 2025 report titled "Crisis in the Classroom: Exclusion, Seclusion, and Restraint of Students with Disabilities in Ontario Schools". It lists examples of physical restraint and seclusion that has taken place in Ontario schools

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Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦 @peelautismresource.bsky.social · 2d

Credit: @spectrumsloth.bsky.social

#autism #AutismAcceptance #neurodiversity

Text on a blue background reads: "We are autistic. We are human beings. We are not ‘less than’ anyone else. We deserve to live our lives as our true selves." A rainbow infinity symbol and colourful paper are at the bottom.

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · 2d

Tylenol is NOT linked to autism: “What one person who isn’t a trained scientist or physician believes should not get the same weight as what scientific evidence has found through rigorous study.”

Also please stop demonizing autistic people. Autistics > fascists.

www.thetriangle.org/news/drexel-...

Drexel professor refutes link between acetaminophen and autism - The Triangle

Dr. Brian Lee coauthored a study that concluded there is no causal link between Tylenol use and the development of autism in children.

www.thetriangle.org

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Reposted by Peel Autism Resource 🇨🇦

Brian K. Murphy @murphyslog.bsky.social · 6d

While Trump advised pregnant women to “tough it out”, JAMA spoke with the Brian Lee, professor of epidemiology at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, to discuss his controversial study’s methods and findings and get clarity on the issues.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Study Author on Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy

This Medical News article is an interview with epidemiologist Brian Lee, PhD, about his study on acetaminophen use during pregnancy and children’s risk of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders...

jamanetwork.com

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