Speaking of Autism… 2020 Year in a Review

I’m a few days late, but alas we are now in 2021! Happy new year, everybody!

2020 was certainly a year to remember, and unfortunately not in a good way. The year was incredibly frustrating, scary, and draining, and frankly I’m just thankful that I was able to keep this blog afloat and keep writing through the year.

I had planned several engagements that were supposed to take place in 2020, such as travelling for conferences and doing some public speaking, but for obvious reasons those were cancelled. The good news is that 2021, especially the second half, looks like it will be much healthier, and so perhaps later this year I’ll be able to get out there and spread my message even further (and perhaps meet some of you guys!).

The year wasn’t a total bust though, either personally or regarding this blog. This year I signed a contract with Jessica Kingsley Publishers to write a book that will probably come out later this year! I’m still working quite hard (but slowly) on writing the book, and hopefully by this time next year some of you will be getting ready to read it!

Anyway, that’s about all I have to say right now about how things are looking on this blog as the new year as dawned on us. Let’s just all hope that 2021 is better than 2020, which admittedly is a low bar to overcome. With that, as is tradition, here are my top ten most read blog posts of 2020. If you haven’t had the chance yet, why not click over and read some of them now? If you’re new year’s resolution is to become more informed about and accepting of autism (which I think should be on everyone’s resolution list, quite frankly), then this is a great place to start.

1. Sensory Eating is not Picky Eating
2. How do I get an autistic person to X? – You’re asking the wrong question.
3. The Double Empathy Problem – A Paradigm Shift in Thinking About Autism
4. Why You Should Not Support Autism Speaks
5. Understanding Echolalia and Autism
6. The Fallacy of Functioning Labels
7. Why do so many autistic people chew on things?
8. This April, go #RedInstead for Autism Acceptance!
9. Accommodations are not Rewards
10. Autistic Play is Appropriate Play

And with that, happy new year, everyone!

Multi-colored fireworks explode against a black, starless night time sky above a yellow-lite city skyline. Image labeled for fair use.