Dan recently turned 13; Nick will soon be 12. Both boys are smart and fun; both are loving, write like angels, like to learn, and want friends; both are autistic and hope to learn to speak. They find it challenging to relate to and function in this world, and they work hard to improve their abilities to do so. Last fall, Nick and Dan became…

Getting anyone's attention is a prerequisite for being able to hold a good conversation with him or her, as anyone who parents or works with preteens or teenagers knows. It is absolutely necessary with individuals on the autistic spectrum because the achievement of what is called "joint attention" (the ability of children to respond to another…