an unlikely autism advocate: actress daryl hannah.

Like many people, I was shocked when I learned that Daryl Hannah had been diagnosed with autism as a child. It was hard for me to believe that this gorgeous, successful actress had kept this secret for 52 years. As a mother of a 7-year-old with autism, I was stunned -- but that surprise turned into embarrassment when I considered how hard I've fought to educate people that we shouldn't limit our expectations of what autistic people can achieve.

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clever carter: a way to introduce your autistic child to his classmates.

Every year as September rolls around, parents of children with autism get anxious about how their child will handle the transition back into school. Will you have a teacher who is willing to work with you? Will the appropriate level of support be provided for your child? Will the kids be understanding and inclusive? It’s a lot to process and that’s without taking into consideration the stress that your child will be under dealing with the big change from a summer schedule to heading back to school.

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an open letter to "one pissed off mother".

Karla Begley is a woman with multiple sclerosis who has a 13-year-old son named Maxwell who has autism. She often brings Maxwell to her mother's house in Newcastle, Ontario for sleepovers because Karla needs help taking care of him and because he loves watching the movie "Grease" with his grandmother. Recently, Maxwell's grandmother received this hateful letter in the mail explaining in great detail why Maxwell isn't welcome in that neighbourhood.

The letter-writer -- who signed the missive as "One pissed off mother" -- was brazen enough to suggest that Maxwell should be euthanized, but lacked the courage to state her real name. I have never lacked the courage to put my name behind anything I write or say, and that will not change in this hypothetical response if I was mailed this letter about my seven-year-old son with autism -- who is coincidentally also named Maxwell.

Dear “One pissed off mother”,

Your letter has left me feeling terribly sad. Not for me, or for my son Maxwell -- that’s his name by the way, not “retard” or “wild animal kid” -- but for you. In reality, I will never share your thoughts with my son, because he is a happy child who brings an incredible amount of joy to those who know him. And while your words were very hurtful to read, the support I receive from my family, friends, and my more understanding neighbours lifts me up on a daily basis and outweighs anything you could ever say to me.

... Read my full response on iVillage.ca

what women need to know about lisa gibson and post-partum depression.

This past week, news of two young children dying in their Winnipeg home and the subsequent disappearance of their mother, Lisa Gibson, left many wondering what terrible thing had happened to lead to such a sad end to two innocent lives.

Even more of a mystery -- what happened to their mother?

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Hilary Farr from "Love It Or List It" on Transforming Your Home for $1,000

If home improvement is your passion, then there is a good chance that Hilary Farr is one of your favourite Canadian design experts. Farr, the “love it” portion of W Network’s Love It Or List It, makes it hard for homeowners to walk away from their home sweet homes.

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10 ways to make the holidays fun for your child with autism.

Everyone has hopes and dreams for how the holidays will turn out. There are traditions we want to carry on with our own families and friends. But what if a child with autism is included in the mix? How do you make sure you find a balance between maintaining a festive spirit while also respecting his needs? Here are 10 tips what will help make your holidays a success.

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'america's next top model' crowns the winner!

The final three models are put to the test with the pinnacle CoverGirl photo and commercial shoot at The Blue Door at the Blue Palace with photographer Nikos Papadopoulos. Lisa nails the photo but has a hard time coming off as sincere in the commercial; Allison once again has a hard time with the bright sunlight, while Angelea produces a terrific photo and delivers a stellar commercial.

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toys for kids with autism: top 10 mom and kid-approved toys.

As the mother of a five-year-old son with autism, I have lost count of the number of times I have stood in the middle of a toy store and had no idea what to buy him for Christmas or his birthday -- never mind making recommendations for grandparents! After a few missteps and false starts, I have figured out what regular, non-therapeutic toys will engage a child with autism. These are my son’s top 10 favourites.

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america's next top model: tyra wants to be on top!

Now that the competition is down to four models, the heat is on -- and not just because they’re in Greece. This week’s challenge is one of the best yet. The girls are tasked with writing a blog which will be judged by the editor of Vogue Italia, Franca Sozzani, who also blogs on Vogue.it. Since the winner will also be blogging for Vogue.it, it’s a good idea to make sure that the finalists can string a sentence together.

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social media 'a lifeline' for moms of kids with special needs.

Something every mother of a child with special needs tells me is that when they first found out about their child’s medical issues, they felt completely isolated. Friends and family couldn’t relate to what they were going through. Taking care of their child took so much time that it was all but impossible to advocate on behalf of him or her. It was overwhelming.

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christmas albums: the 10 you need to own.

I am a self-proclaimed Christmas music expert. How did I earn this title? Well, I own over 50 Christmas albums, hundreds of Christmas singles, and I start playing them in early November each year. My kids think it’s awesome, the rest of my family thinks it’s amusing (up to a point), and I take my job of critiquing the season’s new Christmas albums very seriously. You'll notice there’s no Mario Lanza, Vince Guaraldi or Mannheim Steamroller. They weren’t even in my Top 20! Let me know what your fave Holiday albums are.

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boys with autism have distinct facial features, study suggests.

Researchers have found yet another way to approach solving the puzzle of autism – this time by comparing facial characteristics of a group of boys with autism to a group of typically developing peers. The catalyst behind this study, published in Molecular Autism, was the fact that the face and brain develop in tandem and influence each other from the embryonic state right through adolescence.

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'america's next top model' - when in greece.

We’re down to six models now, and you know what that means – time to travel! André meets the girls at the mansion and informs them they are going to Greece. They break a bunch of plates, fulfilling a wonderful Greek stereotype and leaving one helluva mess for the maid.

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the models make music with rapper 'the game' on antm.

The theme of this week’s episode is “Go Viral” – a take-off on virtual unknowns who post videos to YouTube only to find their videos shared by hundreds of thousands of people. I find this ironic because before Top Model, Allison actually started out as internet meme Creepy-Chan and is way more famous for that than for Top Model.

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snooki inspires on 'america's next top model'.

The girls waste no time ganging up on Bianca now that Bre is gone. Bianca is pretty much screwed at this point, but instead of making nice, she informs Kayla that she is “unmemorable”. Kayla fires back telling Bianca that she’s "a bitch -- and bitches never win!”. Sing it, sista!

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rapid head growth may be an early sign of autism.

Big heads are common on my husband’s side of the family. My husband gave up on wearing hats years ago and my brother-in-law, who’s in the military, has to have his berets special-ordered. Knowing this, people made jokes before my son was born that with “that big head” I sure was “going to have to push hard to get him out!”

 I didn’t appreciate their humour then, and to this day I have remained sensitive of my son Max’s extra-large cranium. You see, Max has autism.

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coco rocha takes on the models in 'antm' week 6!

This week the girls go to Long Beach, California to play in a flag football charity challenge. As a fitting gesture, the girls who’ve been voted off in previous weeks have are brought back to fill out the teams. Also joining are NFL players Julian Edelman, Jahvid Best, Kareem Jackson, and Dante Hughes. Brittny Gastineau (whose claim to fame is she’s Kim Kardashian’s BFF) and bikini model Julie Henderson are there to provide additional eye candy.

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'america's next top model' week 5 - the kardashians and the jacksons unite!

This week, everyone’s favourite diva, Bianca, takes on the entire model household. The best two lines of the night come (a) from Bianca – she nicknames Shannon “The Cryin’ Christian” and (b) about Bianca from Lisa, “If she’s afraid of water, I’m the deep end. If she’s afraid of dogs, I’m a pit bull.” I just wish someone would muzzle both of them so we can all get some peace.

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is the new poverty-stricken 'sesame street' muppet a good way to teach kids about hunger?

Sesame Street is adding a new character to their cast: a seven-year-old girl muppet named Lily. She will make her debut in the October special “Growing Hope Against Hunger”. Lily comes from a family that struggles to have enough food, and she represents the millions of children in North America facing food insecurity. On the special, she talks to the muppets about what it is like to grow up in a family where there isn’t enough food, and she helps Elmo plan a food drive for the food bank where her family has received help.

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what i was doing when i wasn't here.

My friend Christine and I went to San Antonio last week to relax, recharge, and drink margaritas the size of baby's heads. It was a wonderful trip and I need to sit down and write about it...which I will, soon.

Otherwise, I've had a few other articles published that you might be interested in:

Abducted B.C. Toddler's Parents Give Suspect Forgiveness, Would You?

Study: Non-Hormonal Contraception Method Found More Effective Than Condoms

Take Out Turkey Dinner Places Across Canada

Thanksgiving Planner Countdown & Day of Timing

More articles tomorrow! Book it!