For a lovely moment in autism, take a look at this video featuring nine-year-old David Militello. David is a contender on "America's Got Talent" - and he's autistic. This beautiful little video will touch your heart.

July Fourth is one of those lose-lose holidays for folks on the autism spectrum. If the noise doesn't make you nuts, the crowds will. If the crowds don't bother you, the gluten-and-dairy-filled desserts are likely to do you in. Meanwhile, it's almost impossible to avoid SOME celebration of our national holiday: even if you're safely tucked in bed, you'll wind up having to cope with the noise of "rockets' red glare!"

If you're a family about to cope with July Fourth on the autism spectrum, you'll want to explore Terri Mauro's fabulous collection of resources, ranging from ideas for managing noise to recipes for gluten free cookies! In fact, if you're a parent raising a child with autism, you can't do better than to explore Terri's entire Special Needs Parenting site here at About.com.

By the way - our own "secret" to managing fireworks: buy a pair of the earphones used by jackhammer operators. They do a great job of muffling the sound, and they're terrific in the dentist's office too (the sound of the dentist's toothbrush can make my son nuts!).