If your autistic teen cannot sit through a long spoken instruction list, most research studies wave them off before anyone learns how they actually see the world.

If your pediatrician just ran an autism screen — or you asked for one — and you are sitting in the parking lot wondering what that score actually buys you, you are asking the right question.

The IEP already lists them. Noise-reducing headphones. Extra time. A quiet corner for lunch. Maybe AAC. At 3:00 they are still in the backpack. Yesterday we wrote that “appears fine” is not a present level. Today is the next sentence. A support that never leaves the bag is not a support. It is a line on a PDF. Written on the IEP is not the same as used 34 CFR §300.323(d) is blunt. Each teacher and provider responsible for the IEP has to know the specific accommodations, modif