Monday night was the first I'd heard of it -- my 10-year-old isn't particularly *ahem* organized, so when he thrust the fuck-me-in-the-eyes orange document into my hands, I wondered if I hadn't asked him to clean out his backpack, if I'd have been given any notice whatsoever.

We're working on his organizational skills.

Anyway, Monday night I learned that we'd been cordially invited to his school for his fifth grade musical.

First I'd heard of any musical whatsoever. But that's fine -- we got the information in time.

Researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute have recently discovered a link between fevers during pregnancy and autism. According to their findings, women who spiked a fever while pregnant were much more likely to have a baby diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.

There were 191 mothers who participated in this study who reported developing fevers while pregnant. Out of that group, 76 took medication to bring their temperature down, while the other 115 did not take anything to lower the fever. And the findings were pretty stunning as far as the autism spectrum goes. The women who did not take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to lower their fever were 2 1/2 times more likely to have babies with a communication disorder, and 2 3/4 times more likely to have babies with developmental problems.

Parents of autistic toddlers are now getting help from an unexpected place: The iPad and a growing range of apps for autistic kids. These apps can help children express themselves, learn to talk, help you measure their stress level. It's like an amazing shortcut to communicating with your child.

And while an iPad seems expensive, it's far less expensive and smaller than other equipment that does the same things for autistic kids. You can customize some of the apps, uploading photos of the exact things your child wants so they can just point -- without having to negotiate any other distracting images or ideas.

The app revolution is a boon to parents, but experts warn it's not THE answer to everything.

Shannon Des Roches Rosa goes by Squid Rosenberg in the interwebs, where she writes about being a mom to three -- including Leo, who has autism. Her blog, Squidalicious, is equal parts hilarious and heartwarming. We love her so much, we know you will too.

To help us celebrate Mother's Day, here is one of her magical mom moments: when her son on the spectrum was just like everyone else's kid playing in the local park:

Leo has socializing opportunities aplenty -- around town, with all the people and kids who come to visit and swim and cook with us, during excursions. But those interactions are all heavily managed, to help him avoid sensory overstimulation, and so he won't pull a frustrated HULK SMASH on me, his sisters, or unsuspecting passersby. It breaks my heart to write this, but: he is not a free-range boy, not in scenarios where other children are running wild. It's too risky.

It's every parent's dream to have their child grow up and graduate from high school. But when do you give up on that dream? When do you say, "OK, that's what some kids do. Some kids, but maybe not my kid?" Sinclaire Coffer's parents aren't there yet. 

Their 17-year-old son has taken a math test -- required by the State of Georgia for a high school senior to graduate -- five times. And every single time, Coffer has failed. But because their son has autism, Coffer's parents think their son should get to graduate anyway.

Get ready for your weekend inspiration, everybody, with a side of musical accompaniment. What's better than that? I can tell you what's better than that, if Billy Joel himself waltzed into 6-year-old Ethan's house and sat down on the bench for a rollicking rendition of "Piano Man." Not that Ethan's version needs any help. Did I mention Ethan was only 6 years old?

Yes, this kid is only 6 but can pound that piano in a way that will put the average "Chopsticks" player to shame. Also, his passion for singing is quite extraordinary.

Check out this amazoids video.

You probably know at least one family affected by autism. Recent figures say one in every 88 kids have an autism spectrum disorder.

In Angie's family, the figure is two out of three...her son has Asperger's and one of her twin daughters has mild autism. But instead of asking "why me?" she's giving back to families like hers.

Angie volunteers for Autism Speaks, a nationwide organization that raises funds for research into the causes of autism and its treatment. Angie's hope is that someday there will be a cure for autism, and she's doing what she can to help that happen.

Stuart Chaifetz said he knew something was wrong when his 10-year-old son Akian started acting out school. Akian has autism, but had always been "sweet and non-violent." So when things took a turn, his dad said he wanted to find out why.

When meetings with school officials at his Cherry Hill, N.J., school and therapists failed, he took action into his own hands. He wired Aikan and sent him to school. The six hours of audio he recorded confirmed his worst fears.