Do Children With Autism Have Varying Degrees With Their Senses?

I want to learn out of curiosity, if children with autism have varying degrees with their senses. How would I determine the answer to my curiosity? Can it be done with all of the five senses that we have, for it to be accomplished?

What about the senses of smell, touch, and taste? They are just as important to us, as to what we see, hear and how we express ourselves.

I believe there are varying degrees individuals have, with autism. For example: To learn and express their senses. They may have difficulty understanding what their senses mean or what to do with their senses. There may be some correlation in this area, that could be considered to be dysfunctional in their behavior.

I have observed, some children who have the disorder of autism, are extremely sensitive to bright lights, texture, touch, certain sounds, loud, soft and high-pitched noises. In addition, to some smells and odors.

Therefore, I have observed some people with autism, have varying degrees with other senses, such as tastes, colors and flashing images.

Learning could be a challenge for autistic children, because of their varying degrees of trying to understand how they react to their senses and what they are expressing or trying to express through their senses, compared to other people who do not have autism.

I was in a classroom recently, that was teaching autistic children. I noticed, one child, put his head down between his knees and plugged his ears with his hands, to protect himself from hearing the noise, when an airplane flew over the classroom.

I noticed later, how this same child was struggling, when he was around a group of children that were noisy and participating in a game outside the classroom.

I approached the teacher, with a question to determine if this particular child, would be able to over come his fear of noise. If this was an option, will he do better in learning?

I continued my observation of another child who was using clay to construct and create an object. I noticed, she became oversensitive to the touch.

There were moments, she did not want to put the clay back on the table, because she felt the touch of it was a stimulus. Later, her actions indicated to throw the clay on the floor. I could see anger and frustration in her face.

Take interest in the senses of your child who have autism. Gather information about how he or she. is communicating through these senses.

What senses are shown to be strong? For example: Is touch, smell, noises, watching various objects, because of the color or movements, appear to be a strength? What is your child expressing with these varying degrees of senses? Does bright or flickering lights, create another area that your child might be expressing for his or her senses?

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About Autistic Children

When tests for Autism are first being considered, this typically involves the use of a pre-developed checklist or screening, rather than a blood test, in order to determine if Autism is present. Despite the fact that the majority of the pediatricians that are available today will help care for autistic children, it was only recently that they reported performing routine screenings for the disorder.

Since the "Identification and Evaluation of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders" clinical report was published in 2007 by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), the hope is that more pediatricians will include screening for the disorder when infant care commences. Additionally, it is recommended that once this is established that they will continue routine screenings in all ensuing examinations.

There were three recommendations that the publication mentioned regarding Autistic children including:

o Conduct routine surveillance for autism spectrum disorders at every follow-up, well-child visit, including searching for any subtle signs of the disorder.

o Screen the child for autism using a specific or targeted screening checklist when they reach 18 years of age and again at 24 months.

o Schedule special appointments anytime you have any concerns about autism that you may have as a responsible parent would do.

Most importantly is the fact that the AAP highly recommends that all pediatricians send children for a comprehensive evaluation if the screening test results are positive. You might consider a hearing test as well as one of the warning signs is that the child either cannot hear you or appears to be ignoring what you say and not reacting normally.

The signs and symptoms exhibited by autistic children

When it comes to the early warning signs and symptoms of Autism in children, there are three distinctive behavior patterns evident when the disorder is present. They include:

o difficulties with communication and social interaction
o problems with either non-verbal or verbal communication
o repetitive behavior patterns
o narrow or extremely obsessive interests

Additionally, the impact of these warning signs and symptoms can range from very mild or slight to extremely severe and nearly disabling.

Regardless of the above, it is the inability to communicate effectively and engage in any social interaction that is considered the most prolific feature. Additionally, it is normally the parents that start seeing these warning signs and symbols. They will start seeing the child display abnormal behavior, even as early as the infancy stage. This includes being unresponsive to those around them or obsessively focusing on a single object or toy.

Additionally, a child may appear to be developing normally and then suddenly withdraw from any social interaction or be ambivalent of or indifferent to what is going on around them. Autistic children may also fail to respond to calling their names or will avoid making eye contact or maintaining it for any normal length of time. Finally, they usually cannot understand specific social clues which makes it difficult for them to interpret what others feel or think. This includes certain facial expressions and tone of voice.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

Original article

How to Manage Autism Symptoms in Children - A Parent's Guide

Children, in one way or another, have to some extent deficiencies in their social skills and may even exhibit odd behaviors different from their playmates. While these tendencies are quite normal circumstances for some children, repetitive actions may be more likely linked to a developmental disorder. This is what medical science calls autism. Children with autism suffer from lagging development in their behavior, social skills, and communication. Almost all symptoms of autism revolve around communication difficulties. Autistic children may display developmental delays most especially in language and learning. They oftentimes show out-of-order learning sequences like being able to understand complex ideas first before understanding the simple ones. An autistic child may also have poor, social interaction. The child may become withdrawn from people, even from his own parents and siblings. The child may act as if he is in his own world, like preferring to play all by himself. His verbal and nonverbal communication is also affected. One hallmark symptom of a child with autism is doing repetitive movements like spinning, hand flapping, and rocking. He may even exhibit aggressive behavior once frustrated. Understanding these symptoms can help the parents and caregivers to find ways on how to intervene and handle a child with autism.

An autistic child lacks social interaction skills; thus, frequently establishing a conversation may help. At the start, initiating a conversation with an autistic child may seem not easy. An autistic child will either give short replies or no response at all. Make frequent conversations with the child even though the child won't answer back. Show the child that you are patient enough to wait for him. Patience is highly needed when working with children with autism. Set a physical distance if the child seemed agitated by your presence. Give him some space before slowly approaching. When talking to the child, do not tower over him. Sit down and talk because sometimes the adult's height may intimidate an autistic child. Children with autism may develop a lack of trust with other people. Minimize the chances of the child isolating himself. Take him somewhere where he can play with others like the park or playground. Sometimes ungranted wishes may lead to temper tantrums and even aggression. Be consistent with the child. Provide positive reinforcement or rewards like toys when the child shows desired behaviors. Medications like Risperidone are also helpful in managing irritability and aggressiveness. In instances when the child displays bizarre and repetitive actions like head banging, provide safety like letting him wear a helmet to protect himself from undue injury.

Consequently, an autistic child may display odd behaviors and temper tantrums most of the time. It is important that the parents have a lot of knowledge about their child's condition including its symptoms and severity. It is also advisable that the parents seek medical advice regarding their child's health status and be actively involved in giving care to the child. Show him the unconditional love a child deserves to have from his parents. Reward him with hugs and kisses to show he is loved and secure. Foremost, treat the child with autism as a whole being. Do not let the child's condition hinder you from realizing he is a young child with a unique personality.

For more information on Different Types of Diseases, Symptoms and Diagnoses, Please visit: Autism Diagnosis and Symptoms of Autism.

Original article

Symptoms of Autism to Watch For

If you have noticed that your child is not developing like they should you may want to consider taking your child to their doctor to rule out autism. There are many other conditions and disorders that can affect your child at different ages but autism is becoming one of the most common conditions. Symptoms of autism can start as early as infancy but may not be detected until after the child is around the age of two when development stages should be very noticeable.

Symptoms of Autism in Infancy

A baby who has autism may develop signs that you can look for. These signs include a baby who doesn't pay attention to objects or toys, displays no emotions, doesn't copy your actions such as when you smile at him or her they do not smile back, doesn't try to create word sounds, cannot communicate with you or others, doesn't want to talk even though he or she has already started talking, doesn't want to be around you, or has trouble communicating.

These are symptoms of autism in infancy but they can develop at any time even under the age of two. A child may seem like they are developing normally during the first few months of life and then one day you may notice that he or she has not developed a certain skill that could be vital to the way that the child can interact, learn or even socialize with others.

If you become concerned with your child's behavior, you may want to take them to their doctor for further evaluation. Before the appointment you need to watch them carefully and document their behavior to see how they are socializing with others, do they like to cuddle and snuggle with you, do they throw tantrums, do they focus on one thing and become over obsessed with the one object? These are things that you will need to report to your child's doctor if you notice it.

Once the symptoms of autism is noticed by you and once the doctor has also seen the symptoms of autism in your child then your child can begin treatment that will help to minimize the symptoms and help you and your child develop ways to live with the symptoms of autism. There are many types of treatment that will help your child deal with this condition. One of the ways is to seek counseling and work with your child one-on-one to build a better perspective of what you can expect and how to better handle everything that goes on with autism.

When symptoms of autism begin your child may not realize what is really going on and you may not know how to deal with it. The first thing that you should do is to sit down with your child and create a schedule that will keep everything on track. A child who suffers from autism likes to have a routine that is never disturbed so in order to keep this sense of routine, your child's schedule needs to include a little time for things that may arise and challenge a routine. Explain to your child what you are going to do, where you are going to go, and what you expect from them. This helps them to understand more about any changes they may experience in their schedule.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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Obvious and Not So Obvious Symptoms of Autism

Autism affects many children today and there are many different degrees of severity as well. Today nearly 1 in every 110 children will be diagnosed with autism. This figure makes it more common than juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined. The rate of children diagnosed with autism is increasing by up to 17% each year. There are many possibilities of the cause of autism such as environmental, time of exposure, and genetics however nothing is completely determined to be the culprit.

Obvious symptoms of autism

A child who has been diagnosed with autism may have demonstrated symptoms in socialization, behavior, and language. The extent of the symptoms can be mild to severe, depending on how it affects your child.

Social skills that are affected by autism include poor eye contact, failure to respond to their name, appears to ignore you, doesn't want to be cuddled or held, prefers to play alone. Your child may also be sensitive to lights and sounds that are louder than normal. They may also find it difficult to communicate with others and withdraw when a lot of family or friends are around them.

Behavior skills that are affected by autism includes performing repetitive movements such as rocking, may yell out or get loud, may demonstrate signs of frustration when their schedule is not kept, moves around constantly, and is fascinated by parts of a moving object.

Language skills that are affected by autism includes no talking after the age of two years old even though the child may have already speaking some words, loses what language they have developed over the years. When an autistic child speaks they have one tone with their voice, almost like a robot.

Not so Obvious Symptoms of Autism

If your child has obvious signs of autism then you know that you need to go and talk to his doctor but what about signs that you are not sure of? Autism can affect a child at any age. As your child grows there are certain milestones that your child needs to reach in order to know if they are developing correctly. Your child should begin to roll over at a certain age, hold their head up, and even crawling is all performed by a certain age. However, if your child seems as though they are not developing these skills then you need to talk to your child's doctor to see if your child should undergo testing to see if autism is a problem.

Sometimes children learn at their own paces and because of that they may need to be encouraged to do something. It doesn't always mean that your child has autism if they do not move like the other children in a play group. If you are ever in doubt, ask your doctor for help and guidance. There are many degrees of autism and no two children have the exact same signs so if your child displays even one symptom of autism it is important to see what their doctor thinks about autism.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit http://www.childdevelopmentmedia.com/.

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The Warning Signs of Autism in Infants

Although the exact cause of Autism still remains somewhat of a mystery, most doctors and other health professionals that there is some type of genetic link between the disorder and genetics. Additionally, there are other variables that are possible causes such as abnormalities with the child's immune system and contributing environmental factors.

Although the cause of the disorder remains unknown or speculative at best, major medical advancements have been made in the past decade where the management of treatment of the disorder are concerned. However, most medical professionals agree that the best course of action is early intervention and diagnosis.

Autism's early warning signs and symptoms

The following information has resulted from a number of different studies that were conducted in order to discover some of the early warning signs and symptoms of Autism in the infancy stage of the child's life. The following are what you should look for and by what age these should be apparent:

- the absence of smiling or other positive facial expressions by 6 months of age

- failing to exchange smiles and sounds with others by 9 months of age

- the inability to babble, wave, point and/or reach for different objects,, by 12 months of age

- the lack of or total absence of any vocabulary development by 16 months of age

- the inability to create basic two-word phrases by 24 months of age

- a regression of communicative, social, and speech skills at any age

There may also be noticeably, severe sensory issues during their infancy that you should look for such as an abnormal reaction to certain sounds or tastes and touching.

Early intervention and treatment

If these signs or symptoms mentioned in the preceding section appear early on, you don't want to delay or procrastinate about this. You should talk with your pediatrician and maybe even a neurologist or psychiatrist/psychologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of Autism. While the infant is being observed, the parents will most likely be interviewed to see if the diagnosis of Autism is accurate. The doctor may also order for the infant to receive a hearing test and an MRI.

Additionally, if there are communication, language, and social issues that are apparent, the doctor may also recommend a speech pathology evaluation. Once all of these variables have been evaluated, clinicians and other doctors may get involved in order to develop some type of educational intervention program for the afflicted infant. The most important treatment for Autism involves teaching the infant or the child how to communicate and interact socially successfully with others around them.

Beware of the misconceptions

No two children or infants are ever alike in the manner that Autism affects them. Symptoms of the disorder can range from mild or slight to extremely severe. The common misconception to be aware of is that every child or infant with Autism does not display any emotional response such as smiling at others. For instance, this may not be an issue whereas other children may smile but have serious linguistic or sensory issues.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

Original article

How Can The Most Famous Loser in Olympic History Give His Secret to Help You Raise Autistic Child?

Derek Anthony Redmond is a retired British athlete and he is best remembered for his performance at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. You might have heard of him.

On that day at the 1992 summer Olympic; Redmond favored to win gold.

How he finished his race could lift your spirit... that all hope is not lost.

You might be interested in this because it confronts you with the difficulties of raising autistic child and searching for the solutions. Did you ever stop to think for a moment that you're going through one of the toughest time and wondering what the future holds for you and your autistic child?

It is frustrating at times just like Redmond had felt over his favorite sport as his career was blighted by a series of injuries. Redmond was a world-class runner. He was fast. During his illustrious career, he held the British record for the 400 meter sprint.

Before the summer games, he had won gold medals in the 4x400 meter relay at the World Championships, European Championships and the Commonwealth Games which is why pundits tipped him to win.

What happened to him at the Olympic that summer day?

Redmond thundered out of the blocks, as the gun signaled the beginning of the race. From the very moment he started sprinting, it seemed apparent that he would win and carry the Union Jack proudly.

He was in good form by the time of the semi-final, but an unfortunate event changed the course of history.

Redmond started well, but in the back straight about 250 meters from the finish line, his hamstring snapped! You can imagine the pain was so intense that as he hobbled, he collapsed on the track. Obviously you can see that his Olympic dream shattered like a broken glass.

As he kneeled on one knee, in pain, stretcher bearers made their way over to him, but Redmond did the unexpected. He did a thing that would change the meaning of winning, forever. He decided he wanted to finish the race.

He got up and began hopping down the track. The crowd's jaw dropped, as shown on the live telecast worldwide. As he hobbled along with face a picture of agony, he was joined on the track by his father, Jim Redmond, who barged past security and on to the track to get to his son.

He put his arm around his son's shoulder as he kept going, sobbing and limping as he went.

And so Jim and Derek complete the lap together. As they crossed the finish line, the crowd of 65,000 spectators rose to give Derek a standing ovation. It was the loudest and longest ovation of the games.

In spite of the pain, in spite of the humiliation and in spite of a shattered Olympic dream, Derek finished his run.

Are you a finisher like Derek?

Probably, you are not the strongest person or have the most brilliant mind. You may have big obstacles between you and your search to give your autistic child a better future. In your journey, I urge you not to let these things stop you.

Whether you are searching for the signs or symptoms of autism, or on course along with your autistic child battling the disorder, keep going... and... FINISH.

As for Derek, he didn't win the gold but surely, he have won the hearts of 65,000 at the venue and millions others watching on their televisions across the globe, and rose becoming the most famous loser in Olympic history. His secret was simply because he love his sport.

Look at me and listen closely as your child depends on you.

At times, you may feel a little discourage, and it may take heroic courage, strength and determination, but you will cross the finish line because YOU and I know that deep inside you... you are a finisher, you are a fighter, you and your child's future are brighter than you had ever imagined. And you will be a winner.

I'm hoping you find some JOY because isn't that what we're all searching for anyway?

Doctors reveals breakthrough treatments for autism. You might want to have this information because it'll guide you into the hidden world of autism to help you avoid a fruitless and frustrating journey when raising your autistic child.

Original article

Dealing With Autism in the Home

When a child is diagnosed with autism if can affect the child everywhere from school to home. Whether there are other children in the home or not it is important to learn effective ways to deal with autism in the home. Here are a few ways that you can deal with autism in the home.

Learning

Learning starts at home. When a child has autism they may need to reinforce what they learned at school. Because the environment changes from school to home it is not always possible to store the information learned during the day. A child with autism needs consistency and reinforcement. When a child goes to school the lessons learned there needs to be reviewed at home daily. You can use fun activities to enhance the lessons that were learned each day. Your child needs a combination of education tools from books, verbal, and hands on tolls to encourage the learning even further.

A Schedule

When a child is at school, they will follow a strict schedule. Home life tends to be a bit more relaxed however when a child has autism it is vital to keep a schedule while at home too. This schedule should be followed even when a child is off for the summer. Your child's schedule should include meal time, play time, and bath time. A schedule can build security and allow your child to feel somewhat in control of their time and this can make autism easier to manage.

You also need to make sure that the schedule you create for your child is both educational and recreational. The schedule needs to be realistic so you know you can stick to it and your child can feel comfortable knowing that there is a routine. This will reduce the number of tantrums your child may throw as well due to the consistency in his or her life.

Know your child

Just like any other child, an autistic child can yawn when they are tired or they may use facial expressions to help them express what they are feeling. It is very important that as a parent you learn your child's expressions so you know what your child is feeling. You can still connect with a child who has autism but in a different way. When things upset your child, the first think an autistic child may do is to throw tantrums or may use irrational behavior. You can control these bouts by determining what triggers this behavior. When you know your child and connect with them you may realize that certain smells, colors, or noises can start it.

When a child has autism you need to make sure that there is a safe environment for them and that means to be prepared for these tantrums that may begin and last for a long period of time or at least until the triggering factor has been removed. You may want to also use locks for cabinet doors and replace all glass table with wood. Creating a safe environment is essential.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit http://www.childdevelopmentmedia.com/.

Original article

What Are Some Post Birth Causes of Autism?

About 1:110 births results in a child who has autism. There is no one cause that anyone can agree on. There are many theories. Some of them have been disproven, others warrant further study. There are some theories that autism has solely prenatal cause, some say that it is exclusively postnatal, and yet others are that it is a combination of things.

One of the most prevalent theories in the past, and one that has been disproven many times, is the theory of the refrigerator mother. This theory said that autism was linked to childhood trauma, through bad parenting, specifically bad mothering. The mother was supposed to have withheld her affection from the child, thus being like a refrigerator. This theory was advanced by Bruno Bettleheim, and was disproven after his death.

There are three theories that actually belong in the class. That is that autism is caused by environmental causes like vaccines, thiomersal or the MMR vaccine. Thiomersal was an additive to vaccines that was phased out in the US in the 1990s. The MMR vaccine is a frequently accused culprit, although many proponents of these theories blame vaccines all together. There are a number of reasons that these three things have gotten the blame. One is that autism really starts to become apparent around 18-24 months old. Between 12-24 months old children get several vaccinations. There is a correlation there, but correlation doesn't equal causation. Another reason that this theory exists is because a British scientist said that he had proof that the MMR vaccine and thiomersal caused autism. His theory had followers, but there was no clear consensus. It has recently come out that he lied about his data to "prove" his theory. Most autism researchers say there is no link between these things and autism, but there are some, especially parents, who hang on to this theory.

Since autism is primarily about the connections in the brain being made in different ways, or not at all, another theory gaining popularity is that it is caused by an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease attacks the body itself. In this theory the immune disease attacks the brain. The causes could be viral infection at birth, or shortly thereafter, that causes the immune system to go wild and start attacking the body. The results that have been coming from studies based around this subject don't agree with each other.

Some hypotheses haven't had any study, or no significant study, even though they have followers. One is that autism is caused by vitamin D deficiency. Another is that autism is caused by excessive hygiene. That means that the child's environment is so clean that there in no exposure to anything, and that leads to autism.

There is one theory to autism. The most commonly accepted theories all agree that the cause might push a child who is already disposed to having autism into having full blown autism. There is plenty of continuing research into the suggested causes of autism, as well as cures or better treatments for people who have autism.

Get more information about non-invasive, alternative autism treatments at the Life Vessel of the Rockies.

Original article

Tip 1: The Young Method Piano Instruction Series

Tip #1

"Have your student label the Treble Clef Board."

Allowing a student to learn how to read musical notation has many benefits and is a major accomplishment. This tip can be a great way to review the 'lines' and/or 'spaces' of the treble clef. Typically, the Treble Clef Board is used by having the teacher or parent position a removable note on the board to create different musical notation. Adding the supplied letter and/or word prompts will allow the student to match and label the note with the correct symbol.

Before you begin your Theory practice during a lesson, remove all of the letter and/or word prompts from the board (even if you are still working on some of them) and lay them out in a random order. Since these prompts are mnemonic, or associated with words, this exercise becomes much more like a puzzle or game. It doesn't matter which order your student uses as long as the sequence is correct. To make this less challenging, try only laying out the "line letter prompts" (or Every, Good, Boy, etc.) and have your student match them to the correct line of the Treble Clef Board.

What is The Young Method?

The Young Method Piano Instruction Series is a unique and individualized set of manuals, songbooks and supplemental materials. To best serve the autism community each of these individual sets have been designed for specific groups of students on the spectrum. Offering over 17 distinct and in-depth sets of teaching material, including Workbooks, flashcards and teaching boards, The Young Method was created to allow a wide range of developmentally disabled individuals discover the piano.

Book 1: While this manual is meant to act as a baseline of the student's ability at the piano, they will also begin right away with learning musical notation.

Path 1: Books 2 - 7 of The Young Method will gradually shift from errorless teaching methods to a more typical style of piano education. Students will learn how to read musical notation, correct fingering, playing the piano with both hands as well as fun and challenging piano pieces.

Path 2: Books 2.1 - 7.1 offer students who find the skill of reading musical notation a little more challenging the chance to discover the piano as well!

Path 3: Books 2.2 -5.2 were created for students displaying a challenge with the matching skills associated with Book 1.

The goal of all of these materials is to help students with autism interact with the piano and discover the fun and beneficial ways in which music can impact their educational and developmental lives.

To learn more about The Young Method piano education series visit http://www.innovativepiano.com/

Innovative Piano, Inc.

Offering piano lessons for students with autism - Nationwide!
http://www.innovativepiano.com/

Original article

What Is Autism?

Autism is a lifelong neural development disorder that can affect how a person reacts to situations they are placed within. The brain and the cells within the body do not understand how to process the information, and will often organize it in an unconventional manner. Social interaction and communication can be restricted, and repetitive behavior will tend to occur. Often people who suffer from autism will struggle to make sense of the world they live in and can become withdrawn.

No one has been able to identify exactly why some people have autism and others do not, although many health professionals believe that it is genetic. However, the genetics related to autism are very complicated; therefore, it is difficult to diagnose if this is 100% accurate. There is a huge spectrum of different types of autism, and symptoms that can be found vary from person to person.

Autism is often described as a large tree with several different smaller branches growing from it, allowing you to understand the different symptoms related to the condition. Parents typically begin to see the changes in their child before their third birthday, and although it may only be small things at first these may grow into more symptoms. Early diagnosis has been proved to help the developmental stages of the child. This enables the child to deal with their social skills far better, than children who are diagnosed later in life.

Often a child with autism will refuse to speak and appear very withdrawn; however, they will use sign language or drawings to communicate. The child may become fixated on one item or their favorite thing and become distressed if they are taken away from their comfort zone. They are often interested in one thing and will know a great deal about it. Information is something that an autistic child can gather, and will randomly tell you fascinating facts.

Although autistic children are often slower at school, they will typically be very good in one subject. This is usually art, music or math and they will focus all of their energy on this subject, and will concentrate on this and nothing else. Coordination is not very good with autistic children; however, they can copy what other people are doing, and perform the same task.

The best way of dealing with autism is to work through the other related problems that the child may have, some of these will be able to be treated. You will want to ensure that the person's quality of life is improved and that every one of their needs is met. Every day can be a challenge when living with an autistic child or adult, however, there will be days when they are a pleasure to be around. There is no uniform treatment program as every case is completely different.

Unfortunately there is no known cure for autism, however, some people have recovered and show no further autistic signs. Many people can live a reasonably normal life with autism; however, many children will grow up needing lifelong care. There is now far more information about autism and people understand it far better. Many campaigners want it to be accepted as a condition and not treated as a disorder.

Get more information about non-invasive, alternative autism treatments at the Life Vessel of the Rockies.

Original article

7 Key Things You Should Know If Your Child Has Autism

ASD can be a frightening diagnosis, which every parent reacts differently to. Along with a diagnosis parents are often bombarded with advice and strategies which are often not always helpful. Here are just 7 points I think every parent should be aware of when parenting a child with autism.

Autism is Not New

There is a wealth of knowledge and understanding that can be found within the minds of other parents alike. Any problem you may be facing has invariably been dealt with before in other families. This means you can learn and use what others have learned and experienced about raising a child with autism to help you. Parents understand autism, perhaps somewhat better than some professionals as they have not lived the experience. There is no need for you to go and reinvent the wheel, but there is a need for you to connect with other parents of autism. This way you not only learn but are able to give back on what your experiences have been as well.

Children with Autism LOVE their parents.

I realise at times this may not seem true. Invariably your child may have the tendency to beat up on you, hate being touched or run off in the opposite direction at any given chance with no need to turn back to see how far they are from you. They may struggle to look at you eye to eye and connect with you on an emotional level you crave for, but this does not mean they do not love you. Keep sharing and exposing your love for your child in all the ways that you do; they may just surprise you

Don't get too hung up on Critical Periods of Learning

I have great belief in the wondrous outcomes that early intervention can have on a child with autism. However I so often hear parents trying to beat this race and treat their child before the 'window of learning' period is closed. The human brain is a wonderful organ. It is constantly changing, forming and developing in response to learning and environment stimulation. Yes it has been said that children learn best in their younger years, but it is naive to think that learning and development have to stop there.

Learning and Development can be a Bumpy Road on the Autism Spectrum

All children go through rough patches in their learning and development. Some get left behind a bit in certain areas but then catch up later. This is true for children with ASD as well. However leaps of development and deficits are generally more pronounced. When a learning regression or plateau hits we so often want to blame something or put it down to one thing. This is often not the case. The trick is also to keep with your child, don't give up them or your self as this is the time you really need to help pull your child through the rough patch. It can be completely un-motivating when your child hits a learning plateau especially when they may be miles behind their peers already. Chances are they will come out on the other side with a big bang and you may struggle to keep up with them.

Your Child's Abilities Can Shift Over Time

We hear much talk regarding the different "functional levels" within the Autistic Spectrum. A professional may point out your child falls into the spectrum at a certain level whether it be high functioning of low functioning. You need to realise though that this can change over time with the right treatments and guidance. Diagnosed children are very often moved from one autism diagnostic category to another.

Professionals are a Great and useful Resource, BUT they can also be Disappointing

Some professionals don't know enough about autism, some may only know the "doom and gloom" aspect of autism. Some professional are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. The point is, all incoming information concerning your child at any level needs to be scrutinised by you, perhaps even do some more research if you not sure. Find doctors and Therapists etc that you are happy with, that know the particulars of what you are dealing with and understand your child and family.

YOU ARE YOUR CHILDS' BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHER

A lot people believe that in order to help our child you need to go from therapy to therapy. Your child spends huge amounts of time with other people than with you. Don't let people drag you into this notion that your child is so unusual that only a person with an advanced degree can help him learn.

Yes therapies are important, but you are your child's primary caregiver and leader. You are the person that needs to guide them through life. And no one loves your child as much as you. Parenting Autism can be frustrating at times, but remember You are important and don't let anyone tell you any differently.

Remember to Get your Free copy of: Autism -Where to start guide, where you will learn immediate strategies to help your loved one with Autism.

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Autism Treatment - Managing the Disorder

There is no secret to the fact that the earlier Autism is diagnosed and a course of treatment is prescribed that this not only benefits your child, it benefits you as well. Typically, Autism treatment is not done medically in its entirety. Other variables come into play where this is concerned such as behavioral training and management, community support as well as parental training, and some specialized therapies. In so many words, Autism Treatment can be correlated with managing the disorder.

Treatment strategies

The following strategies for managing and treating Autism have been recommended by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) and should help your child improve how they function overall as well as reach their potential:

Behavioral management and training - positive reinforcement along with self-help and social skills training are the foundation for behavioral management and training. The primary benefit for you and your child is that it greatly enhances the ability to communicate better and improve their behavior.

Community Parental Support and Training - it is always advisable that you undergo training and join a support group in the community in order to better manage and treat your child's disorder. Your child's doctor or one of the many Autism treatment advocacy and support groups will have all the information you need.

Medication - the same medications that treat other related conditions and behavioral disorders or problems are most the commonly used medications in Autism treatment. These include medications that treat anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

Specialized therapies - occupational, physical, and speech therapies are the most common ones applied for managing and treating Autism. However, they are more important where the management of the disorder is concerned rather than the treatment. All of these need to be included in the treatment program that is prescribed.

What causes Autism?

Autism is categorized as a PDD or Pervasive Developmental Disorder which is one of many conditions or illnesses that hamper skills development in children. Unfortunately, the causes of Autism remain unclear, even though research has revealed a few important elements or factors. These factors include genetics, problems during childbirth, and several types of infections.

The most recent studies now suggest that some individuals are genetically pre-disposed to Autism, meaning that parents can pass the condition onto to their children. Currently, a number of researchers are looking for clues regarding specific genes that contribute to being more vulnerable to the disorder. Another speculation is that the environment can be one of the factors that influences the onset and development of the disorder.

Other theories also suggest that abnormalities in the structure of the brain can be at fault or that the child's immune system may be producing certain anti-bodies that attack their brains and cause some damage to it. Another theory suggests that the timing involved with the development and growth of the child's brain is abnormal. So as you can readily see, there is still much that needs to be discovered about Autism in order to treat it properly.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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What Is Autism Spectrum?

There are more and more children being diagnosed for autism and disorders of autism spectrum each and every day. Autism spectrum includes Rett Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and classic autism.

Asperger Syndrome is a disorder of the autism spectrum and is considered the mildest form. While most disorders of autism show signs of developmental intelligence and verbal complications, children who suffer from Asperger Syndrome only show a problem with making eye contact with others or displaying correct body structure. Children with Asperger syndrome will also have delayed motor skills and sometimes prefer routines without any changes.

Rett's Disorder is another disorder of the Autism Spectrum. This disorder is more common in females and can decrease the development of the brain over a shot period of time. A child may start out functioning normally but may display mental retardation or a certain intellectual disorder that can affect the way they think and learn.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is another part of the autism spectrum. It is not a common condition but it does occur. At first the child will develop normally however somewhere between the ages of two and four years old, autism symptoms may begin to be noticeable. A child may decrease their social activities and lose control of their bowels and also their bladder. There is a noticeable decrease in self care tasks as well. This was a condition that was first noted in 1908 by a special educator in Vienna.

Today, there are no vaccinations that can immune a child to autism or autism spectrum. That is because no one is completely and accurately sure of how it develops. It is important that parents or caregivers who work closely with a child learn the signs of autism and autism spectrum so they can know when it may be a problem with a child. Once autism and autism spectrum is suspected, it is important that a doctor be consulted in order to properly diagnose autism.

When a condition such as autism spectrum is diagnosed it is important that everyone learn all there is to know about the condition and how they can best help the child. Things are changing for the child and will never be the same. It is important that the families realize the severity of the condition and how it can drastically change the life of everyone involved in care; mother, father, grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings, neighbors, and child care providers or teachers.

Autism spectrum is not only a condition that affects children in childhood. As a child grows, they do not grow out of the condition they simply learn to deal with it. However it does affect them differently as they get older and try to form relationships. Symptoms may not be as severe, they may mentally be able to handle things more, and they do learn to socialize as long as they receive constant support from those who love them in order for them to feel comfortable when they are around others.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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Signs of Autism to Look For

Does your child have autism? Do you know how you can tell? It's not easy to diagnose autism and even if you were provided with a list of signs of autism it may still be difficult to determine because not all children have the same symptoms of autism.

Autism is a brain disorder that effects the way that a child's brain develops from the age of infancy to around the age of two. Everyone who plays a role in the child's care may notice something different while others notice no changes at all.

Does your child seem like a simple touch of your hand hurts them? This is just one of the many symptoms of autism. Children with autism have abnormal sensory stimuli which mean that they do not respond to a simple touch or hug like others would. Sometimes a certain smell may trigger different behaviors that may affect the way that a child acts. One minute, they may be sitting down in the floor playing with toys and then a smell may make them become irritated and unable to control their emotions. These are just two of the most common signs of autism.

Other signs of autism

While the list of symptoms of autism increases while more cases of autism are becoming well known some signals of autism are more common than others. These include not responding to others when their name is called, not showing affection, doesn't seem interested in pointing things out to others, doesn't have an interest in toys however they may focus on a part of a toy, and prefers to play by themselves.

Other signs may include frequent outbursts, may become attached to certain objects, cannot make eye contact, and doesn't show fears. Depending on your child's age, the signs of autism may or may not be severe. As your child begins to mature and grow through adolescence and then eventually into adulthood, you and your child may notice a more controlled behavioral pattern.

Signs of autism may also be signs of other conditions because you don't see all of these symptoms at one time. Sometimes a child will only demonstrate one sign and others may demonstrate several symptoms of autism. That is because each child is different and should be treated as such.

Once your child has been diagnosed, you and your child can begin to address the symptoms and learn to live with it. You will be able to call the doctor and address concerns, report any changes in behavior, and ask questions that you may have. You can also find counseling services offered locally and online because more and more children are being diagnosed with autism each year creating more of a need for counseling and advice. Record all your thoughts, experiences, and information down in a notebook so you can reflect back on it later on when you finally learn to live with the signs of autism

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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Signs of Autism in Toddlers

I believe that each child deserves the chance to be the best he or she can be. Some children, such as those diagnosed with autism, may need some additional care in order to achieve their absolute best. Early intervention can be a miracle worker, thus the sooner it is started the better.

The average age that autism is diagnosed is currently around three years old. Even though there are some indicators of the presence of autism before this age, this is the time in the child's life in which autism can be reliably detected. Just like every child on this planet is unique, there are no two cases of autism that are identical.

Now, this list is not all-inclusive by any stretch of the imagination, but here are a few signs of autism in toddlers that have consistently been present in those diagnosed with autism:

Doesn't follow directions. I am not talking about the occasional tantrum in which a child refuses to do what it is asked to do. This is more along the lines of "Jimmy, please throw your paper towel in the trash; take your plate and silverware to the sink; lastly, wash and dry your hands." If your child repeatedly has trouble following directions, it could be a symptom of autism.
Doesn't make eye contact. When your child looks at you or others, can you tell there is recognition in their eyes? Or do they appear to look right "through" you?
Loses motor control when excited. When you child is excited, do they flap their arms wildly, or shake violently?
Will only eat a select few foods. Some kids are just naturally picky eaters. However, do your child only eat 4-5 different foods and refuses to try anything new?
Does not smile when smile at. Even when it is just mimicking behavior, most children will smile back when smiled at.
Stays in imaginary play. Imagination is encouraged with all children. Those with autism tend to play in "their own little world." Often, even when others are playing around them a child with autism will not notice for hours at a time.
Change in routine/plan causes panic. Does you bundle of joy get anxious or upset if things do not progress normally? If you say you are going home from the grocery store, but stop at the post office first will it cause problems? Could suggesting a change in routine, such as combing hair before brushing teeth, cause a melt-down?
Regression in any area of development. Could your child talk in complete sentences, yet now only uses one word at a time or babbles? Where they able to hop on one foot, but can no longer? Any backtracking among the developmental standards can be a sign of autism in toddlers.

These are just a few of the red flags that you as a parent or caregiver can look for. Keep in mind, no one knows your little one as well as you-if you suspect even for a second that your child may have autism, please have them screened by a professional ASAP. As stated previously, I believe that early intervention can make all the difference in the world.

Chad is an autism advocate that believes firmly in the power of early intervention. The sooner you can get services started for you child the better. For more information on spotting the signs of autism look at the following:

http://eautismsigns.com/
http://eautismsigns.com/autism-signs/autism-signs-age-one-through-three/

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Comparing High Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome

High Functioning Autism (HFA) is often used to refer to someone which can not be officially identified as having autism. There isn't a precise agreed upon characterization to explain High-Function Autism. This may be a particularly grey area to describe, and whilst it can be a phrase commonly tossed round it is a complex one to pin down.

Different from classical autism that is pretty clear cut in key elements whereby these children usually are non-verbal, unengaged and also not able to succeed inside the common diagnostic examining. Children having High Functioning Autism might present with specified qualities categorised in autism though may have the capability to speak, read and write. Their particular cognitive potential appears to be greater in comparison with individuals with classical autism.

Its written that children having HFA have better IQ results when compared with individuals with classical autism. This on the other hand ought not to be viewed as an genuine description with IQ for all with classical autism mainly because their own capacity to reply to information and also communicate is weaker as a consequence could create unreliable low rating.

High Functioning Autism is very much the expression utilised in as a result conveying the particular level a child could work on the Spectrum. At this time there also appears to be a fine line relating to outlining a child having HFA compared to Asperger's Syndrome. It is often reported that a child which developed usual language behaviours in early years but exhibited social deficits typical to that associated with autism where consequently referred to as having Asperger, s Syndrome. Then the child which experienced late speech development (although they could have caught this up on in the future years) had been subsequently identified as HFA. Then again, experts at the moment are thinking about if speech progression is the simplest way to identify both.

Children having High Functioning Autism or Asperger's Syndrome are generally "limited within brain regions that will permit individuals to recognize subtle cues, " and quite often misunderstandings, literal interpretation, and/or sensory over stimulation can bring about overreactions, frustration, a small frustration building up a tolerance, tantrums, aggressiveness, showing up to have volatile temperament, self stimulation (stimming), anxiousness, despair, or even self harm. Most of these children may have interpersonal relationships that might come across to be "rude" by people, and quite often individuals on the spectrum find it hard to understand why they're not necessarily liked or perhaps regularly come to feel rejected.

ASPECTS OF HIGH-FUNCTIONING AUTISM

Relatively better IQ when compared with individuals connected with classical autism

Not able to recognise emotional desires and also needs connected with other individuals

Could possibly lack sociable politeness for instance returning greetings

Could seem exceedingly dreamy and removed Make minimal eye contact which often leads people presume that they are shy, uninterested or maybe evasive

Moderate delay with speech development

Employ minimal emotional information within their interaction Tend not to recognize very simple social cues

Liking to schedule along with structure; OCD (obsessive compulsive) inclinations

Slight to mild difficulties with motor skills and also co-ordination often viewed as clumsiness

Demonstrate sensory dysfunctions which include wanting to smell everything, along with blocking ears to a number of noises

Therefore you will need to keep in mind High Functioning Autism is not really an official diagnostic expression. IT can often identify children who may have a few of the traits connected with autism yet failed to develop vocabulary on the standard scale. This kind of diagnosis however, can help in leading someone to acquire ideal therapies/treatments and also educational facilities. Treatment plans should really be basically comparable to that connected with Autism. Earlier detection plus intervention is really important and treatments/therapies should be considered to enhance social capabilities, individual communication, behavior, along with peer interactions. There isn't a fast solution or solution having said that efficient treatment plans can offer greater results regarding children within the spectrum.

Remember to visit http://theautismfactor.com/ and Get your Free copy of Charlene Proctors Autism -Where to Start Guide, where you will learn immediate strategies to help your loved one with Autism.

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Autism Signs to Watch For

According to numerous medical sources, Autism is a neural development disorder which is typically characterized by the impairment of social communication and interaction as well as repetitive or restrictive behavior. Typically, the signs that Autism is present occur between the ages of 18 months and three years. Although Autism's genetics are extremely complex, it displays a strong basis in genetics.

The disorder affects the information processing capabilities of the brain by altering or changing how the synapses of nerve cells connect and then organize themselves. However, it is not completely understood how and why this occurs. There are two other forms of Autism that are recognized in the spectrum of the condition, namely Asperger syndrome and PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified).

Autism signs that are characteristic of the disorder

Autistic children typically have difficulties in three critical areas of their development - behavioral, lingual, and social. Interestingly enough, two children with similar diagnoses may display different actions and different skill levels. Here is a breakdown of the three developmental areas that are Autism signs to be aware of:

Behavioral warning signs include:

o constant movement and never keeping still
o constant repetitive movements such as hand-flapping, rocking, and spinning
o despite being almost oblivious to pain, there is an unusual sensitivity to light, sound, and touch
o parts of an object, such as a toy car's spinning wheels, fascinate them and hold their attention for long periods of time
o specific rituals or routines are developed early on
o the slightest change in common routines or rituals disturbs them

Lingual warning signs include:

o beginning to talk later than 2 years of age while other developmental issues are delayed by up to 2½ years
o cannot start conversing or keep a conversation going
o does not make eye contact whenever the child is making requests
o loss of previously acquired abilities to say words or speak in complete sentences
o repetition of phrases of words verbatim without understanding how they are used
o speaking with an abnormal rhythm or tone and may use robot-like speech or a sing-song type of voice

Social warning signs include:

o appearing unaware of another child's or individual's feelings
o appears that they sometimes do not hear you or are ignoring you
o failure to respond to their names
o poor eye contact or the total lack thereof
o resistance to any type of cuddling and holding
o retreating or withdrawing into their "own world" while preferring to play alone

Though every autistic child may have their own unique style of behavior, the Autism signs listed above are the most common ones that you should look for if you fear that your child has the disorder. However, for the most part, severe Autism in children is characterized by a total inability to communicate and/or interact with other individuals. Some signs appear early on in infancy while in other cases, the child appears totally normal in the first few months of their lives and then change suddenly.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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How Music Therapy Helps In Treating Autism

Musical therapy is gaining acceptance in the field of treatments for autism. Individuals on the autism-spectrum who receive music therapy will often have improvement in overall temperament and learning abilities. I recently saw a young boy who loved the Beatles. Hearing their music has helped with his behavior and willingness to communicate. Other individuals have responded in similar ways to other types of music. Music makes connections to the non-verbal part of our brain making it a perfect therapy for disorders in which the person has trouble communicating. This is why it is a perfect fit for autism.

Music therapy has been used in conjunction to help with learning skills. Classical music often playing in the background has been shown to help with mental processing for math and complex problems, but more importantly in autism music in general provides a non-threatening medium for people while playing games that help to improve social and behavior skills. For example, by encouraging eye contact while singing or using musical instruments that need to be held close to the face musical therapy can help autistic individuals break social barriers. In short, music is fun and engaging.

The main thing that music therapy has been shown to help with is the development of speech and communication skills. Music has the ability to connect the verbal and non-verbal functions in the brain. This is critical in autism as speech difficulties are so significant. In the beginning certain individuals may be only able to hum, grunt or make non-word noises while others will babble phrases of verses. The little boy who was a Beatles fan learned to pronounce the famous line "we all live in a Yellow Submarine..." Autistic individuals will often gain the capability to put phrases and sentences together in attempts to communicate with other people. No matter how skilled the individual is with speech, they can participate in musical therapy by clapping to the beat of the song, humming along, or doing simple echoing sounds. It doesn't really matter just getting them involved in music can make powerful transformations.

Individuals on the autism spectrum are commonly found to be good at music. Some people have perfect pitch, while others may play a particular instrument very well. Even if they show no genius musical ability by common standards you may find that a particularly person has abilities in music that exceed his or her other abilities. A musical therapist can use music as a way to link this kind of learning with other kinds of learning skills such as communicating emotions or improving memory. Trained professionals can use music to teach children and others how to communicate in nonverbal ways, making it easier for patients to learn.

However, music doesn't need to be reserved for a therapy or a classroom setting. Play music in the home and/or car as a way to introduce new sounds, instruments, and voices into the auditory world for an autistic individual. Break out those Beatles albums and you never know what might emerge for a person on the spectrum. They too may find their favorite Beatles song and learn to sign and communicate in a way they never have before.

Autism really is treatable! Biomedical Autism treatments and therapies have resulted in many, many children improving, or even even losing their autism-spectrum disorder diagnosis. For lots more free biomedical autism intervention information and videos from Dr. Woeller, go to http://www.autismrecoverytreatment.com/.

Dr. Kurt Woeller is an biomedical autism Intervention specialist, with a private practice in Southern California for over 10 years. He has helped children recover from autism, ADD, ADHD, and other disorders, and has the information you need to help your child. Download his free ebook at http://www.autismactionplan.org/.

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Thoughts on Autism

Why are boys diagnosed with autism more often than girls? Why is autism becoming more common? After years of research, we still do not have a definitive answer. There have been many hypotheses including Skuse 2000 (David H. Skuse 1997). The Skuse 2000 hypothesis shows a link between autism and the X chromosome. In general it says that boys inherit the X chromosome from only the mother while girls inherit it from both parents. The study suggests that the fathers X chromosome has an "imprint" that protects the carrier from autism.

I have a particular question in regards to the X chromosome theory; if studies show that autism enhances a single-minded interest in analytical thinking and analytical thinking has historically been a male dominated attribute, it seems to me that it would make more sense if the opposite were true. For example males in general tend to be more interested in mechanical, numerical and analytical subjects in comparison to their female counterparts. These same individuals also have an ability to show emotional sensitivities and appropriate social skills. In contrast, males with autism tend to have a fixated single track mind interest with male dominated subjects and hardly any ability to show emotional sensitivities and below average social skills.

This raises the question; if it's only the mothers X chromosome that males inherit and not the fathers, why does it cause a hyper-interest in historically male dominated subjects along with a lack of emotional sensitivities or social skills? In other words if males with autism inherited their fathers X chromosome only and not their mothers, this would offer a more common sense explanation towards this analytical tendency. The lack of the mothers X chromosome would also explain the lack of emotional sensitivities and other social skills. (Just a thought.)

Many parents and people alike feel that autism is a result from additives and preservatives found in vaccines as well as with things we eat and drink. Since the turn of the ninetieth century scientist have been developing preservatives in an effort to extend a products shelf life.

Anything from canned goods, packaged food, even microwaves are designed to make our life easier. However, in the process it's exposed us to manmade synthetic products. It would seem that these products would be safe for consumption after all they should have been tested in a laboratory and FDA approved, right? But who really knows if within one hundred years from now if there will be any side effects.

How come autism has been on the rise? Growing up I can honestly say that I do not recall hearing about autism, ever. It wasn't until the last few years that it's become almost the norm to hear of children that are diagnosed with autism.

It's frustrating that among the governing bodies i.e. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) World Health Organization (WHO) you get the feeling of an almost he said she said scenario and it seems no one really wants to take responsibility. As is the case of the mercury based preservative Thermasol that use to be added to vaccines in order to prevent bacteria and fungus. After extensive testing was conducted by these groups because of concerns raised by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and finding no direct links to autism it was finally decided to just remove it in order to be on the safe side.

Why was it there in the first place? It's a derivative of mercury, regardless if it's organic or not I think it would make sense to play it safe and leave it out. Find another natural or organic preservative and if none exist then leave preservatives out period. What does it really do for the consumer anyways? Preservatives increase the shelf life of products allowing the manufacture time to recoup their investment. I do not have a problem with that but I don't think it should be at the expense of the consumer's health. I think I would rather be inconvenienced than sickened. Now if it's a matter of life and death then perhaps I will have to take my chances. However, I should be informed of that so I can make the decision myself.

I believe in extreme labeling. I mean the label needs to be in front of the package along with the name of the product. The font size should be big enough so that I can read it and complicated words should have a definition located on the package that I can refer too.

It's been too long that we blindly trusted manufactures for our vaccines, medicine, food, beverage and anything else we ingest. The FDA and other governing bodies are supposed to look out for us and I'm confident they try to. However, often times due to the shear amount of products and at the level of consumption we are at in history, things slip through the cracks.

We need to be vigilante more now than ever. The pace of life has gotten so fast. We eat food and take medicine at the drop of hat never thinking about what's in it or where it came from. We need to get back to being aware of our surroundings, look behind the advertising and read between the lines.

John Carlo is the webmaster for Early Signs Of Autism. For more information please visit http://www.whatareearlysignsofautism.com/

Original article

More About Autism Spectrum Disorder

Does your child suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorder? If you are not sure, you may be looking for information on this condition in order to learn more and make a more productive choice of care for your child. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a disorder in the brain that affects the child's development. Signs and symptoms may begin as early as infancy or it can be delayed until around the age of two. Autism Spectrum Disorder includes several conditions; Asperger Syndrome, Pervasive Development Disorder, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. Each disorder has their own characteristics but they all share a common thread - autism.

Behavior

When a child suffers from Autism Spectrum Disorder, they display a variety of behavior problems. These behavioral issues can include repetitive behavior, social withdrawal, or impairments that can hinder the way they child functions everyday. They can be disturbing if others are talking in the room such as a school environment or if a parent has their child out in public. When a child is out of their normal environment such as in a shopping mall or business office, the noises in these areas could seem intense at time for the child and cause the child to act out. Usually the first instinct of that child is to run away as quickly as possible in order to find somewhere they can feel safe again.

Along with behavior disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorder includes repetitive behavior problems. Those who suffer from any type of autism will show repetitive behavior that is restricted to certain areas only.
A child who suffers from Autism Spectrum Disorders will feel more calm and comfortable in a routine that doesn't change. If a child who has established a routine suddenly has their routine changed they may react with anger, verbal problems, or may try to escape the drama completely.

Socialization

When a child socializes with other children they can sit on the floor and play toys, mimic movements, and dance and play with another child. When a child suffers from Autism Spectrum Disorders the way they socialize is completely different. A child may withdraw from a crowd, prefer to play alone, will not talk to others, become fascinated with one particular toy or part of a toy and will not let it go, share, or put it down. Socialization is important to a child's growth and development however if a child has Autism Spectrum Disorders, socialization is no longer a automatic option. A child with autism must be taught to socialize a different way; one that makes them more comfortable and will not increase the symptoms.

Communicating

When a child suffers from Autism Spectrum Disorders, they may not talk after the age of two, even if they were starting to talk. The words that they learned will not longer be a part of their vocabulary. It depends on when the autism actually begin. Again, some children will show symptoms and signs of Autism as early as infancy while others are delayed until they begin making developmental milestones.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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Autism and Its Treatment Categories

Autism, which is a spectrum disorder, is believed to affect approximately one out of every 150 people. As autism awareness has grown, so have the known treatments. As few as 50 years ago, children with severe autism were considered "defective", and parents would be pressured to have their children committed to a mental institution. Today, treatments help these individuals become fully functioning members of society.

As a spectrum disorder, this means that some individuals function better than others. Autism is a social development disorder, often associated with poor language development and social skills. Learning how to overcome these barriers can help parents and educators effectively deal with the autistic child.

EDUCATIONAL TREATMENTS

Children with autism often have a difficult time in the traditional classroom. Under the ADA act, teachers and administrators are legally bound to provide services for autistic children. Since there is no cure at this time for this condition, many schools are developing behavior intervention. This works best when created in conjunction with parental involvement.

Often in behavioral intervention, the parent, teacher or therapist will use rewards to get the desired results from the child. Praise, treats, or free time are often effective in keeping the child on task for desired activities.

The cost for implementing these programs may seem high, but when compared to supporting a non-treated autistic person the return is high.

HOME TREATMENTS

Parents with autistic children often get stares and rude comments from people who don't understand autism. The most effective way to deal with outside comments is to focus on your child, and develop a thick skin for other's opinions. When your child is introduced to a new location, or responds negatively to an environment, then you need to practice calming techniques. Rub your child's palms, and just wait calmly until the episode has passed.

Autistic children perform much better when there is a routine. In order to circumvent blowups, keep a routine in place as much as possible with your child. When there will be a change in routine, make sure your child has plenty of warning so he/she can anticipate the changes and adjust.

MEDICAL TREATMENTS

There is no cure for autism, but there are medical treatments that can help. Therapy, including occupational therapy, physical and speech/language therapy is used to teach life skills. Applied behavioral analysis is also a method used, with a behavioral psychologist teaching the child skills at home. This is generally cost-prohibitive for many parents.

Medications can't fix the autism, but are frequently used to modify some of the secondary behaviors. Autistic children frequent experience aggression, anxiety, sleeping problems, hyperactivity, and compulsive behavior. Medications can be prescribed to modify some of these behaviors so that behavioral modification can be successful.

Dealing with an autistic child can be a huge challenge, but it is definitely not insurmountable. Every parent that has an autistic child needs to find a support group where ideas can be shared.

Find a pediatrician that can refer you to strong resources to help with your child. If your doctor isn't satisfactory, then you have to be the advocate for your child, and find someone who will help.

Implementing a combination of therapies at home, school and through your doctor, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Your child may never be just like the other kids, but you have a really special kid!

Get more information about  child and adult autism treatments at the Life Vessel of the Rockies, an autism treatment center

Original article

Von Economo Cells, Autism, and Intuition - A Few Special Brain Cells May Produce Social Awareness

Von Economo Neurons, Autism, and Intuition.

Recently discovered brain cells called Von Economo cells (VENs), named after the neurobiologist who described them, are unique in that there are only about 200,000 of them in a normal adult human. That's amazing because just about any other type of brain cell we have number in the billions. Up until just recently, we saw these cells only in the great apes and not in any other animals. They are present but rare numbering only five or six thousand in the solitary gorilla, but relatively more numerous in the hyper-social bonobo monkey.

VENS can be seen in just two parts of the most recently evolved part of our brains, the neocortex. They are present in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC), and the frontal insula (FI).
Other brain cells in the neocortex, the pyramidal cells, have a long process on the apical end but many shorter processes on the basal side (apical and basal dendrites). The VEN is unique in that it has very long dendrites on both poles and the cell body is 4.5 times larger than an ordinary pyramidal cell. Large size is conducive to high speed transmission of signals. VENs are just now being mapped thoroughly but in essence they seem to pick up signals from several deeper, more primitive brain centers regulating fight or flight, pleasure/reward, punishment, fear, and uncertainty and quickly process and simplify what might be a cacophony of signals and transmit the result to the frontal and temporal cortex. VENs are thus implicated in "gut feelings", intuition, and the rapid first impressions we all get when we meet someone new. In the frontal and temporal cortex, these instant impressions are blended with more deliberate and slower more rational judgments formed there. In fact, one fascinating feature of VENs is that they, unlike any other brain cell, express serotonin 2b receptors on their surface. These receptors are also present on cells in the stomach and small intestine and are responsible for peristalsis. Unconscious or "gut" feelings might be picked up more rapidly by the brain this way rather than have rely on detection what the gut is doing, allowing for more rapid and perhaps socially appropriate or danger avoiding response.

The right side of the brain contains 30% more VENs than the left side and this right dominance seems to be important for normal functioning of the brain. In fact, MRI studies of the FI can demonstrate that the right FI is larger in normal individuals and not in autistic kids. Furthermore, normal brains react to uncertainty, facial expressions and pictures of loved ones strongly in these areas on functional MRI scans but not in autistic brains.

I have spoken with high functioning autistic people who say that to navigate a new social situations they often must have a kind of script in their minds. They use past experience and logic to generate appropriate responses to ever changing social situations. This compensatory method for coping with uncertainty seems to be a hallmark of autism. I've encountered many autistic children who may do very well if everything in their world is expected and routine, but totally decompensate in the face of change. Furthermore, humans are not born with a full complement of VENs, but only sprout them in early childhood until age four. This is about the time autism seems to manifest in childhood. And it is this time of life that both genetic and environmental factors can be influential. Indeed some studies have shown autistic kids to have fewer VENs and other studies show and excess of VENs but with disorganized or truncated dendrites, consistent with theories that autism involves failed "pruning" of neurons in early childhood. Perhaps genetic influences inhibit "pruning" and environmental or inflammatory conditions shut down the development of VENs. Either way, the result is an inability to cope with social situations and uncertainty, arguably some of the most highly developed and evolutionarily recent manifestations of consciousness.

Now very recently VENs have been found in whale brains, dolphins, and elephants. This is quite interesting because VENs therefore must have evolved convergently in these species which are unrelated to us. Similar selective pressures must encourage the production of VENs. Perhaps large brain size itself triggers the secondary enhancement of consciousness as a byproduct of needed upgrades in connectivity!

To your health,

Dr Z

Peter Zvejnieks, MD is a board certified physician in Columbia SC. His blog can be found at http://www.anylabtestwestcolumbia.com/DrZforLife

Original article

Some Possible Prenatal Causes of Autism

Autism is on the rise. Today the risk of having a child with autism stands at about 1:110. No one is sure if it is on the rise because of better diagnosis procedures or because of more children being diagnosed. Whatever the reason, it stands that you are more likely to have a child with autism, or know a child of autism than ever before.

While scientists haven't been able to pin down one precise cause of autism, there are several things which occur prenatally which may cause autism. It has also been found that there is a strong genetic element to autism. Studies have found that the chances for a child to have autism increases if there is a sibling or other close blood relative with autism.

None of the prenatal causes for autism have been proven 100% to be a cause of autism, but there is significant information to show that they are linked to autism.

One of those things is parental age. The age of the parents when the child is born has a direct impact on the risk of the child of having autism. It isn't sure yet if it is both parents, or just the mother or father. The reasons for this aren't clear. It could be because or increased complications as a parent gets older, as well as risks of mutations. Unlike other issues where maternal age matters more, in this case paternal age factors in more.

One potential prenatal causes of autism include some viral infections that the mother might have while pregnant. This is because the illness can cause the mother's immune system to go into overdrive. As her immune system goes crazy it can attack the foreign cells baby's body. Congenital rubella syndrome is the most common infection. Rubella, or German measles, is also linked to other things like schizophrenia, as well as blindness and deafness in babies.

There are other environmental things that could cause autism and birth defects. Those things are called teratogens. Some of them a woman has control of, others are beyond control. There are several studies exploring alcohol as one of the causes of autism, as well finding out if it's related to birth defects like fetal alcohol syndrome.

Women who are surrounded by specific chemicals that are found in pesticides have been found to have a higher incidence of autism in their families. In families where there is already a genetic element the chances that a child with end up with autism because of exposure to pesticides and fertilizers increase dramatically.

There are a lot of theories behind what causes autism. These theories are the ones that have the most agreement in the scientific community. There are some others that have been put out there, but not a lot of people are doing studies or believe that they are a significant cause. One of those is fetal exposure to ultrasound. There have been studies that have linked neuron disruption in mice with prolonged exposure to ultrasound. However, there hasn't been any significant human studies done on this subject.

There is no one agreed on cause of autism, but there are many things that can happen prior to birth that can push a child with a predisposition to it into having autism.

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Turning Common Interactions Into Meaningful Social Skill Lessons for a Child With Autism

Do you have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who is challenged socially? Do you realize that you don't have to rely on the professionals who provide services to your child to enhance their social skills. Social skill groups and classes led by experts in the field are extremely beneficial but you also have the power to take every social interaction your child experiences and turn it into a teaching/learning opportunity.

As parents we interact with our children numerous times during the day. Each interaction has a specific reason attached to it, helping a child dress, tucking them into bed, or reading them a story are simple encounters that are almost done by default as if we are on automatic pilot. These can be anything from a greeting, asking them a question or giving them a direction that may be brief yet powerful. When you think of it, every contact we have with our children is a social one and as simple as it might be we can make it even more significant to our autistic child if we take 30-45 more seconds to describe what we are doing.

Children with Autism are very concrete and literal and we should not assume that they are picking up everything we do via watching or observing us. We need to be more mindful and deliberate when it comes to parenting a child with autism because they do not always absorb things just by being exposed to them. Realistically, there is much that is happening that is not being noticed unless we specifically point it out.

The best strategy for turning a social encounter into a meaningful learning experience for your autistic child is to call attention to the manner in which you relate to them and why. This is a simple yet effective way to expand your child's social toolbox. Here are some tips on how to make each interaction you have with your child more meaningful and useful.

- Use the rewind button. After a typical social interaction you have with your child, rewind what you just did and replay it for them in slow motion. Ex. "Did you notice what I just did? I wanted to ask you a question so I made sure I was close to you instead of hollering from across the room." Replay the scene using each approach and ask which one works best. For older children you can also get into a discussion of why that tactic was the better one to use.

- Pretend you need help. All children like being asked to share their opinion - it makes them feel important. When you have time to think ahead, try involving your child in a social skill decision. "I want to ask your dad a question but he looks as if he is busy right now, what do you think I should do?" Then present two plausible options, one more socially acceptable than the other and ask your child what do you think will happen if I use option A, then examine option B.

- Paint a picture of what you just did. "I wanted to make sure I had your attention so I leaned over and looked into your eyes." Then follow up with a specific description of using that skill - "When you want to make sure someone is listening to you, it's best to get in front of them and look at the color of their eyes." Add any specific details that you think your child will need - in front of means an arms length away, not right up in their face, etc.

- Point out your mistakes. Even as adults, not all of our interactions are successful but we often know where we went wrong. This is a great opportunity to share your experience with your child and prompt them to think about what you could have done differently. When asking their advice do not let too much time go by after you pose the question or make them feel pressured by it, simply fill in the answer for them and briefly discuss it, if possible.

Remember, there is no such thing as too much repetition for a child on the autism spectrum. It is always a good idea to end each one of these possible scenarios with a specific description regarding the social skill you are trying to teach and duplicate it as often as you think you need to in order for your child to grasp the skill.

There is always ample opportunity to practice most of these skills because they occur over and over again in our daily activities. The added benefit to this process is that we grow in awareness as to how we utilize our own social skills to communicate and get to practice them more consciously.

Connie Hammer, MSW, parent educator, consultant and coach, guides parents of young children recently diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to uncover abilities and change possibilities. Visit her website http://www.parentcoachingforautism.com/ to get your FREE resources - a parenting ecourse, Parenting a Child with Autism - 3 Secrets to Thrive and a weekly parenting tip newsletter, The Spectrum.

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Why Respite Care Is Essential for Both You and Your Children

Respite care homes provide temporary relief for those who are caring for a family member who is in need of constant care due to special needs such as a physical or mental disability. For many parents or guardians of special needs children, the thought of sending them into care is a last resort, especially with the appalling treatment of residents at one care home in Bristol which were highlighted on BBC TV's Panorama programme recently. However it must be pointed out that cases such as this are an extreme minority, with the majority of care homes providing an excellent level of care with dedicated, hard working and enthusiastic staff who all realise the importance of their role in the lives of those they care for.

Respite care is designed to give the full time carers of those with a physical, mental or learning disability a rest period where they can take some time to themselves. The vast majority of carers are unpaid, often having to give up paid employment in order to care for their loved ones. Their working schedule is often 24/7 and can be both physically and mentally demanding. This hectic schedule gives little opportunity for time off and can lead to increased stress for the carer as they simply do not get the chance to relax.

Respite care is also highly important for the recipient of care too, as the opportunity to spend a few days in different surroundings, with like minded individuals under the supervision of dedicated and professional carers is an opportunity to make new friends and broaden their horizon. Such care homes often provide a variety of activities for people with a broad range of special needs. These could be simple activities such as gardening, music or art workshops to spending time in a dedicated sensory or activity room, something they wouldn't have access to at home. Many respite care homes specialise is a specific area of care such as care homes for physical disability, epilepsy care homes, autism care homes and sometimes respite care can even be provided in your own home.

If you're a carer for a child with a physical or learning disability than it's perfectly understandable that you may not be too keen on the idea of sending them away for a few days. Many autistic children have their comfort zone which they don't like to step outside of, and similarly so does the carer. However specialist autism care homes are aware of this and provide a variety of 'ease in' methods such as spending an afternoon at the home, before maybe staying for a single night which helps them acclimatise (for want of a better term) before spending a full weekend or week at a care home. This 'getting to know you' approach gives peace of mind to all parties involved; those in need of care, their full time carers and the care staff.

Soldiering on regardless without giving yourself a break from time to time is not fair on you or your loved one. You both deserve a break from the norm and sending a child with special needs for a few days away at dedicated homes there is not a sign of failure or weakness. In fact all children and adults need time on their own, regardless of whether they suffer from a disability or not as it's a natural part of growing up. Respite care is a gift, one which you both deserve.

Carl Liver

If you want advice on Special Needs? Then make sure you contact us as we will have all the information you need on Special Needs.

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Understanding Asperger Autism

By medical definition, Asperger Autism is a disorder of the Autism "spectrum" which is characterized by repetitive and restrictive behavior and interest patterns as well as significant difficulties with the ability to interact socially. According to Wikipedia, "it differs from other Autism spectrum disorders by [virtue of] its relative preservation of cognitive and linguistic development." The atypical use of language and physical clumsiness are oftentimes reported as characteristics although they are not required for diagnosis.

A child may display numerous symptoms of Asperger Autism, or they may only exhibit a few. Additionally, the severity of these symptoms may range from mild to extremely severe in nature. However, the key characteristic of this form of Autism is that the child will have a significant amount of difficulty when it comes to interacting with others in social situations. As a result of this unpredictable variance, no two children who are suffering with Asperger Autism are ever alike.

Childhood symptoms

Typically, a parent will first notice the following signs of Asperger Autism when the child first enters preschool and starts interacting with other children:

- changes in their routines appear to upset them

- lights, loud noises, or strong tastes and textures tend to over-stimulate them due to a heightened sensitivities

- preoccupation with only a single or a limited number of interests but they have considerable knowledge of the subject(s)

- the ability to pick up on certain social clues inborn social skills are lacking

- the inability to distinguish minor or subtle differences in others' accent, pitch, and tone of speech which can alter its meaning

- their motor development is oftentimes delayed

- their style of speech is well advanced for their age

- they display unusual body posture or facial expressions

- they lack the ability to be empathetic

- they sometimes avoid eye contact while at other times stare endlessly at others

- they will hold one-sided conversations, talk a lot about a favorite subject, or verbalize their most internal thoughts

Despite the above and the numerous similarities to Autism, Asperger syndrome is normally characterized intellectual development and normal language.

Adolescent and teen year's symptoms

The symptoms of Asperger Autism typically linger well into the child's teen years they may begin learning those social skills they are lacking in. However, the ability to communicate effectively remains difficult. Additionally, the difficulty encountered with reading the behavior patterns of others remains a significant issue as well. Teens suffering with the disorder want to make friends but they may feel intimidated or shy when approaching other teens because they feel "different" from other individuals.

Symptoms evident during adulthood

The adult with the disorder typically has a much better realization and understanding of their personal flaws including their strengths and weaknesses. They are more capable of learning social skills and reading the social cues of those around them. In fact, many individuals with Asperger Autism get married and eventually have children. Despite the fact that improvements are occasionally seen and the disorder tends to stabilize over time, Asperger Autism is a condition that lasts a lifetime.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

Original article