Autism: Symptoms, Treatment And Coping

                

 

There is an estimation of three to six of very 1,000 children have autism. Autism is a brain disorder associated with developmental problems mainly in communication and social interaction. The disorder affects boys more often than girls. Signs of this disorder usually appear before age 3.

Diagnosis and treatment has greatly improved in the past few decades, however, autism cannot be cured. It persists throughout life. The recent increase in the number of autism cases in the United States may be more the result of improved diagnosis and changes in diagnostic criteria.

Severity of symptoms is different in each case. Some children are able to grow up and live independently, while others may always need supportive living and working environments. Early, intensive treatment can make a difference.
Signs and symptoms of autism include:

?Fails to respond to his or her name
?Has poor eye contact
?Appears not to hear you at times
?Resists cuddling and holding
?Appears unaware of others? feelings
?Seems to prefer playing alone - - retreats into his or her ?own world?
?Starts talking later than other children
?Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences
?Does not make eye contact when making requests
?Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm ? may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
?Can?t start a conversation or keep one going
?May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but does not understand how to use them
?Performs repetitive movements like rocking, spinning or hand-flapping
?Develops specific routines or rituals
?Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals
?Moves constantly
?May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car
?May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch

Some children with autism become more engaged with others as they mature. They may show less marked disturbances in behavior. Those with the least severe impairments may eventually lead normal or near-normal lives. Others continue to have severe impairments in language or social skills. The adolescent years may mean a worsening of behavior problems.

The majority of children with autism are slow to acquire new knowledge or skills. However, there is an extremely small number of children with autism who have exceptional skills in a specific are such as art or math.

There is no identifiable cause for autism. Researchers believe the disorder is related to abnormalities in several regions of the brain. Researchers have also identified a number of gene defects associated with autism.

Extensive studies have shown no link between vaccines, particularly the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and other vaccines containing thimerosal and autism.

When should you seek medical advice? Many babies do not follow the exact timelines found in some parenting books. Children with autism usually show some signs of delayed development by 18 months. The earlier treatment begins the more effective it will be.

If your baby falls into any of the following categories you should check with your doctor about further evaluation:

?Baby does not babble or coo by 12 months of age
?Baby does not point or wave or perform similar gestures by the age of 12 months
?Baby does not say single words by 16 months
?Baby does not use two-word phrases by 24 months
?Baby loses previously acquired language or social skills at any age

Making a diagnosis is difficult because the severity and manifestations of autism varies widely from child to child. There is no medical test to diagnose autism. A formal evaluation may consist of observing the child and talking to you about how the child?s social skills, language skills and behavior have developed and changed over time. Your child may need to undergo a number of developmental tests covering speech, language and psychological issues.

Signs of autism may appear by 18 months of age; however, the diagnosis of autism may not be made until age 2 or 3 when there are more obvious delays in language development. Early diagnosis is important because early intervention, preferably before age 3, seems to be associated with the best chance for significant improvement.

Treatment for autism includes:

?Behavioral and communication therapies
?Drug therapies: Right now there are no medications that directly improve the signs of autism. Some medications can help control the symptoms of hyperactivity, repetitive and aggressive behaviors.
?Complementary approaches: Art therapy, music therapy, special diets, vitamin and mineral supplements and sensory integration that focus on reducing a child?s hypersensitivity to touch or sound. There is no specific proof these therapies work. Always discuss with your child?s doctor before trying any of the complementary approaches.

Children with autism do not outgrow the disorder. They often respond well to highly structured education programs. A child with autism can learn to function within the confines of the disorder especially if treatment begins early.

Review the following tips to help you cope with raising a child who has autism:

?Find a team of trusted professionals
?Take time for yourself and other family members
?Seek out other families of autistic children
?Learn about the disorder

Source: Mayo Clinic

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use the information in this article to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child?s condition.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Written by: Connie Limon. Visit us at http://www.about-autism.info for more information about autism.

Can Adults Be Diagnosed With Autism Later In Life?

                

 

Autism has been around for many years as specific condition but hasn?t always well understood by the medical community and for some people their condition has been misdiagnosed. Though the classic form of autism is something that is often quite obvious in a child, there are high functioning autism types like Asperger?s that can be thought to be something else entirely. This form is just now being understood, and many who have had it their whole lives are just now learning that this is the case. It seems to make the answer to the questions pertaining to can adults be diagnosed with autism rather simple.

Adults can most certainly be diagnosed with autism. It can be a tough journey though, as many doctors don?t like the Asperger?s condition, and think it is highly blown out of proportion. Others just don?t have the knowledge to accurately diagnose children and adults with higher functioning forms of autism. So, it was something that went unnoticed for a very long time. Most parents and doctors assumed the child was different or ?shy? but that was all the further thought that was put into the situation. These children are now adults and starting to question those assumptions.

This form of high functioning autism has gone undetected, and many adults tend to blend rather well, which is something that those with classic autism cannot do. Though the high functioning adults have jobs and lives, and are intelligent, they can be socially awkward, as it is something that doesn?t come easily for most.

They may have communication problems that cause friction at work and in personal relationships, and they are frustrated because they don?t know why these sorts of interactions don?t come as easily to them as to others. Some people are even wrongly told that they have conditions like Obsessive Compulsive disorder. Because of frustration and anxiety regarding socialization, many have become often loners.

There are other clues that an adult might have autism. Their social awkwardness comes in different degrees. Many cannot understand humor, and are very literal in their interpretation of figures of speech. They cannot understand when someone is teasing them, as they take all words at the most literal level. They may have nervous twitches when anxious, and they also tend to have motor impairment. They can get upset and anxious quite easily, and quite often.

Anyone who suspects that they, or someone they know, has these problems and who wants to know can an adult be diagnosed with autism, it is a good idea to go in to see a doctor for evaluation. Sometimes you might have a hard time finding a doctor to take your concerns seriously, but that just means you have to keep looking.

Though there is no cure, a diagnosis can help a patient feel less anxious about why they are different, and they can also take advantage of some programs that can help improve the quality of their life. There are some tests online that may answer the question of can adults be diagnosed with autism. You can take the tests to see if you fit the profile, and then share this information with your doctor if you wish. This might help a physician understand what is going on and how to best help.

By Rachel Evans. Sign up for a free newsletter about aspergers and discover more on the signs and symptoms of autism

Parasites to Blame For Autism?

                

 

Maybe no two topics go together these days like controversy and autism. The fact that medical science is completely in the dark about the cause of autism, as well as any cure, makes for a perfect breeding ground for conspiracy theories. Tales of fluoride in the water, a la Dr. Strangelove, and inoculation poisoning have become the stuff of legend with many parents definite about the link to autism. One possible cause that many prescribe to is the presence of a parasite. While there is little to no evidence that this may be the case, let?s take a look at why so many people think that this might just be the cause.

? Hearsay ? The Internet has quickly become one of the greatest resources in human history. It can bring people together from across the world instantly and more effectively than any other form of communication. But it can also be a huge source of misinformation. A quick Google search reveals that approximately one doctor believes that a combination of lead or mercury poisoning and a parasite could be the cause of autism. He recommends getting a mechanical device called a ?clicker? that is reported to kill parasites inside the body. In what seems to be the only ?case? of this working that has been passed around Internet chat rooms and message boards like a mutant game of Telephone, a young boy was cured of autism with a four month treatment regimen involving this ?clicker? and shots of amino acids. Of course, there is no real proof given, no media stories on this miracle cure and no follow up. This story has all the making of a classic Internet tall tale.

? The Power of Positive Thinking ? Every parent, when presented with the reality that their child has a lifelong, debilitating disorder like autism, tend to grasp for any possible hope they can. And who can blame them? Most parents, myself included, would probably do exactly the same thing. This is why most conspiracy theories, including parasites causing autism, survive and flourish. Every parent wants to believe that their child?s condition has an easy cure, we just haven?t found it yet. The power of positive thinking rationalizes that if we wish hard enough and long enough, a simple and reversible cause of autism can be found.

? Hope ? This ties into the reason stated above. Every parent needs hope. These bogus theories allow parents to cling to the idea that their child can and will recover and that autism can be overcome. It?s human nature, but it?s also detrimental to provide false hope and to not be living in reality.

As long as the human spirit is alive, theories like these will flourish. Autism is a scary, confusing and mind-numbing reality to have to deal with. It?s comforting to think that the condition really isn?t permanent and that that intelligent, happy and ?normal? child that is locked inside the prison that autism creates can and will be let out. Until an ironclad cause for autism is put forth by the medical community, theories like these will only get more common.

Rachel Evans has an interest in Autism. For further information on Autism please visit Autism or Autism Symptoms .

Autism: A Difficult Developmental Disability

                

 

The expression 'developmental disability' stands for the kind of impairment that interferes with a person's ability to perform one or more vital functions of life. Since such disabilities are of extremely serious nature, they might adversely affect the affected person's ability to earn an independent living. Autism is one of such disabilities. In an autistic child, the symptoms are quite visible right from the time when he or she is three years old. In most of the cases, these kids have difficulty speaking and cannot speak clearly. An autistic child is much of loner and does not enjoy playing with other children. He prefers to stay alone and play all alone. They often confine themselves to a small corner and keep playing their very own games, which might look very strange to an outsider. They do not light bright light or loud noise, and if subjected to such disturbances, they might react rather violently.

Many a time, when you are speaking to them, they wouldn't even pay attention to what you are saying. You might take them for deaf. But they are not essentially deaf. Chances are that they would not pay any attention to what you are saying for a very long time and then suddenly react to your talk with a smile or even a hearty laugh, or by simply saying something in reply to what you said. They may not even respond to the sound of their own names at times. But then, on other occasion you might find them looking bang in your face if you called them by their names.

The basic reason for their not responding is not that they do not 'hear' but that they are too self-immersed to take note of what you said. At such occasions they cut the external inputs out and take no cognizance of what is being spoken.

Autistic children are difficult to manage because of their unpredictable behavior. They might be an impressive picture of tolerance on one occasion while on the other you might find them extremely irritable and short tempered.

The best way to get along with them is to be patient, receptive and willing. So, far there is no cure for autism. Therefore, all that we can do is wait. Wait, patiently.

To read more articles on disabilty, disability and health, disability services and disability access visit http://www.about-disability.com/

The author writes articles on different topics. To get more disability articles visit http://www.about-disability.com/

Autism: An Incurable Developmental Disability

                

 

Developmental disability is an expression employed to refer to serious life long impairment that substantially reduces one or more of one's life functions. Such disabilities might adversely affect one's ability to make an independent living, ability to learn or move or express. One of such disabilities is Autism. If a child is autistic the signs are visible within three years of his or her birth. How pronounced are the symptoms varies from case to case and so the affect of the impairment on one's daily activities.

They have problems expressing themselves through speech and cannot speak well in most of the cases. An autistic child does not like playing with other children. He or she would rather find a small corner for himself or herself and confine to playing his or her own set of games that might appear very strange to any onlooker. They are very sensitive to light and loud noises and react to being subjected to them.

At times, they might behave as though they were deaf. They would not even respond to their own names. On other occasions, you name them and the head turns. It is primarily because on the occasions they do not respond, they are in their own world and have completely shut the rest of the world out. So, they are not receptive to external sounds or inputs naturally.

They can sit focusing on a single object for hours on one end without bothering to look around. It has also been found that some of them demonstrate exceptional fearlessness. For instance, an autistic may not budge even at the sight of a car dashing towards him or her at a very high speed.

The autistic children behave very differently. They do not like being cuddled or even touched. And if you smile at them, they might just keep staring at you unsmiling as though you were a dead wall.

They dislike socializing like anything and wish to live in the world of their own making. There are no known causes or cures for autism. We can only hope that someday we'll be able to find what exactly goes wrong with these people and how can they be cured, if 'cure' is the right term here.

Till that time all we can do is try to understand them and make them happy. Though they shun company but they still like being happy as much as any of us. However, it's not so easy to make them smile, for they smile only when they know you understand them and their very own, private world. Therefore, the key is understanding. Forget not, autistic might be similar in behavior but are still different as individuals. So, what works with one may irritate the other. Be careful, cautious and persevering.

To read more articles on disabilty, disability benefits, disability services and disability access visit http://www.about-disability.com/. To get more disability articles visit http://www.about-disability.com/

Sign of Autism in Your Child

                

 

Children develop very quickly at an early age. All parents prey that their children will develop normally and grow up in good health with a bright future ahead of them. Autism is a concern of many parents so what is the sign of autism in your child?

As parents we are on constant lookout for any sign of abnormal development such as autism in our children and of course it is so easy to jump to the wrong conclusions. A child will go through many phases and being able to spot anything abnormal is very difficult. However, we should look out for any abnormal behavior which could indicate autism.

Autism occurs in around 1 in every 700 children and statistically more likely to occur in boys. It is not an illness brought by an infection or some contagious disease. Autism is something the child is born with and results from an abnormal development of the brain. Autism results in a level of introvertive behavior with the child not willing to interact with other children and perhaps the most disturbing symptom is their lack of response to their parents. A child with autism lacks the interpersonal skills of a normal child.

Autism usually manifests itself between the ages of 18 months to 3 years although some signs can be detected in babies with autism. The main symptoms to look out for are as follows:

Babies

• An autistic baby does not respond to your presence - will not make eye contact with you and appears to be more interested in staring at some other moving inanimate object.
• An autistic baby will often appear too calm and may lie still for hours without crying.
• An autistic baby may not interact with other babies.

18 months - 3 Years old

• An autistic child may appear distracted and not look you in the eye when trying to communicate with them.
• An autistic child may have difficulty picking up the sounds of words and will need repeating many times.
• An autistic child may have unusual mannerisms which they like to repeat many times.
• An autistic child may lack imagination and not like role play or 'pretend' games.
• An autistic child may be disturbed by a change in routine.
• An autistic child may show a lack of interest in other children and not want to play with them.

This is not an exhaustive list by any means and we should be aware that some of these symptoms can be detected in 'normal' children. However, if your baby or child exhibits some or all of these symptoms then you are advised to seek advice from a doctor or child specialist. They will carry out some simple tests to either confirm your fears or hopefully in most cases ease your concerns and allow you to enjoy the ongoing 'normal' development of your child.

However, if your child is confirmed as autistic then you should not despair. It is not your fault and like any other child they will need your love and support. Just as the cause of Autism is unknown, there is currently no known cure either. Depending on the severity of the condition with your particular child it may be necessary for you to make certain allowances in your behavior towards them and in your daily routine.

Seek the advice of experts in this field - in more severe cases it may be necessary for you to arrange for your child to attend a special school. Often an autistic child will exhibit very special abilities and talents which need to be nurtured and controlled while helping them to develop the social skills which come more naturally to other children.

The condition of autism in children is well known and you should be able to receive plenty of help and support.

For more information on autism visit http://www.aboutautismhealthsite.info or for other health topics visit http://www.the-health-issues-directory.com

Parenting Autism ? Being Your Child?s Primary Resource

                

 

Don?t be Afraid of the Myths and Misconceptions about Autism.

Parents often feel sad, afraid and confused when they learn their child has an autism spectrum disorder, and It?s no wonder -- autism is often portrayed as a grim, lifelong disability, from which there is no hope of recovery.

Of course, these expectations are based on outdated information about people who grew up a generation ago, when only the most severe cases were diagnosed, and treatment was practically nonexistent. Unfortunately, parents are still given this outdated information, presented as if it?s still accurate and relevant in our present day.

These misconceptions lead to more fear, more sadness, limited expectations, and feelings of incompetence in parents about how to best help their child. As a result, some parents rely entirely on other people to work with their child and to make decisions for their child, instead of trusting their own instincts, knowledge, and abilities. Parents are their child?s best resource, yet somehow that?s not the message they?re getting from the experts.

Don?t be Afraid to Believe in Your Child?s Potential.

Each child has their own unique, unknown potential. Everyone who works with your child must believe in his ability to learn, grow, and have a bright future.

With effective intervention, the vast majority of children experience improvement, ranging all the way from slight recovery to complete recovery, and everything in-between. The degree of recovery a child experiences depends primarily on his unique potential, combined with whatever learning opportunities he experiences.

Learning opportunities are not just teaching style and content alone. A child's overall environment and expectations are also an integral part of his learning experience.

Knowing these things, we can do three very powerful things for our child:

1. We can love our child as he is now, and provide a positive, nurturing environment.

2. We can keep a completely open mind as to how far our child can go.

3.We can present lots of positive opportunities for learning and growth.

If we do these things, our child will have the opportunity to truly fulfill his unique potential.

Don?t Be Afraid to Ask Questions.

If your child has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, it?s important to ask questions. Ask as many as you need in order to feel confident in your understanding of the disorder. Even if you get most of your initial questions answered, you may find there are still many questions that no one can answer conclusively, because in many ways autism research is still in its infancy. Researchers are still gathering information regarding cause, prognosis, and what interventions are most effective.

Don?t Be Afraid to Explore Your Options.

Get to know all your options. It takes some time, but continue to seek opinions and advice from people with different backgrounds in autism. Even after your initial questions have been answered, it?s still a good idea to consult with additional people with different types of knowledge and expertise.

For instance, you may want to ask a few different doctors, psychologists, teachers, therapists, and parents with contrasting approaches to autism about their opinions and experience. Our understanding of autism is continually evolving, and one person may have knowledge that another does not.

As you gather more and more relevant information, you will make better and better decisions for your child. Remember, no decision is carved in stone. In fact, you?ll probably change direction and switch approaches a few times, and that?s okay. It?s all part of the process of learning what works best for your child, and adapting to your child?s changing needs.

Don?t Be Afraid to Work with Your Child.

Never believe that the experts have all the answers and that you should not get involved with your child?s treatment program. Talk with the experts to learn more about what you can do at home with your child. Do further research by reading books and articles on autism, attending classes and conferences, and talking to other parents.

You know your child better than anyone else. In addition, you have an undeniable bond with your child that no one else could ever possibly have. Take advantage of your bond to teach your child, build his self-esteem, and explore treatment options you feel will work for your child.

Regardless of their potential, children will seldom go beyond the expectations of their parents. We can't know how far our children can go, but we can take the lid off the box of low expectations, by having faith in their ability to learn, and by providing the loving environment necessary for them to achieve their highest potential.
Sandra Sinclair is a parent of a child with PDD-NOS, and a life coach for parents of children on the autism spectrum. She is author of ?Newly Diagnosed Autism Spectrum?- A free mini-course with 7 clear steps you can take to help your child. http://www.autismvoice.com/blog/7StepstoHelpChildrenwithAutism

Empowering parents to help children with autism and special needs learn through play

                

 

SenseToys specialises in providing a carefully selected range of toys and activities to help parents and professionals caring for children with poor or delayed language skills, autism related difficulties, impaired hearing, developmental delays, dyspraxia and physical disabilities.

As a parent, the early stages of learning about and coming to terms with even the mildest of special needs are extremely difficult and stressful times. One of the greatest frustrations is identifying practical ways to help your child - whilst climbing a very steep learning curve in terms of understanding the problem, including learning about whole new areas of health and education provision which most parents never encounter, there is the overwhelming desire to want to be able to do something practical.

Time is of the essence - early intervention for children with special needs can make a significant difference to the child, and indeed to the family and all concerned. Thus helping parents and carers find and understand what they need can be a real benefit - even when some of the toys are readily available it is often difficult for the non-specialist to know why a particular toy or feature might be helpful. For example the typical "inset" style farmyard puzzle can be extremely difficult for some children, particularly the youngest, to use and develop their fine motor skills, and so simply selecting puzzles with larger knobs enables them to make progress. Sadly most parents like ourselves just don't find these things out until much later, so with the right information and product selection we (SenseToys) should be able to make this advice more readily available.

I set up SenseToys to help people like me find and choose which toys we need, understand how to use them, and why they work - practical information and advice for parents and carers, especially for those learning about and coping with special needs for the first time, based on first hand experience.

SenseToys helps you to make learning fun and rewarding for children with learning difficulties - sometimes even "ordinary" toys can help you produce extraordinary results if you can find them and know how to use them effectively! Visit our website: www.sensetoys.com.

Lesley Burton established SenseToys after many fruitless searches for toys and activities to help with the special needs of her two sons - my eldest suffered a language delay through glue ear and my second son Edward has an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). SenseToys range has been developed with several leading therapists and Montessori trained teachers ensuring that the products and play tips are appropriate.

How We Talk to Children with Autism

                

 

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

I'd like to discuss how we talk to children with autism. One of the things that strikes me is the wide range of what is considered acceptable. I'm not talking about teaching methods. Specifically, I'm talking about the tone and volume in which we speak to these children. I know that they're often difficult to reach and may require multiple attempts to get them to attend or to understand what is being said to them. I also understand that this can be frustrating and confusing at times, but it's everyone's job to stay calm and talk to them in a reasonable manner.

There are many teachers and therapists in special education that would never speak harshly to any child. However, I've heard many speak to children with autism in ways that no regular education program would tolerate, and it seems that this practice is still widespread. My theory is that this habit of loud, cruel voices has been accepted for so long that no one questions it. It's left over from the days when persons with autism were yelled at, slapped and cattle-prodded to get them to comply.

Everyone knows that being spoken to harshly and punitively can break a person's heart, spirit and self-esteem over time. Our children are no different. They need to feel loved, accepted and cared for. Cruel and abusive tones alone can be harmful, even without negative words attached.

My suggestion is that we ask our teachers to speak to our children with kindness and respect. At times when firmness is called for, everyone can still speak kindly while staying firm. It's all in the choice of tone and language.

We want our children to grow into their full potential. It can't happen if they're feeling anxious or depressed or if their self-esteem has been damaged. We need to lay the foundation first- love, trust, respect, acceptance and kindness. Then we can build instruction over that foundation, taking care not to displace it. If you think about it, it's all relatively common sense. We all learn and become our best in this kind of supportive and accepting atmosphere. Our children do too.

Sandra Sinclair, www.autismvoice.com

Sandra Sinclair is a parent of a child with PDD-NOS. Sandra assists parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. She is also author of Newly Diagnosed Autism Spectrum - A free mini-course with 7 clear steps you can take to help your child with Aspergers, Autism, PDD-NOS, and other autism spectrum disorders. http://www.autismvoice.com/blog/7StepstoHelpChildrenwithAutism