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.

Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role Of The Individualized Education Program Team

                

 

The fastest growing diagnosis within the disability of Pervasive Developmental Disorders is Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder are from all socioeconomic groups, as well as cultural, racial, and ethnic populations. More students with Autism Spectrum Disorder will be found in every community and neighborhood due to the increased identification of the disorder. Estimated annual cost of educating and caring for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder is to be around 90 billion dollars according to the Autism Society of America. Early diagnosis and intervention is a key factor in reducing treatment costs by two-thirds.

There are five related developmental disorders placed under the umbrella category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders. They include:

1.Autism Spectrum Disorder
2.Asperger?s Syndrome
3.Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
4.Rett?s
5.Pervasive Developmental Disorder ? Not Otherwise Specified

Specific Aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder

?Autism Spectrum Disorder affects the neurodevelopment system. The results are distinct learning and behavior characteristics
?Autism Spectrum Disorder has an underlying biological/genetic cause that produces organic and/or physical changes during brain development. This results in atypical cognitive and social development and behaviors
?Autism Spectrum Disorder affects individuals uniquely
?Autism Spectrum Disorder does not result from poor parenting
?Autism Spectrum Disorder affects the individual?s ability to integrate sensory information and regulate their emotions

There are five deficit areas to consider as diagnostic criteria for identifying individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, they are:

1.Communication
2.Socialization/Social skills
3.Restricted interests
4.Sensory integration
5.Behavior

Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder exhibit varying degrees of difficulties in these five areas.

Recent research shows students with Autism Spectrum Disorder exhibit the same early symptoms that include:

?Lack of eye contact
?Lack of joint attention (attention to the same item or topic as another person)
?Atypical sensory/motor processing

Goals and Objectives for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The general education teacher must ensure that students with Autism Spectrum Disorder have goals and objectives designed to promote the development of independent living, academic skills, and appropriate social behaviors and skills.

It is essential that these goals be introduced early and addressed annually in the individualized education program. If these goals are not addressed until the child reaches secondary school, there is a higher potential for many students with Autism Spectrum Disorder leaving school not able to live independently, succeed academically or be gainfully employed.

In order to help provide a smooth transition to a post-high school setting, the responsibilities of the IEP (individualized education program) team may include:

?Developing goals and short-term objectives that promote self-monitoring and independent living skills

Secondary individualized education program teams have the responsibility to identify the long-term supports these students will require for academic, economic and social independence. They must ensure students with Autism Spectrum Disorder have long-term goals that specify the need for explicit instruction in the essential social skills necessary for all post-secondary academic, social, and/or vocational settings. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder must be given multiple opportunities in a variety of social, academic, and vocational contexts to practice these skills.

Of highest priority is ensuring that students with Autism Spectrum Disorder acquire the essential social and daily living skills they need for a responsible integration into the community.

Transition Goals and Objectives of the Individualized Education Program team may include:

?Providing students with Autism Spectrum Disorder vocational and career exploration
?Experiences to assist them with learning which careers or college majors can accommodate their uneven academic and/or social development while at the same time utilizing their unique abilities and interests
?Opportunities to acquire vocational and/or work-related behaviors and skills required for successful employment and/or educational settings

Source: The Autism Society of America

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 Spectrum Disorder

How To Recognize The Different Autism Types

                

 

You may hear autism referred to as a PDD. This stands for Pervasive Development Disorder, and is a blanket term for the many different autism types.

When talking about autism most people think of an autistic child in the classic sense, but that is only one of the types that are used to diagnose children with this condition in today?s world.

Though the film Rainman is probably the most well-known source that most people base their understanding on, there is more to this condition than what was depicted in the movie. Some children are very similar to Dustin Hoffman?s character, but there are many more different autism types and levels of function known today.

The Rainman type of autism, or classic autism, is otherwise known as Kanner?s, and was named for the doctor who studied it in the 30s and 40s. This is a lower functioning type of autism characterized by severe communication and socialization problems. These children are hard to reach, and do not interact with most people. They can be clumsy due to poor motor skills, and are prone to repetitive motions and actions. They might have tantrums when the smallest changes in their environment or schedule are made. Some do not speak, and others speak on a limited basis.

Rett?s Syndrome is also one of the lower-functioning types of autism. This happens in girls only for some reason, and is often paired with mental retardation. These girls are greatly impaired when it comes to movements, and they rarely speak. This autism type has been classified as a genetic defect. There seems to be no explanation as to why it only affects girls. All other types are attributed to males 75% of the time.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is something that is very shocking for parents, perhaps even more so than children who are identified early with Rett?s or Kanner?s. This is something that happens after a child has appeared to develop quite normally. They have the usual range of speech and motor skills for their peer group. Then at some point, usually between ages two and four, they regress into a severe form of autistic disability. No one is sure why this happens though some believe surgery or illness can bring it on. That is not true for all of these children, however, so nothing concrete has been proven.

The higher functioning form of autism is known as Asperger?s. These children can often be misdiagnosed in the early years. They have better communication and socialization skills, but they are still somewhat limited. However, many of these children aren?t diagnosed until they are in school when the difference their peers and themselves become more apparent. They often respond well to behavioral treatments, and can have a very ?normal? life if they are put through these programs and therapies at the earliest possible age.

There is another type of autism called PDD-NOS. This is when a child is thought to have autism, but their condition does not seem to be associated with the other four more definite types. They have autism, but they seem to fall out of each category. They may have symptoms or behaviors that fall within all of the other different autism types, but do not fit one type exclusively.

Most children with any of these five autism types will be diagnosed before the age of five, and the prognosis will depend on the function of the child, and how early they can begin to go through therapies.

There is no cure for autism, and because the reasons why some children develop this condition are so unclear, there is no way parents can prevent it from happening. More research is needed to find the origins of the condition. Once that can be found, perhaps a cure or more effective treatments can be administered, tailored to the different types of autism.

Grab your free copy of Rachel Evans' brand new Autism Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you and your family find out about diagnosing autism

The Role Of An Autism Support Group

                

 

Having an autistic child or dependent adult is very draining on both caregivers and relatives. Knowing how to advocate and care for you your loved ones, while increasing general awareness, and caring for yourself are essential day to day necessities that require your immediate attention. the best resource to help you cope with an autistic child or dependent adult is an autism support group. These groups bring together professionals that are experts in the field of autism and those who interact with autism on a day to day basis. Together they use this forum to swap ideas, and encourage, and educate each other. An autism support group to be effective must play five critical roles on a day to day basis.

Partnership and Comprehensive Support

An autism support group must help bring people together and aid in the formation of partnerships to encourage interaction and growth between all involved. This support will provide a foundation upon which the groups members will grow and participate in the educational opportunities that are available and help match the needs of the autistic dependents with the needs of their families and caregivers. The support group should also provide Comprehensive support that is directed towards the objective that all autistic dependents receive a complete or traditional education designed specifically to the needs of the autistic.

Positive and Educational Support

Another major function of an autism support group is to offer positive support to the autistic child, and their caregivers by providing an atmosphere of encouragement and a safe environment to vent and express one?s emotions without fear of reprisal or judgment. This positive support will help break down barriers, and allow positive accomplishments to flourish and be recognized.

All the positive support in the world will accomplish nothing without building a solid foundation for education and the support group must promote educational programs to increase the knowledge of its members and prepare them with the information needed to be able to care for and support their loved ones. As an educational resource the support group becomes tasked with the responsibility for disseminating information about the disability, its symptoms, and treatments, and to provide support for the family's with autistic dependents.

Advocacy

The final and most critical function of an autism support group is their role as an advocate to protect and educate those that do not understand autism and often neglect the needs of the autistic patients as a result. An autism support group must represent the autistic community and push for the needs of the autistic community at large..

Kerry Ng is a successful Webmaster and publisher of The Autism Info Blog. Click here for more helpful information on Autism: http://www.autisminfoblog.com/autism-books-are-a-tool

Autism Behavior

                

 

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The Ongoing Mercury Contamination And Autism Debate

                

 

Classic autism was first studied and documented in the 1930s and 40s. Since then, ongoing research has yet to pinpoint an exact cause or cure. Some wonder if our lifestyle has something to do with the high numbers of children who are being diagnosed with one form or another of this condition each year. Is it just better diagnostics leading to the increased number of cases, or is something else might be the problem. There are many theories, though none have been proven. One theory suggests that mercury contamination and autism are closely tied together.

Though mercury can come from many places, the main problem seems to be the regular vaccinations that are commonly given in childhood. These shots are required for most children to enter school, and protect against diseases that were once dangerous. These life threatening disease are almost nonexistent now thanks to those vaccinations.

However, it?s not the vaccine that has people worried, but rather a preservative called Thimerosal that is used in some of them. Some vaccinations come in larger bottles which contain more than one dose. This preservative is used to keep the vaccine free from contaminants. The problem with Thimerosal is that is one half mercury in content.

Most people know that mercury can be toxic. The link that some make with this and autism is constantly questioned. Some recent research on autism links weakened immune system ?biomarker? as being present in children who are more likely to develop autism. That means they are more likely to have problems fighting off the toxins that are introduced into the body.

Autism is considered an autoimmune condition, so in a way, this makes a lot of sense. It is said that the majority of children are not bothered by the mercury content in Thimerosal, but a child with that particular biomarker will have problems removing it from their system. It is important to remember that vaccinations are not the only way mercury can get into the body. Studies suggest we all get a little each day from varying sources.

While studies seem to suggest that mercury has no tie to autism, there are some who are not convinced. Some parents are refusing to vaccinate their children, and though this will eliminate that source of mercury, they are putting their children?s health at risk. If you skip the shots, not only are your children vulnerable to the diseases they are designed to stop, you can?t say they won?t get the toxins elsewhere and develop autism anyway. It is a hard choice for a parent to make. There are mercury-free vaccinations on the market for each type of shot, but there might still be a trace of this mercury in there anyway.

It?s understandable that many parents would be concerned. Anyone can ask a pediatrician for mercury-free vaccinations. If this is something a parent feels strongly about, there is no reason why they can?t have them. If you look into the dangers associated with mercury, it is very understandable why many would be upset and would ask for these. Though most children can tolerate the regular vaccines with no issues, there is no way for parents to know this ahead of time as of yet.

Whether mercury contamination and autism are related is still unknown for the most part, some don?t want to wait around to find out. Questioning this is very understandable. Talk to your doctor about your concerns if you want mercury-free shots.

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

Understanding The Pdd Autism Link

                

 

Autism comes under the PDD (pervasive development disorders) umbrella For the longest time, kids who had PDD slipped under the radar and did not get the correct diagnosis, instead they were given labels by others who did not understand them. They were called shy, weird, or just ?different?. These problems, as it turned out, are related to PDD autism. Though classic autism was diagnosed long ago, there are high-functioning forms that are now just being understood and diagnosed. These are the children that were often misunderstood and teased. Research and understanding now allows these children enjoy a more ?normal? way of life.

The word normal is something that should be used carefully however. What is normal for one child is not for another. There seems to be a standard range of accepted behavior and development though, and those with PDD often fall outside those ranges in some areas.

Many with PDD can blend in, but they are often singled out eventually. Many of them say that PDD makes them who they are, and they would not change that for the world. However, because they want to interact with others who do not have autism, they do have to learn to adapt. There are programs now that are designed just to help these children with the social and communication problems they often have.

Almost every child with a PDD has communication issues. Some have no vocabulary, and some have a very extensive one. Some never utter a word, but instead, choose to communicate through hand motions. There are many problems, even for those with large vocabularies. Though they know the words to use, they often use them in the wrong context, or use them in the literal sense only, which can lead to misunderstandings on both sides of the conversation. Just think about the everyday expressions like ?raining cats and dogs? or ?going hell for leather? ? pretty confusing if taken literally.

Social settings can be huge problems for children and adults with PDD autism. Many want to interact with their peers just like everyone else, but it can be very painful for them. They lack the skills needed for this type of friendship. There are times when they say the wrong things, and they can have a problem with maintaining eye contact. Failed attempts at socialization can become frustrating and they may choose to retreat into their own world where they are safe from disappointments. Many think they want to be alone, but this usually comes after they have tried to relate to others and fail. Once they fail, they feel safer on their own, and begin to develop a preference for that.

In most cases, children will be diagnosed with PDD autism by the ages of three or four. Though this is not true in all cases, a majority will know before they reach school age.

Other than social and communication problem, there are other common PDD signs. These can include repeated motions, and a tendency towards having tantrums for small things like a shift in routine. There can be aggressive behavior is some, and that is usually due to failed attempts to communicate feelings or messages. Some are overly sensitive to noise and other stimuli, and others seem to be unaware of things going on around them. No two children will exhibit the same symptoms. It is thought that early diagnosis is best, and can lead to a better life all the way around for those with PDD autism.

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

Understanding Autism Statistics

                

 

It would seem there are more alarming autism statistics each year. These are often hard to comprehend, and can be very misleading if you don?t understand what you are reading. Autism is a blanket term for quite a few different conditions that are all related, yet vary in degree of function.

Asperger?s is a relatively new term that covers a wide range of higher functioning children and adults. This is something that is relatively new, and people are now just getting the proper diagnosis. Though it would seem that the numbers of those with autism is rising almost out of control, it may be that diagnosis has been wrong in the past, and it is now easier to make the proper one.

If you go by the number presented in 2007 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 150 births will result in autistic children. This number seems scary, but the actually cases are probably about the same as before, but many others just were not known or could not be diagnosed. Some of these children had never been seen by a doctor, and many grew into adulthood with a different but wrong diagnosis. They may have been living with autism, but they were thought of as introverted, troubled or disruptive.

If you go back to the findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2001, it was estimated that about 1.5 million children and adults are living with autism. The statistics from that year in comparison to this year would leave you to believe that the cases of this condition are rising by 15%. That seems alarming, but it might show in increase in proper diagnosis rather than an increase in overall cases. More and more children are now being diagnosed with autism when they would have normally been left to fall through the cracks and suffer needlessly.

There is some good news, even though the numbers seem to be very troubling. It would seem that an early and proper diagnosis might help avoid some of the costs of raising and caring for a child with autism. Most of the extra costs are ones that occur in adulthood, with some people requiring care for their entire lives.

When a child is diagnosed early, they can go through programs designed to help them communicate and socialize with others more effectively. This lessens the costs associated with caring for them when they reach adulthood in most cases. Though many children with autism are unlikely to fully integrate into society, some manage their condition well and go on to have pretty normal interactions and jobs when they reach adulthood.

The rise in Autism statistics can not be attributed to bad parenting nor is it something a person can ever leave behind, but through the proper support and intervention they can lead happy and fulfilled lives.

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

Understanding Autism And Anxiety On Socialization

                

 

There are many things about autistic children that people generally do not understand, and there are also times when the parents are just as baffled as everyone else. There is a lot of information out there about autistic children, but much of it is conflicting. It?s hard to know what to believe and what pertains to an individual child. Parents naturally want what is best for their children, and they cannot stand to think that their children might be suffering. There can be huge problems with autism and anxiety on socialization for many families.

For a long time, children with autism have been misunderstood on one very essential point. It was long believed that autistic children did not have any desire to mingle with their peers. Parents would feel guilty about attempting socialization because they sensed the deep frustration and anxiety in their children. Trying to force children to play with other kids their age can be an exercise in torture for many autistic children.

Most children with this condition lack the basic skills they need to relate to their peers. They aren?t good at making or holding eye contact, they tend to center any conversations around themselves or on a narrow topic that interests them, and often have a hard time speaking to someone at all. Other children don?t ?get? them and most are not interested in trying to develop the relationship further.

Most parents were told for a long time that their children did not seek out this type of peer interaction. They were told their children would rather be alone, and that pushing them to socialize was harming them. Studies have proven this to be wrong. Many of these children do crave peer interaction, but they simply don?t have the tools to do it. This leads to mounting frustration and anxiety issues for both the child and that child?s parents.

Many autistic children show signs of wanting to stay away from peer socialization, and remain in the company of adults that they trust, or to be by themselves. This is not necessarily their wish, but because they have such a hard time with interactions, and the anxiety is so overwhelming, they withdrawal into their own place where everything is less stressful and right again.

They want to interaction, but it is often so painful they give up on it rather quickly. A child who is shoved into this type of social setting without preparation can suffer huge amounts of frustration, and the anxiety will be overwhelming. Knowing how to proceed with socialization is not something a parent knows instinctively. Even when they seek help, sometimes answers are just not there.

Because there is such a wide range of different problems for children with autism, they must each be treated and handled differently when it comes to socialization.

There are great programs that can help, but each does have its own set of drawbacks. There are special educational classes, but there are negatives to these and some parents don?t want to use them. Some can be in the regular classroom, but they are often singled out as ?different? and this can be very difficult for parent and child.

A proper evaluation and plan of action is essential when it comes to addressing the issues caused by autism and anxiety on socialization. Usually it comes down to a trial and error scenario before you find a method that suits your child and you. Re-adjustments might always be something that is necessary as time goes on.

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

What To Do After An Autism Diagnosis For Your Child

                

 

If you?re child has received an autism diagnosis, you may feel like all of the hopes and dreams you had for your child?s future have ended. These feelings of guilt, grief and fear are normal for parents when they first discover their child is autistic. However, you need to know that you?re not alone and there is help out there for both you and your child.

To help you cope with the autism diagnosis, the following are 10 guidelines for you to take into consideration:

1.Don?t Panic ? Feeling overwhelmed is natural at first, but this drowning feeling will pass. You need to remember autism - although a challenging condition - is not a life threatening illness. Autism isn?t the end of the world; take the time to calm down and rationally think things through.

2.Your child is still the same ? An autism diagnosis doesn?t mean your child is any different than he/she was prior to your knowledge of his/her condition. A diagnosis has only provided you with the chance to better understand your child, so you can provide him/her with the support that will allow him/her to have the best life. The love you have for your child and all the good you see in him or her will remain their forever. No diagnosis can change that.

3.Educate yourself ? Find out everything there is to know about autism. You can find information in books and articles in your local library, bookstore and online. The internet is a fantastic resource for autism.

4.Ask questions ? don?t forget to address any questions or concerns you may have with your doctor.

5.Find out what your child needs ? Depending on the type of autism diagnosis your child receives he/she may have many or few special needs. Carefully analyze your child?s behaviors and discuss them with your doctor to determine the best course of action for treating the issue. For instance, does your child have sensory problems? Speech delays? Social deficits? Etc.

6.Find out what is available ? Just because you discover what your child needs, doesn?t mean you?ll have immediate access to the therapies required, or even know how to work them into your lifestyle if they are available. . You also need to find out if your medial insurance will cover any of the therapies your child will need. Once you have everything sorted out, you can begin to set up a program that can meet your needs.

7.Stick to basic therapies ? When you research therapies, you will discover that there are numerous treatments. Instead of becoming overwhelmed, focus on the basic therapies that are readily available, appropriate to your child, and funded. The basics usually include speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. There may also be therapies offered within schools.

8.Introduce treatment slowly ? Remember, most therapies are a slow process that take weeks or even months until you begin to see a difference in your child. Therefore, try not to introduce too many therapies after the autism diagnosis. When you take it slow you are able to observe how your child responds to each, and determine what is successful and what isn?t.

9.Relax ? The wellbeing of your child is important, but so is yours and the rest of your family. It?s imperative that you find ways to relieve your stress, take breaks, and enjoy your own life. You will be able to better care for your autistic child when you are well rested.

10.You?re not alone ? There are many autism support groups you can join both locally and online after receiving an autism diagnosis. Talking to other parents with autistic children, and hearing and sharing your experiences can be very helpful and therapeutic to you and your child.

By Rachel Evans. To find out more about autism diagnosis and for information on autism characteristics please visit the links.

Alpha Lipoic Acid for Autism

                

 

Autism is a disease that is referred to as a developmental disability. It typically appears during the first two or three years of life. Autism is the result of a neurological disorder that renders the brain functioning poor in certain areas. The behavioural symptoms that have been linked with this disease have been estimated to occur in about 1 out of 500 individuals. Autism causes severe impact to the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction as well as communication skills. Children and adults affected with autism typically have problems in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions and relaxation or play activities. This disorder renders it difficult for them to interact with the outside world. They may show evidence of recurring body movements (hand flapping, rocking), odd responses to people or attachments to objects and refuse to accept any changes in routines.

However alpha lipoic acid (ALA) now presents hope for autism. Research on rat aging has revealed that the use of carnitine and lipoic acid results in enhanced memory performance and deferred structural mitochondrial decay. As a result, it may be helpful for people with memory disorders or brain related dysfunctions. This shows that alpha lipoic acid can be of tremendous help in these diseases. Also, Vitamins C and E may reduce the risk of developing autism. Based on the hypothesis that free radicals are toxic to the neurons in the brain, it was investigated as to whether the intake of antioxidants like vitamin C, E and beta-carotene from food could protect against autism and other nervous system and brain related problems. It was found that ALA has extreme role to play in relieving the situation.

Alpha lipoic acid has such valuable benefits that it is perhaps not wrong to call it a universal antioxidant. Alpha lipoid acid has hardly if any side effects, although if taken in extremely high doses like higher then 100mg, it can lead to conditions of nausea, upset stomachs and low blood sugar levels. However, at the same time ALA is a major relaxant and if consumed correctly it can lead to a general state of well being.

Alpha Lipoic Acid provides detailed information on alpha lipoic acid, ALA products, ALA research, ALA side effects and more. Alpha Lipoic Acid is affiliated with Uses and Benefits.

The Advantages of Autism

                

 

My husband and I are the sometimes-proud, sometimes-mortified parents of a four-and-a-half year old boy, Jonah, who has autism. Jonah is a bright, mischievous, affectionate, challenging, monkey of a kid. We love him and are managing our somewhat unusual lives pretty well. With autism, though, everything can seem like a challenge: meals, bath time, car trips, birthday parties, you name it.

Jonah doesn?t talk and he doesn?t understand normal social cues. He?ll walk right up to strangers at a park and rifle through their picnic basket. He?ll climb up a playground slide without taking note of whether or not some kid is poised to slide down right into him. Every time he hears the song ?Happy Birthday to You,? he marches right up to the place of honor, ready to blow out the candles and tear into cake. When prevented, distracted, or redirected away from these activities, a tantrum is a likely result. And when the tantrum is in public, there?s usually the added fun of strangers? stares, glares, and disapproving glances. I could go on...but this article isn?t about what autism is, or how it is difficult, or why its occurrence has risen to epidemic proportions. It?s about the advantages of autism. And really, there are several.

I have to admit right off the bat: I?m only being half-facetious when I say we fully intend to cash in on any and all emergent savant skills, like in the Las Vegas scene from Rain Man -- but that doesn?t seem likely since they say only 10% or so of autists have these skills. Oh, well. Winning ridiculous amounts of money counting cards isn?t everything, I suppose. Good thing there are other things we can enjoy right now.

One is innocence. While other kids his age have ?moved on? to superheroes and swords, our son still loves bubbles and blocks. While his peers have discarded traditional kids? songs for pop music, Jonah still happily requests ?Wheels on the Bus? ? and does all the hand motions too. He doesn?t watch commercials then demand whatever toy or gadget or breakfast cereal was advertised. He doesn?t understand the concept of Christmas or birthdays, at least not in the way other kids do, so he?s perfectly happy with a few toys and something yummy to eat.

When our son is fully enjoying himself, there is no one as uninhibitedly delighted. A joyful Jonah is a beautiful sight. He is never embarrassed or self-conscious about what he is doing, and it shows. What you get is a child largely unaffected by most things that can?t help but affect the consciousness of other kids: bad news on TV, anxiety about dad leaving for work, fear of the boogeyman under the bed. In a sense, autism protects him from much of the normal worry, apprehension, and insecurity of being an almost-five-year-old kid.

Also, people have told us he?s especially entertaining to watch ? and we can see why; the way he interacts with his environment is undeniably interesting. We consider it an advantage to have a child who sees the world through a somehow different lens. He?ll hold his fingers up to his eyes to catch an interesting visual, or cock his head to the side and look at things from an angle. He adores kaleidoscopes and spinning toys and flashlights and seems to see them in a way the rest of us can?t. He teaches us to stop, look, and listen to things in ways that may never have occurred to us before.

There are advantages, even, to his silence. Though we?d love for him to learn to talk and are doing everything we can to help him learn to communicate verbally, it is nice to know he?s not going to start yelling obscenities in the mall or call the cops and tell them our house is on fire. He may perseverate on the light switch by turning it on and off a thousand times, but we?re never subjected to endless repetitions of movie quotes, nursery rhymes, or some random snippet of something he heard on TV.

We've come to find that for every challenge we face with Jonah, we're presented an unexpected, precious, and often humorous gift. The gifts are what keep us going ? for, as with everything in life, they balance out the bad and show us our son and situation in an ever-changing, beautiful light.

We're thankful for the advantages of autism!

Amy Wink Krebs is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing. She lives in upstate New York with one husband, one son, one cat, and one fish.

How Is A Child With Autism Syndrome

                

 

Autism is not a disease, but a developmental desorder of brain function. Symptoms of autism syndrom usually appear during the first three years of childhood and continue through life. Children are social creatures who like to smile, laugh, cuddle and play. But there are also children taht seem to exist in their own world, where there are repetitive routines, odd behaviors, comunication problems or total lack of social awarness or interest in others.

A child with autism syndrome who goes to school is generally withdrawn and he will not even make eye contact. Many cildren engage in repetitive movements such as rocking and hair twirling in self-injurious behavior such as biting or head-banging.

Children with autism syndrome tend to start speaking later than usual and tahey refear to themselves by name instead of "I" or "me", they may speak in a sing-sang voice or use peculiar language.

There are some cildren with autism syndrome that are very bright and do very good in school and they may be able to live independently when tahey grow up. There are autistic cildren with talent in art, music and other area.

There isn't one specific cause of autism syndrome and for taht it remaind unknown. Research has focused on wether chemical inbalances, differences in the brain, genetics or problems of the central nervous sistem. However, what do we know is that parents do not cause autism.

There is no cure for autism syndrome and children will have it throught taheir live. Children with autism syndrome need educational programs and a comprehensive evaluation. Psychiatrists are trained to diagnose children and adolescents with autism sindrome and also to help their families cope the stress. Also a rege of medication can be prescribed to help reduce aggressive and violent behaviour.

With educational programs designed to meet cildren wit autism syndrome individual needs and specialised adult support services, they can live and sometimes work in the society.

More informations abiut child autism or about autism can be found by visiting http://www.autism-info-center.com

Emotional responses to faces in autism syndrome

                

 

Autism has been thought to be characterized, in part, by dysfunction in emotional and social cognition, but the pathology of the underlying processes and their neural substrates remain poorly understood. Children with autism syndrome made abnormal social judgments regarding the trustworthiness of faces, however, they are able to make normal social judgments from lexical stimuli, and they have a normal ability to perceptually discriminate the stimuli.

Autistic persons are shy, unresponsive and prefer to be left alone. They avoid emotional and physical contact with other including their parents and may be painfully sensitive to touch, sound, sight or smell. People with autism syndrome have difficulties intensifying and interpreting facial expression.

Functional differences may vary widely like everything else involving the brain. Significant social challenges are created by not responding to familiar or unfamiliar faces. Some people with autism syndrome can intuit emotions from other senses like tone of voice or body gesture.

There are cases of people with autism syndrome, where the big problem may be with the visual perception of faces. Some studies show that an autistic person it is able too perceive facial expression better in caricature from than in real life. The reason for that is that the "a real face" present too much visual information that can be taken in at once than it can present a photograph.

You can help a person with autism syndrome to improve his emotional face recognition either part-to-whole method or by training with caricatures, moving on to exaggerated black and white photographs to the real life.

Although poor face recognition is a common feature of autism, very little is known about the development of face recognition skills in children with autism syndrome, they develop additional capacities to analyze differences in feature arrangements during adolescence and this allows them to make more difficult discriminations between very similar-looking individuals.

If your child is diagnosed with autism syndrome, learn as much as you can about his particular situation and try to identify his strengths and recognize when he's having difficulty. Sometimes troubleshooting problems can be difficulty and your child with autism syndrome may have more difficulty talking to or understanding other children or non-family members.

With a professional, try to figure the major sources of your child's communication difficulties and try to make your home an oasis of love, comfort, and understanding because you are your child's best advocate, and you have a tremendous impact on his future.

More informations about autism causes or about child autism can be found by visiting http://www.autism-info-center.com/

Exploring Treatment Options for Patients with Autism

                

 

Although there is no known cure for autism, a combination of specialized treatment and education programs can often help many patients. The most common autism treatment options involve both occupational and physical therapy. Occupational therapy helps improve independent function and teaches patients basic skills such as buttoning a shirt or bathing - while physical therapy involves using exercise and other physical measures such as using massage and heat in order to help patients control body movements. Other common autism treatment options include: * Behavior modification * Communication therapy * Dietary modifications * Medication Behavior modification: There are several methods of behavior modification that are used to treat autistic patients. Most behavior modification principles are based on the theory that rewarded behavior is more likely to be repeated than behavior that is ignored. For instance, Sensory integration therapy is a type of behavior modification that focuses on helping autistic patients cope with different sensory stimulation. The treatment may include having the patient handle materials with different textures or listen to different sounds. Play therapy is yet another type of behavior modification used to improve emotional development. Play therapy most often helps patients understand and cope with their own feelings and involves adult-child interaction that is controlled by the child. Along the same lines, another behavior modification technique called "social stories" can also prove helpful in improving an autism patient's undeveloped social skills. Using social stories helps a patient better understand their feelings, ideas, as well as the points of view of others, and may suggest to the patient an alternate response to a particular situation. Communication therapy Many other alternate treatment options for autistic patients involve the use of communication therapy Communication therapy is used to treat autistic patients who are unable to communicate verbally, or to it may be used to initiate language development in young children with the disorder. Today, clinical studies show that Video Modeling Therapy Programs are highly effective in teaching children with autism. One such program entitled "Special Kids" (www.specialkids.com) was pioneered by a father of a boy with autism, Special Kids maintains a distribution to over 500 different school systems within the USA as well as 30 different countries. The program helps children with a variety of developmental, cognitive and learning disabilities acquire speech, reading, writing, early academics, personal hygiene, self-help, social and play skills. Another program, called 'Safety Harbor' is the brainchild of two school therapists, Anne Pesacov and Betty Dixon, as well as teaching artist Emily Harris. This series of eight workshops is designed to teach social skills to children with Asperger's syndrome through the use of puppets. To learn more about puppet-assisted relationship therapy, contact Betty S. Dixon of Tampa at (813) 431-9790, Emily Harris of Tarpon Springs at (727) 934-5890 or Anne Pesacov of Safety Harbor at (727) 738-9232. The use of music has also proven to be an effective communication therapy for autism patients. Professor Tony Wigram. Head of PhD Studies in Music Therapy at the Institute for Music and Music Therapy at the University of Aalborg, Denmark has authored several books on the subject. He has concluded that since music therapy can be easily adjusted to an individual child's strengths and weaknesses it is often quite helpful in improving patient's deficiencies in social and communication skills Yet another alternate treatment option for patients with autism is the use of Dolphin Assisted Therapy. The foundation of the Dolphin Assisted Therapy program in dates back to Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the Black Sea. This field of medicine has shown extraordinary results in relation to the conventional methods of treatments such as prescribed medication. An overview of Dolphin Assisted Therapy is available at : http://www.dolphinassistedtherapy.com/ Dietary modifications Autism is not caused by diet so the use of dietary modifications and supplements to treat the disorder is somewhat controversial. Changing the diet or adding vitamin supplements may improve digestion and eliminate food intolerances or allergies, which may contribute to behavioral problems in autistic patients. Scientific Researchers have discovered the byproducts found in wheat, oats and rye (gluten) and casein (protein in dairy products) have appeared at elevated levels in patients with autism. This may suggest that the digestion of these substances may affect brain function. However, eliminating foods that contain gluten and casein from the diet may cause side effects and should not be done without the advice of a health care practitioner. Studies have also shown that vitamin B, magnesium and cod liver oil supplements (which contain vitamins A and D) may improve behavior, eye contact, attention span, and learning in autistic patients. Vitamin C has been shown to improve depression and lessen the severity of symptoms in patients with autism. The DAN (Defeat Autism Now) Protocol is another dietary modification program gaining popularity. The protocol involves a combination of changes to the diet and implementation of vitamin supplement therapy in order to produce changes in autistic behaviors. These diet changes include eliminating certain dairy and grains while supplementing the patient's diet with the vitamin and mineral therapy. An overview of the DAN Protocol is available at : http://autism.about.com/cs/medicaltreatments/a/danprotocol_2.htm Medication Medication may be also be used to treat various symptoms of autism and can also be used to help other conditions that may accompany the disorder. Depression, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and anxiety may be treated using antidepressants. These drugs often reduce the frequency and intensity of repetitive behavior; decrease irritability, tantrums, and aggression; and improve eye contact and responsiveness. Benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium?), lorazepam (Ativan?), and alprazolam (Xanax?) can also be used to treat behavioral problems. While antipsychotic medications such as clozapine (Clozaril?), risperidone (Risperdal?), olanzapine (Zyprexa?), and quetiapine (Seroquel?) may decrease hyperactivity, behavioral problems, withdrawal, and aggression in autistic patients Stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin?), amphetamine (Adderall?), and dextroamphetamine (Dexedine?) may also be prescribed for autism. These drugs may increase focus and decrease impulsive behavior and hyperactivity in patients. It's best to consult a medical expert before considering any medications as the patient's medical history needs to be taken into consideration as well as possible side effects. For more information on anything Autism, have a stop, at the one stop shop http://www.autismtoday.com/