What Are The Different Autism Types in Children

                

 

As more and more is understood about autism, it would seem there are more and more autism types. Though the term autism is a blanket term, there are different degrees. No two children with this condition will be exactly the same, but there can be similarities. Some children are very high functioning, and they have very few problems, and there are others who seem almost unreachable. These different autism types do have different names, and there are more and more things being learned about each of them.

Asperger?s Disorder

Asperger?s is a relatively new diagnosis, and you might hear this term many times when you hear about autism. People with this type of autism are usually socially awkward and do not mix well with others. They tend to have an obsessive interest in patterns of all types. However, they do have good language skills and have great adaptation skills. They are, however, often impaired somewhat when it comes to motor skills. This is often misdiagnosed as other things like Attention Deficit Disorder or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It is also thought that those with Asperger?s have a sort of genius. They normally have a talent that they spend much of their time on. Some suggest that Albert Einstein may have had Asperger?s.

Kanner?s Syndrome (classic autistic disorder)

This was named for Dr. Kanner, who first put a name to this disorder in the 1930s and 40s. This is probably the most well known type of autism, and the one many think of when they hear the term. These children seem to have extremely limited emotional outreach or connections with others. They thrive on exact routines, and have learning disabilities. They are often fascinated with objects and movements. Kanner?s Syndrome is often the lowest functioning end of the disorder, and these children (and adults) tend to be very drawn into themselves and have extremely limited communication skills. They often get agitated if the do not eat the same foods and watch the same things on television day in and day out.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder--Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

The differences between this type of autism and classic autism are very slight indeed. Children diagnosed as having PDD-NOS tend to display the same characteristics with only really doctors and researchers able to distinguish the differences. The type of care and interventions required will be similar.

Rett?s Syndrome

Rett?s is fairly uncommon, and seems to be diagnosed exclusively in girls. It was named for Dr Rett of Australia. These girls often have severe muscular problems, and are prone to autistic behaviors. They may make and do obsessive things with their hands on a constant basis. Those with Rett?s will be very low functioning and will probably need life long care, as they are usually mentally retarded. Though this condition has been known since the 60s, a gene thought to be responsible was found in the late 90s.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

This happens to children who appear to be healthy at birth. Somewhere between the ages of two and four they suddenly regress. They may not potty train, and they lose the ability to socialize with other children. All speech development may stop, or even regress. They may also lose interest in playing and have problems with motor skills that they once had mastered.

These are a few of the more common autism types, but there are others out there. Each comes with its own unique set of challenges, and each child is different. These traits will go on into adulthood, and many will require lifelong care, and even though they may show a strong sense of independence, the mundane things we can all do for ourselves seem to be lost in the shuffle of repetition and routine.

By Rachel Evans. Sign up for a free newsletter for more information on autistic.In the newsletter you'll find out more about the signs and symptoms of autism.

Autism Diagnosis

                

 

Autism is a condition that can be treated, this is the prime reason why in suspected autism cases it is best that the diagnose be made earlier than later, it must be pointed out however that autistic behavior is not a frequent thing among health communities and families, so this should not be a major concern for parents. Nevertheless it is always recommended to use experts to establish some kind of diagnosis as regards to behavioral abnormalities.

One of the many essential features concerned with children of autistic disorder is their tendency to create odd interests and poor attention and focus. Additionally, they also deficit in social interaction. Most authorities in this subject affirm that these features clearly indicate autistic factors yet they admit that these are not enough to diagnose autism among children younger than 3 years old.

Moreover, the inconsistency of symptom manifestation often hampers the proper diagnosis of autism more than the abnormality itself. There are virtually lots of factors affecting this inconsistency.

Autism can also be correlated with other conditions such as mental retardation, childhood psychoses, Asperger disorder and a couple of other neurological disorders.

Often, diagnosis begins through these three determining factors. Keep in mind though that evaluation of these three stages would not suffice the data so as to conclude that a child truly has autistic features.

Physical and neurological examinations
Examination of medical history including those that manifest through relatives. This also consists of birth history and developmental conditions, and
Medical tests to help rule out other diseases

Diagnostic criteria are used to formally determine if a child is truly subjected to autistic features. Comprehensive diagnosis can be done through routine developmental screening which concerns mostly all developmental features that are absent or deficient with autistic children.

After the recognition of these factors, the child may be given audiologic evaluation, screening test for autism and blood lead test.

During evaluation it is vital that the children are diagnosed by an experienced clinician. He must be well-learned with concerns pertaining to psychology and pediatrics.

For an initial evaluation, you as a parent can do the following:

Observation on social impairment which manifests through the following:
a. impairment of non-verbal interaction
b. weak ability to build peer relationship as observed during different developmental stages
c. lack of emotional and social reciprocity which is prone to isolation

Observation on communicational impairment which manifests through the following:
a.delay or lack of development in language facilities, more specifically the spoken language
b.lack of social plays suitable for each developmental stage
c.inability to maintain social conversation
d.idiosyncratic language or marked repetitive use of words

Noticeable patterns of activities, behaviors and interests manifested through the following:
a.continuous preoccupation with specific parts of an object
b.motor mannerism
c.limited patterns of interests
d.observance of rituals or non-functional habits

Due of course to the difficulty of diagnosing autistic features, it is best to subject the child to professional evaluation. It is not as easy though as with other diseases so be patient with findings means for efficient and effective diagnosis.
Autism is a major concern for parents and caregivers in the first few months of a baby?s development. Learn more about Autism Diagnosis at http://autism.advice-tips.com

Autism Anxiety Overload

                

 

The renowned autism expert Tony Atwood is fond of putting it this way: ?Autism is anxiety looking for a target.? Autism and anxiety go hand-in-hand. Autism affects a person?s ability to communicate with others or to understand the world around him, and that?s bound to cause anxiety and panic sometimes.

Anxiety becomes even worse when there is a change in the autistic child?s routine. Even positive and ?fun? changes, like a school field trip or a visit to the zoo, can increase anxiety and aggressive behaviors.

For parents, the best course of action is to anticipate upcoming changes and help your child prepare for them. Many parents find it helpful to use stories and pictures to prepare children for impending disruptions. If it?s a field trip to the zoo, for example, use pictures to show your child what he?ll see at the zoo, what the zoo will be like, and what sort of things to expect. Do this each day for three or four days prior to the trip. That way, when the trip actually happens, the child won?t be entirely out of his element, but will already understand and appreciate some of what will be happening.

Other changes in the routine are less enjoyable but still necessary. Getting a new teacher can be traumatic, as can moving to a new house. If at all possible, try to spread out the major changes. If you move to a new house, try to do it during the summer, so that your child won?t have to deal with the added anxiety of getting a new school and new teacher mid-year.

You can also introduce your child to the concept of ?change? in a positive way by practicing with non-negative things. For example, just for practice, give him a little extra TV time instead of homework time one night, to show that changes in the routine can often be fun and good. Then practice with a neutral change (homework after dinner instead of before dinner), then with a negative one (changing play time into chore time). This process can help your child grow accustomed to the idea of change and learn to adapt without becoming anxious.

For continual, ongoing anxiety, many parents have begun using anti-anxiety medications for their autistic children. Usually, the medications are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and are also used for obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression. Prozac, Luvox, Zoloft and Anafranil are all common for anxiety in autistic children.

For behavioral problems, antipsychotics such as Haldol, fluphenazine and chlorpromazine can be prescribed. These can reduce aggression in autistic kids, but sometimes also cause sedation and muscle stiffness.

All patients are different. You and your doctor should monitor your child?s progress very closely, using the lowest dose of medication possible, to see if what improvements it makes and whether there are any adverse reactions. Medication should be the last resort for autism, not the first one. There are a number of natural remedies available if you don?t want to go down the drug route. But try behavioral and dietary modifications first, to see what improvements can be made naturally.

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

Child Autism

                

 

For nearly all parents, the most important things in the world to them are their children. They will probably do everything in their power just to keep them safe and make them feel loved. It would especially heartbreaking if your child is suffering from autism. What would you do? Studies have now found ways to reverse child autism and keep them from being distant forever.

According to experts, child autism is considered as an all-encompassing brain disorder. It is technically labeled as pervasive developmental disorder or PDD. Most children with autism find it difficult to communicate and interact with others. They also have an impaired ability when it comes to having close relationships. Talking or listening can also be difficult.

Autism is difficult to spot early on because the distinction of it being a medical condition or simply shyness is too fine. Generally, it is best to have your child checked for autism if, by the age three, you see that he is not interested in any kind of social interaction, having trouble communicating or is not reacting to direct stimuli, such as hugs.

It is also hard to diagnose child autism, as it has varied effects on different children. Some are autistic since birth while some start to show signs by the age of three years old. Children with severe autism are incapable of functioning on their own. It is important to do everything you can to reverse the effects of autism.

Things You Ought To Know To Help Your Child with Autism

There are now many ways to reverse child autism. Many books and printed materials that deal with this specifically are widely available. These reading materials mostly have suggestions and guidelines on how to educate and teach your child. Dietary suggestions are also included.

The Internet also provides hundreds of sites containing information about child autism. These web pages include proper care guidelines, symptom analysis, diagnosis and treatment. They may also help you find great schools that have the facilities and trained professionals that can cater to your child's needs.

Autism provides detailed information on Autism, Autism Symptoms, Autism Treatments, Cause Of Autism and more. Autism is affiliated with Dyslexia Testing.

Parenting Autism - Getting Past the Embarrassment

                

 

One of the more difficult parts of parenting a child with autism, and something that can be hard to talk about, is the embarrassment you may feel about your child's behavior. As parents, we're not supposed to feel embarrassed about our children, yet we're also taught that children should behave, and if they don't, it's probably a result of faulty parenting.

This belief system can be very disempowering, especially for a parent of a child with autism, because it's impossible to control everything your child does. At those times when your child is acting strangely or falling apart, you can feel embarrassed or angry about the judgment you may feel from others. As a result, you may feel pressure to do something against your instincts, such as punish your child, just to save face, to look like you're in control, or to assuage your anger.

In reality, just like the sadness issue, how you feel about others' opinions is completely up to you. Believe it or not, you can choose to feel however you like when your child throws a tantrum in the mall. You don't have to feel unhappy just because your child is unhappy, or because others may judge you or your child. It's possible to empathize with your child in the situation while remaining happy and calm, or at least neutral and calm.

Next time you're in such a situation, ask yourself this question- "Which attitude would best serve me, my child, and this situation? Happy and calm, or embarrassed and angry?" My guess is that happy and calm would be the better choice in most situations, but ultimately your mindset is up to you. You cannot be influenced by others' opinions, your child's feelings, or anything else, unless you decide that you can.

Now let's turn for a moment to the person who is judging your child. This is someone who is judging a child with special needs. What exactly does that say about them? In reality, their judgment doesn't define you or your child at all. Instead, their judgment defines them as someone who needs to judge. It has nothing to do with you or your child.

If your child could do better right now, he would. In time he will do better, no matter what's happening at this moment. If you choose happiness instead of embarrassment, you can best support your child when he needs you most, even while he's falling apart at the mall.

Sandra Sinclair is a parent of a child with PDD-NOS. 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

Parenting Autism ? Getting Past the Embarrassment

                

 

One of the more difficult parts of parenting a child with autism, and something that can be hard to talk about, is the embarrassment you may feel about your child's behavior. As parents, we're not supposed to feel embarrassed about our children, yet we're also taught that children should behave, and if they don't, it's probably a result of faulty parenting.

This belief system can be very disempowering, especially for a parent of a child with autism, because it's impossible to control everything your child does. At those times when your child is acting strangely or falling apart, you can feel embarrassed or angry about the judgment you may feel from others. As a result, you may feel pressure to do something against your instincts, such as punish your child, just to save face, to look like you're in control, or to assuage your anger.

In reality, just like the sadness issue, how you feel about others' opinions is completely up to you. Believe it or not, you can choose to feel however you like when your child throws a tantrum in the mall. You don't have to feel unhappy just because your child is unhappy, or because others may judge you or your child. It's possible to empathize with your child in the situation while remaining happy and calm, or at least neutral and calm.

Next time you're in such a situation, ask yourself this question- "Which attitude would best serve me, my child, and this situation? Happy and calm, or embarrassed and angry?" My guess is that happy and calm would be the better choice in most situations, but ultimately your mindset is up to you. You cannot be influenced by others' opinions, your child's feelings, or anything else, unless you decide that you can.

Now let's turn for a moment to the person who is judging your child. This is someone who is judging a child with special needs. What exactly does that say about them? In reality, their judgment doesn't define you or your child at all. Instead, their judgment defines them as someone who needs to judge. It has nothing to do with you or your child.

If your child could do better right now, he would. In time he will do better, no matter what's happening at this moment. If you choose happiness instead of embarrassment, you can best support your child when he needs you most, even while he's falling apart at the mall.
Sandra Sinclair is a parent of a child with PDD-NOS. 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

What is Autism and how can it be discovered and treated

                

 

Autism is a general term that is used to cover a number of disorders known as Autism Spectrum disorders. These disorders affect the ones that have them in their interaction and communication with others. Autism was discovered in 1943, but there were very few cases back then. The number of people that suffer from autism greatly increased since it was first discovered, and so did the doctors' and the media's attention on the illness.

Autism can affect anyone, no matter what age, sex, or race they are, and at the moment millions of people, both children and adults are suffering from one form of autism or another throughout the world. If one member of the family has one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders then the whole family will feel the repercussions, financial and social problems will occur and furthermore, it is a great chance that the children of the person who has Autism will also have it because it is transmitted genetically to the ancestors.

The Autism Spectrum Disorder term covers a wide range of affections with different symptoms and manifestations. For example, someone suffering from autism may be a person that doesn't speak and socialize at all. This was encountered in many cases of autism.
Children with autism don't understand what the others are saying, cannot interact with other children and cannot play with them. The affection seriously affects the behavior, some of the patients developed an aggressive defense against anyone who tried to communicate with them, others appeared to develop a special sensitivity to the environment and its changes.

How can autism be detected, does it have any specific symptoms? Well, it's up to the family and the ones around someone with autism spectrum disorders to discover his/her condition. In the children's case the family or the teacher should be the first to notice that a child has a different behavior. These are the signs that can make you suspect a child of autism:
-the child starts to speak at an older age, later than the other children
-he focuses on one single object for hours sometimes
-he can speak words, but until the age of 2-3 years old he does not say a sentence with more than one word in it
-some of the children with autism spectrum disorders don't even respond to their own name when it is called
-the general behavior of the child indicates that he is withdrawn, indifferent and lonely.

A child that was discovered to suffer from autism must follow a special treatment. He must go to a special school where only children with autism learn. There is no known cure for autism, so the only thing that can be done is to help the ones with autism spectrum disorders live a better life.

Unfortunately, the number of people suffering from autism spectrum disorders is continuously increasing. Until the doctors discover a successful treatment, society and family must do anything they can to help them integrate. There are many websites and support groups that try to help the ones with autism.



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

A Brief Overview of the Criteria For Diagnosing Adults with Autism

                

 

Currently, there is no one single medical test that will definitively diagnose audlts with autism. Instead, the diagnosis is made on the basis of observable characteristics of the individual. Here is an overview of some of the different diagnostic standards: I. Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is a clinical diagnostic instrument for assessing autism in children and adults. The ADI-R is a semi-structured instrument for diagnosing autism in children and adults with mental ages of 18 months and above. The instrument has been shown to be reliable and to successfully differentiate young children with autism from those with mental retardation and language impairments. The ADI-R focuses on behavior in three main areas and contains 111 items which specifically focuses on behaviors in three content areas - they are: Quality of social interaction, (e.g., emotional sharing, offering and seeking comfort, social smiling and responding to others); Communication and language (e.g., stereotyped utterances, pronoun reversal, social usage of language); and... Behavior (e.g., unusual preoccupations, hand and finger mannerisms, unusual sensory interests). (ADI-R) Scoring The interview generates scores in each of the three content areas. Elevated scores indicate problematic behavior. For each item, the clinician gives a score ranging from 0 to 3. A score of 0 is given when "behavior of the type specified is probably present but defining criteria are not fully met"; a score of 2 indicates "definite abnormal behavior"; and a score of 3 is reserved for "extreme severity" of the specified behavior. ICD 10 (World Health Organisation 1992) Diagnostic Criteria Diagnosis requires that single words should have developed by two years of age or earlier and that communicative phrases be used by three years of age or earlier. Self-help skills, adaptive behaviour and curiosity about the environment during the first three years should be at a level consistent with normal intellectual development. However, motor milestones may be somewhat delayed and motor clumsiness is usual (although not a necessary diagnostic feature). Isolated special skills, often related to abnormal preoccupations, are common, but are not required for diagnosis. Diagnosis requires demonstrable abnormalities in at least 3 out of the following 5 areas: 1. Failure adequately to use eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture and gesture to regulate social interaction; 2. Failure to develop (in a manner appropriate to mental age, and despite ample opportunities) peer relationships that involve a mutual sharing of interests, activities and emotions; 3. Rarely seeking and using other people for comfort and affection at times of stress or distress and/or offering comfort and affection to others when they are showing distress or unhappiness; 4. Lack of shared enjoyment in terms of vicarious pleasure in other people's happiness and/or a spontaneous seeking to share their own enjoyment through joint involvement with others; 5. A lack of socio-emotional reciprocity as shown by an impaired or deviant response to other people's emotions; and/or lack of modulation of behavior according to social context, and/or a weak integration of social, emotional and communicative behaviours. Diagnosis also requires demonstrable abnormalities in at least 2 out of the following 6 areas: 1. An encompassing preoccupation with stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest; 2. Specific attachments to unusual objects; 3. Apparently compulsive adherence to specific, non-functional, routines or rituals; 4. Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms that involve either hand/finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole body movement; 5. Preoccupations with part-objects or non-functional elements of play materials (such as their odor, the feel of their surface/ or the noise/vibration that they generate); 6. Distress over changes in small, non-functional, details of the environment. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) Diagnostic Criteria A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: 1. Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction; 2. Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level; 3. A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests or achievements with other people (eg: by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people); 4. Lack of social or emotional reciprocity. B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: 1. Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus; 2. Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, non-functional routines or rituals; 3. Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (eg: hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements); 4. Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (eg: single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years). E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood. F. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder, or Schizophrenia. International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) issued by the World Health Organization

DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR AUTISM DISORDER (ICD-10) (WHO 1992)

At least 8 of the 16 specified items must be fulfilled. a. Qualitative impairments in reciprocal social interaction, as manifested by at least three of the following five: 1. failure adequately to use eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture and gesture to regulate social interaction. 2. failure to develop peer relationships. 3. rarely seeking and using other people for comfort and affection at times of stress or distress and/or offering comfort and affection to others when they are showing distress or unhappiness. 4. lack of shared enjoyment in terms of vicarious pleasure in other peoples' happiness and/or spontaneous seeking to share their own enjoyment through joint involvement with others. 5. lack of socio-emotional reciprocity. b. Qualitative impairments in communication: 1. lack of social usage of whatever language skills are present. 2. impairment in make-believe and social imitative play. 3. poor synchrony and lack of reciprocity in conversational interchange. 4. poor flexibility in language expression and a relative lack of creativity and fantasy in thought processes. 5. lack of emotional response to other peoples' verbal and non-verbal overtures. 6. impaired use of variations in cadence or emphasis to reflect communicative modulation. 7. lack of accompanying gesture to provide emphasis or aid meaning in spoken communication. c. Restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by ate least two of the following six: 1. encompassing preoccupation with stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest. 2. specific attachments to unusual objects. 3. apparently compulsive adherence to specific, non-functional routines or rituals. 4. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms. 5. preoccupations with part-objects or non-functional elements of play material. 6. distress over changes in small, non-functional details of the environment. d. Developmental abnormalities must have been present in the first three years for the diagnosis to be made

Born in Oklahoma, in 1951, Karen L Simmons had her first book published in 1996. The book, Little Rainman, Autism Through The Eyes of A Child was written to raise awareness about the early detection signs of autism and has sold over 10,000 copies worldwide to parents and educators of these special children.