What is Infantile Autism?

The autistic disorder is a life lasting neurological disorder involving also the childhood disintegrative disorder, Asperger disorder, Rett disorder and the pervasive development disorder. Autism is registered as one of the five pervasive development disorders and is usually diagnosed around the age of three.

The most important pathological changes caused by autism are communication difficulties, impaired social interaction and restrictive activities; children with autism have generally repetitive activities and interests and most of the other actions specific to children their age represent no real interest to them.

Children suffering from autism are more susceptive to developing epilepsy; they have different degrees of mental retardation and show abnormal responses to different sensor stimulations like light or sound. Some of these patients show an aggressive behavior especially with self-injuring tendencies such as beating themselves or head banging.

One third of the autistic children have proven an almost normal IQ level for their age and many of them are even able to respond with own actions to the environment. Some of the patients can show their own emotions and affection towards persons around them; some of the sick persons can only be measured as autistic like, with autistic tendencies or with an autism spectrum. The disease is normally cataloged as a high-functioning or a low-functioning autism.

Children with a high function of autism show almost normal behavior but may present language and interaction difficulties. They will initiate a conversation favorite subject in spite of the effort the others do to train them into a talk. They talk incessantly about one particular subject and ignore the other attempts of talking.

Autistic patients require a life-long care and treatment as there is no actual cure for the disorder. If an early intervention is initiated, some of them may even be able to learn or function in a productive way. The neurological disease called autism is known to affect 1-2 children in about 1000 births. Today, one and a half million persons in the USA suffer from different forms of autistic disorder. The disease tends to affect four times more boys than girls, and according to the latest studies the occurrence of autism has shown an about 10-17% increase every year.

The actual cause of autism has not yet been revealed but a disruption in the fetal brain during the intra uterine development is believed to contribute to the disorder. Patients seem to have problems in the brain function but also abnormalities in several brain sections. This abnormal brain changes may have been triggered by viral infections, metabolic disorders, environmental or genetic factors. Some of the risk factors may have acted during pregnancy or during the child delivery. Also a group of genes believed to be involved in the apparition of autism has been detected.

Intensive scientific research is made to determine the exact role the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine may have in the occurrence of autism. Cholesterol seems to play an important role as many of the patients have low cholesterol levels in their blood.

For greater resources on Autism or especially about autism symptoms please click this link http://www.autism-info-center.com/autism-symptoms.htm

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Create an Autism Intervention Action Plan

As soon as possible after your child is diagnosed with autism, you need to develop a plan for addressing your child's needs and coping with the impact autism will have on your family. Autism can present both difficulties and challenges, but it does not have to prevent your child from growing up to lead a productive, meaningful and fulfilling life...and it does not have to prevent you and your family from enjoying a wonderful life together. The key to conquering autism is to understand autism, to understand how autism affects your particular child and impacts your particular family life, and to create and implement an effective autism intervention action plan to help your child reach his or her full potential and to help your family successfully cope with autism.

Follow these steps to create and implement an effective autism intervention action plan for your family:

1. Learn as much as you can about autism and treatments for autism. Conduct research using books, magazines, journals, the Internet...any sources you can find that will help you learn about and understand autism. Don't be shy about asking the health care and therapy providers, social workers and case managers who are part of your child's treatment team questions about autism. Write your questions down so they are easy to find when you are ready to ask them. Ask for clarification of anything you don't understand or need to have further explained.

2. Learn as much as you can about how autism affects your child who has been diagnosed with autism and your other family members. Observe and take note of how autism presents in your particular child. Be aware of your child's strengths, deficits, behaviors, capabilities and needs. Be mindful of how your child's autism affects the rest of your family. Knowing as much as you can about how autism affects your child and family will be immensely helpful when it's time for you to determine how your family will respond to the effects of autism.

3. Make a two-column list. Write your child's strengths, deficits, behaviors, capabilities and needs in the left hand column. Write possible interventions to address them in the right hand column.

4. Investigate the costs of the interventions you believe might benefit your child. Compile a list of resources you have for paying for the therapies, treatments and other interventions you believe will help your child.

5. Seek the support of other people and families who are affected by autism. Contact parent groups in your area. Join groups and forums online. Participate in meetups and social activities. Autism affects your entire family so everyone could use some support. Encourage family members to join support groups for people who have autism and their parents, siblings and extended families.

6. Seek professional help when you need it. Autism can take a toll on a family. If your family needs the intervention of an experienced professional to help it make it through tough times dealing with autism, enlist the assistance of a counselor, social worker, psychologist or member of the clergy.

7. Reflect on your plan. Revisit, revise and refine it as often as is necessary.

An autism intervention action plan can benefit all families affected by autism, whether your child is newly diagnosed or was diagnosed with autism years ago. Understanding autism and consciously preparing to cope with it will benefit all members of your family immensely.

http://www.autismassistance.blogspot.com

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Early Intervention With Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

The dramatic rise in autism spectrum disorder has leads parents to worry any signs of abnormality to their children. Symptoms such as not playing with other children, lack or no communication, being behind the development grid, and odd physical behaviors like toe walking can cause parents to contact the child's pediatrician. Sometimes these are just paranoia to the lifelong disability, other times it can lead to immediate intervention and positive outcome. The disorder diagnosis is usually done after symptoms of autism spectrum disorder have been noticed.

Psychologist, developmental pediatrician, or pediatric neurologist is the best doctors to do the disorder diagnosis. These doctors screen the child by observing the behavior, interviewing, and then evaluating the child. Since this kind of screening is a not definite test to confirm autism spectrum disorder, terms such "it looks like" or "it appears to be" are used by these physicians. The reason behind is that, the outcome of the screening is just the doctor's opinion and not yet conclusive.

A comprehensive autism spectrum disorder diagnosis by a multi-disciplinary team is followed to confirm the diagnosis. Several autism spectrum disorder diagnosis screening tools have been made to hasten the information gathering about a child's social and communicative development within medical setup such as the Checklist of Autism in Toddlers (CHAT), the modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), the Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds (STAT), and the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) for children age 4 and older. Another tool often used by the team is the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). It helps in evaluating the child's body gestures, listening, and verbal communication.

The disorder diagnosis will make parents understand the condition of their children and what help is needed. The multi-disciplinary team can recommend programs for problems in speech delays, hearing impairment, and social deficits. Parents need to understand that once autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed, it is not the end of the world for the child. The diagnosis makes it easier for people concerning this disorder to move forward and for the child to live a normal life.

Want to know more about Autism Spectrum Diagnosis? Visit Michael Harrah's site at http://autism-spectrum-disorder.net/.

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Biomedical Autism Intervention - Aggression in Autistic Children

Aggression and Children on the Autism Spectrum:

We know that aggression is a big problem and there are many medications out there that can help with aggressive behavior, Risperidal being the most common. There are a couple of things I want you to be aware of though with respect to aggression. Trying to troubleshoot, or categorize the type of aggressive behavior can help understand what could be triggering it. Is it continuous aggression that happens throughout the day? Is it more situational aggression? Is it intermittent aggression? Or is the aggression specific towards one family member or one particular sex? Continuous aggression many times can be associated with brain chemistry imbalances and sometimes that needs to be treated medically. But many times there can be some underlying biomedical problems that are happening like pain, inflammation, digestive problems, even bacterial imbalances in the digestive tract can lead to chemical imbalances that promote a child to become more aggressive. So continuous aggression can be indicative of an underlying pain issue, digestive problems or bacterial imbalances. Your child could be having headaches.

If we are looking at intermittent aggression, many times that can be related to a food sensitivity. The gluten and casein free diet we know helps many children on the Autism spectrum. If a child has a sensitivity to wheat or milk and they get that food, it can cause them to be aggressive because it causes an imbalance in their body or just doesn't make them feel good.

There can be other food sensitivities as well that can lead to aggression. Sometimes doing a food sensitivity profile to determine what kind of immune reaction your child is having is important. Situational aggression many times comes down to particular places or people that your child is around. For example, you child has situational aggression at school. There may be a child in their class that is bothering them. Maybe their environment has changed, a new aide or a new teacher, something that has happened that is triggering that situational aggression.

I have had a few situations where the child is only aggressive towards a particular family member or a particular sex. One example is the child that was only aggressive towards women. It turned out that the child was aggressive to the women in his family and yet he was not aggressive to the males in his family. Sometimes it is just purely behavioral problems at play.

So aggressive behavior we know is quite common. But, if you try and break it down into categories you can understand it better. Is it continuous aggression? That can indicate some type of pain, inflammation, medical problem, etc. Is it intermittent aggression?

Maybe it is related to a food sensitivity. Is it situational aggression? Maybe it is something that only happens at school or in a particular environment. Is your child only aggressive towards one particular family member or towards a particular sex? We know that aggression is a big problem and can be treated and can be dealt with. Once you are able to break it down a little more, it gives you a little more insight about what to do with aggressive behavior and autism.

Don't let ANYONE tell you there is nothing you can do to help your child. Autism really is treatable! Start your child down the road to recovery from autism. Biomedical Autism treatments and therapies have resulted in many, many children improving, or even even losing their autism-spectrum disorder diagnosis. For lots more free biomedical autism intervention information and videos from Dr. Woeller go to http://www.AutismRecoveryTreatment.com.

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

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Autism Intervention Teaching Strategies - Increasing Success in Your Autistic Child

As you may know there are several autism intervention strategies available to you. However, many can be a simple fad that may have seemed to work with one or two children, but because of the testimonials and the desire of parents to want to "cure" their child, they will try almost anything.

Intervention teaching strategies that have worked and continue to work are those that have been researched and proven to help many times. Can you guess what this may be? It is Applied Behavior Analysis, also known as ABA. This intervention method is based on applying the principles of behavior into teaching skills that promote behavior change to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

This autism intervention or ABA can be used to teach many skills that are broken down into smaller sub skills. These sub skills are taught by using behavior change techniques such as positive reinforcement, fading, shaping (chaining), and prompting.

The most important and primary factor in teaching new skills is the use of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is the method of providing an individual with something that will increase the probability of the behavior to occur again. Some think this is as simple as giving a reward, but what may be rewarding to one, may not be rewarding to another. An example of this autism intervention strategy is that a child may be given a piece of candy for saying, "hi" to another individual. If the child likes candy he/she may begin to say "hi" more often; if the child does not like candy, the probability of the child increasing that behavior is not likely.

It is important to have many different reinforcers (motivators) available when teaching and maintaining skills learned.

Visit http://www.autismsupportonline.com for FREE newsletters sent to your inbox relating to treating individuals with autism. Upcoming articles with detailed information on more autism intervention strategies such as positive reinforcement, fading, shaping, and prompting will be available in newsletters for registered individuals. For more information on the author, visit http://www.autismsupportonline.com

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Coping With Autism Spectrum Disorder Meltdowns and Behaviours

What is an Autism Related Meltdown?
A child with Autism can be very prone to meltdowns in public and unfamiliar places. Meltdowns can be described as a tantrum or fit of rage as the child may be confused or stressed due over loaded sensory inputs or an unfamiliar place and situation.

An Autistic or ASD meltdown can be difficult to control and can be a very emotional trauma for both the ASD child / person and the carer. It can also put the ASD child / person and carer in danger of personal injury purely from a reaction to a situation, event or even emotional vibes.

To add to the drama of a meltdown in public places there is always the onlookers and concerned individuals. It is only human nature to be concerned if a child / person is acting in a manner which may be perceived as if the person is in danger or in trouble. It would be a sad world if this wasn't the case, as in a recent event in China where a small child was hit by a vehicle and ignored on the street by passers by.

I recall when Isybee was just 3 or 4 years old, one of the first outings we had in a busy shopping center, the surroundings, lights, noise and crowd was too much for her to handle and she had a meltdown. For passers by it would have seemed as if we were trying to harm her or kidnap her, people were trying to intervene and looked upset and concerned, we felt like we had to try and explain that our daughter was Autistic, however at the time your focus is on calming the child. Some even went as far as commenting on what terrible parents we were. We ignored them however it still affects you.

Coping with an Awkward Situation
So how do you go about coping with these sort of situations? Everyone would have their own way of dealing with such an event, and you have to quickly learn to not let others perceptions bother you. You could try and avoid outings, social gatherings or anywhere where there might be a chance of the ASD child having a meltdown, however at some stage you will have no choice and at some stage you will need to accustom the child with Autism to everyday living situations and slowly modify their behavior by making them feel comfortable and understanding what is going on around them.

One clever way we found to handle onlookers and concerned citizens when a meltdown or perceived disruptive behavior occurs by your miss-understood child with Autism, is to hand out an Autism Awareness card that gives in brief, an explanation of why the child is in this state. It can be a very effective way of communicating without having to go into verbal explanations and allows you to focus and deal with the task at hand - calming your child!

Print Your Own Autism Awareness Cards
We made up the Autism Awareness cards into a template which can be printed out into business card style and size cards. These can be printed out directly by any home Ink Jet or Laser printer using the IJ39 Business Cards format which matches most word processor software formats. Printing sheets are available at any Office Supplies outlet. This template will print 10 business style cards per sheet. See link below.

Below is a link to the Autism Awareness Cards Template Free Download page:

http://isybeeautism.com/autism-asd-insights/coping-with-autism-spectrum-disorder-meltdowns-and-behaviours/

Hi, my name is Henry, I am Isy Bee's father

My wife and I originally started Isabella's Autism Pages and Isybee Autism web pages to help other parents in similar circumstances, and to give recognition to other people and organisations who have helped them help me.

We hope to cover a lot of ground writing articles and providing information and resources for families and persons affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Please visit our website for more information and resources:

http://isybeeautism.com - Autism information and resources.

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Nature Helps in Autism Therapy Techniques and Treatments

Nature Therapy is a current therapy designed to complement other therapies for children with autism. In addition to speech therapies, as well as physical and occupational therapies, activities in nature promote healing properties. Natural environments are filled with resources for sensory exploration. Autism is a sensory processing disorder. New research shows the soothing effects nature can have on children with autism. Children of all abilities benefit emotionally, physically and psychologically from consistent time in natural surroundings. Many therapists are bringing children outside as part of their therapy programs and having successful outcomes. Children are able to listen, to feel, smell, and observe outdoors.

Autism is often described as a sensory processing disorder. Sensory integration therapy is a type of therapy readily used with autistic children. During sessions, therapists work one on one with the child to encourage movement. The goal of therapy is to improve the brain's ability to process sensory information. During therapy sessions, the child performs an activity that combines sensory input with motion. Presently,many therapists are working with autistic children in nature, as part of programs, with much success!

Natural environments stimulate all of the senses! It is well known that being in nature reduces stress and stimulates the senses through sounds, visual images and scents. Regular outdoor time benefits all children's emotional, physical, and mental health. Several promising studies have found that therapy programs involving natural surroundings helps children with behavioral issues, ADHD and a diagnosis of being At-Risk. Nature is a soothing resource that is being used more and more in therapy programs for autistic children with exceptional result!

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The Relationship Between Music and Autism - Understanding the Benefits

Parents of autistic children can find searching out suitable treatment options can become a never-ending struggle. Indeed, the hardest part can often be figuring out which new treatments are the most effective, and which are merely speculative. With regards to music and autism, it is widely agreed that music is a great tool for treating autistic children, and can also help in the diagnostic phase.

As has been widely documented, children with autism have difficulty with their ability to communicate, learn successfully, interact in a social setting, and develop new skill sets. But music has been shown to help all of these problems, due mainly in the way which it is structured.

Basically, it is the repetition and different anticipated progressions that make music so effective at reaching autistic children. The children learn patience and tolerance from music, and can apply these lessons in social situations.

In addition to being a great tool for helping to teach and treat autistic children, music can help in the diagnosis of autism as well. For example, exposing a child to music can help determine the level and severity of the specific case. And, specific strengths and weaknesses of the child can also be identified through music.

As a separate benefit, some studies have shown that autistic children are much more eager to listen to music than other children in the same age group are. So while music can be a very valuable tool for teaching autistic children, it can also be a rewarding experience for the child, giving it dual purpose.

One possible reason for this is that studies have shown autistic children have a more refined ability to differentiate between pitch, therefore creating a more enjoyable and interactive experience for them when listening to music.

There are many ways in which to incorporate music and autism. A popular method is to have stories told while incorporating musical elements, thereby increasing an autistic child's interest and learning ability. Often times, these stores are specifically designed for autistic children, and come as part of a set or series. These can even be purchased based on age or learning-ability.

Basically, the ultimate goal of these music-themed lessons is to increase patience, improve the ability to learn, improve social interaction, and to increase memory. And while the benefits to utilizing musical therapy in treating autism are numerous and effective, perhaps the most important benefit is the enjoyment that an autistic child can get from listening to music

Essentially, music and autism are linked together, and have been proven so repeatedly. Whether this is because of autistic children's enhanced ability to discern pitch, or an interest in the complex yet repetitive structure of music, the increased response to music is an extremely important learning tool, and should be utilized by parents and teachers appropriately. Ultimately, this will be for the benefit of both parent and child.

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

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Tips for Teaching Autistic Children Reading Skills

Teaching autistic children reading skills can be a daunting task. Some children will never read, but many higher functioning children can learn to some extent and can end up being excellent readers.

Teaching autistic children to read has a very unique set of challenges that requires a parent or teacher to have a lot of patience. It can be like teaching children without autism but with the problems magnified.

Sometimes they can be very cooperative, but for the most part, autistic children have huge problems with attention span, lack any type of motivations to learn to read, and they have problems with figuring out the rules of reading and grammar when compared to children who do not have autism.

Learning to read should be fun for any child, but when it comes to autistic children, you have to reach them on their level, so make sure you chose a method that meets their needs.

For some children sounds are important and using music as a tool to teach musically inclined autistic children to read is a very good move. There are some programs out there on the market that will use music and singing to help a child with autism learn many things. Some also employ the use of games. These interactive methods usually help with attention span and interest, two of the biggest obstacles in this endeavor.

One important thing to remember when teaching an autistic child to read is that most reading requires creative thinking and this is something that many children with autism struggle with. This means that when learning, it is best to focus on materials that are based in reality. Stories about children like them going through their day might be a good place to start. Steer clear of stories that are full of fantasy people like princesses and talking animals.

Continue reading for tips on teaching visual thinkers and sign up for the free Autism newsletter below.

Anyone teaching an autistic child to read should remember that many think visually. This means they are more likely to learn about words and letters through visual stimulation. Almost every child has a special interest, and autistic children are no exception. If they like trains, you may want to use them as a visual guide to learning how to read. If they are interested in the subject matter they are more likely to pay attention for longer periods of time, and are more willing to learn because they will find it interesting.

Each child is different and will learn at a different pace and in a different manner. Don't be afraid to make use of the reading programs on the market designed with autistic children in mind. These have generally developed either through experience or with strong science behind them. They may be the best way to go about teaching autistic children reading when it seems they have no interest in doing so.

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

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Autism Therapy - Making a Connection

A person with autism may among other things: avoid eye contact, prefer to be alone, may not speak at all or be severely language delayed and may be unable to initiate or engage in a conversation. Because of this many people mistakenly think these children/adults prefer to be alone and play by themselves.

There are many studies that show that this is NOT the case. They do want to relate to others, but simply cannot handle the anxiety of trying to build and maintain relationships that they do not have the skills to hang on to.

In order to teach them these skills we need to first make a connection with them. They need to be foremost, interested and a willing participant; anything less and a positive outcome could be negligible if at all. So how do we break this barrier?

A growing number of therapists' and organizations' have been breaking the barrier and making a connection using two methods. Animals and technology, although they are on opposite ends of a spectrum, both have proven to be highly effective in helping therapists make a connection and build a meaningful relationship with their client/child. In many instances allowing the client/child to flourish and meet or even surpass their goals.

Animals have been used in the therapy environment as motivators, ice breakers and over all to enhance therapeutic outcomes. Animals are non-judgmental, give affection unconditionally, and provide opportunities for physical and emotional therapy.

One organization in particular has had extraordinary success with a potbellied pig whose name is "Buttercup". When the therapist was asked, why a pig? She didn't hesitate in responding "Unlike a dog, there are no preconceived notions about a pig, no barking, no jumping and no licking. Oh yes, and his prickly hair makes petting him a pleasure, almost addicting. Not to mention his uniqueness factor which most of the time leaves such an impression; many clients ask for Buttercup whenever they get a chance. This wouldn't be such a big deal in a normal circumstance, but coming from a child who has never spoken a full sentence, it's a cause for excitement."

Technology is also growing in popularity. With the advent of devices such as the ipad and the itouch from Apple and software like Proloque2-Go teaching skills and communicating has taken a turn for the better. No longer are the lanky, heavy output devices traditionally used (many of which ended up being used for door stops) needed in order for a child with autism to communicate effectively. Whether you are using voice output, building vocabulary, correcting articulation or strengthening muscle coordination these devices make is easier, more fun and reinforcing. Students/clients will sit quietly and wait in line for a chance to use the magical device for just a few minutes.

I n both of these methods the child/client is interested in engagement, the therapists uses this opportunity develop a meaningful relationship with the student/child. Once the barrier has been eliminated and a solid relationship established, the ability to learn life skills has been maximized.

http://www.animalassistedspeechtherapy.com

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How Can Your Life Improve At Home With An Autistic Child?

I am almost positive your life at home can be extremely draining and frustrating, living with an autistic individual. How can you change and improve this? One way for you to improve your life at home is, keep your family strong.

You can do this by supporting and helping each person understand the dynamics of autism within your family.

Explain to your children who are younger and who do not have autism, what the disorder is, what to expect and the various complexities of autism.

Allow your family members to know and understand that there may be unexpected challenges and changes within your home, but it will improve with time. Give explanations of how it will change.

As parent(s), caregiver(s), you may be tempted or think you can improve your life at home by trying to be a strong person and make the changes by yourself, without any help.

You may feel you need to be strong for everyone in your family and you must know what to do and have all of the answers.

If you choose this approach, you will be putting yourself and your family under more pressure and stress. It will not improve your family life at home.

Reach out to support groups, counselors, other families who have individuals with the disorder of autism in their family.

Taking this kind of action, will improve your family life. It will help your family and you to cope with physical, emotional, and financial issues that can affect your whole family in the present and in the future.

I have learned, by having a brother who is autistic, it was imperative for me to gain knowledge and education about autism, and stay current with the new approaches and research. This will bring positive changes for improving your life at home.

In addition, keep communication open with all of your family members. Discuss new therapies, updates, treatments, improvements for your autistic individual and areas where there needs to be progress, or various approaches. Be aware of these options. This will improve your family life at home.

I feel it is crucial to have weekly family meetings. If not weekly, every two weeks or once a month, depending on the schedule of your family. Doing this, keeps the communication open for discussion and keeps your family alert, by bringing their concerns to these meetings.

Family meetings will also bring your family closer together and give a better understanding of how feelings, emotions, facts, concerns, can improve family life at home.

It is crucial not to be afraid to ask for help, or advice, and always stay in touch, connected to each family member.

Remember, you are a valuable person. As parent(s), caregiver(s), you must take time for yourself. Schedule some downtime, or fun activities go give yourself some positive reinforcement of energy and a new look on your life. This will improve your family life at home.

There will be days when you will be angry, exhausted, stressed, sad, but if you choose to take action to have your family improve at home, you will be experiencing more good days than bad days, and they will be healthy ones.

Are you willing to make positive changes to improve your family life at home with an autistic individual?

Remember, you will not be able to take of your family and your child, if you do not take care of yourself.

Bonita Darula's informational web sight==> http://www.autismintoawareness.com. Take action and SIGN up to RECEIVE your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER on Autistic TOPICS. For example: Are you willing to improve your life at home with an autistic child? Order your E-Books to identify symptoms of Autism.

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Retts Syndrome - Causes, Symptoms, Information with Treatment

Rett syndrome is not a degenerative disorder, but rather is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Rett syndrome affects one in every 10,000 to 15,000 live female births. It occurs in all racial and ethnic groups worldwide. Parents later reflected on how it was nearly impossible to comfort them during their episodes. As many as 75% of all girls with RS had been previously diagnosed with the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Adult women with Rett syndrome show many individual differences in the severity of their disability.All women with Rett syndrome are incapable of living independently and require constant care throughout their lives.

Innovative and flexible living arrangements such as group homes are becoming the norm in many cases. There are several treatments options available treat for rett-sydrome. Occupational therapy , physiotherapy, and hydrotherapy may prolong mobility. Medication may be needed for breathing irregularities and motor difficulties, and antiepileptic drugs may be used to control seizures. Some children may require special equipment and aids such as braces to arrest scoliosis, splints to modify hand movements, and nutritional programs to help them maintain adequate weight. Special academic, social, vocational, and support services may also be required in some cases.

Causes of Retts Syndrome

Common Causes and Risk factors of Retts Syndrome

Spontaneous mutation of the X chromosome.

Gne MECP2.

Signs and Symptoms of Retts Syndrome

Common Sign and Symptoms of Retts Syndrome

Language and growth retardation

Slow head growth.

Seizures.

Bone fractures.

Agitation.

Constipation.

Abnormal Breathing.

Hyperventillation.

Treatment of Retts Syndrome

Common Treatment of Retts Syndrome

Drugs may help control some of the symptoms associated with the disorder - such as epileptic seizures.

Orthopedic surgery may be needed for severe cases of scoliosis.

In some cases, physical therapy can help maintain walking skills, and occupational therapy may improve purposeful use of the hands.

Some children may require special equipment and aids such as braces to arrest scoliosis, splints to modify hand movements, and nutritional programs to help them maintain adequate weight.

Therapy has also included administration of levodopa (L-dopa), a precursor of dopamine, or medications that mimic the effects of dopamine (dopamine agonists).

Physical therapy may help to improve balance and the ability to walk, maintain flexibility, and strengthen muscles

Regular monitoring for scoliosis is important to ensure prompt detection and early.

Juliet Cohen writes articles on diseases and conditions and skin disorders. She also writes articles on herbal home remedies.

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Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

Children with Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) appear to develop normally for the first two years of life, but then lose skills in areas such as language, play, and bowel control and manifest impaired social interaction and communication associated with restrictive, repetitive, stereotyped behaviors.

This disease and autism are among several developmental disorders known as pervasive developmental disorders or autism spectrum disorders. Childhood disintegrative disorder is also known as Heller's syndrome after the Viennese educator, Theodor Heller, who first described the condition. Childhood disintegrative disorder is perhaps 10 times less common than more strictly defined autism.

It is a rare serious disorder in which a child older than age 3 stops developing normally and regresses to a much lower level of functioning, typically following a serious illness, such as an infection of the brain and nervous system. Childhood disintegrative disorder cannot be specifically treated or cured, and most children, particularly those who are severely retarded, need lifelong care.

Social and emotional development regress, resulting in impaired ability to relate with others. Social interactions become compromised (e.g., aggressiveness, tantrums, withdrawal from peers), as does motor function, resulting in poor coordination and possible awkwardness of gait.

Typically language, interest in the social environment, and often toileting and self-care abilities are lost, and there may be a general loss of interest in the environment. Children with CDD became uninterested in social interaction, and various unusual self-stimulatory behaviors became evident. Over several months, a child with this disorder will deteriorate in intellectual, social, and language functioning from previously normal behavior.

Symptoms:

· Loss of social skills

· Loss of bowel and bladder control

· Loss of expressive or receptive language

· Loss of motor skills

· Lack of play

· Failure to develop peer relationships

· Impairment in nonverbal behaviors

· Delay or lack of spoken language

· Inability to start or sustain a conversation

Doctors sometimes confuse this rare disorder with late-onset autism because both conditions involve normal development followed by significant loss of language, social, play and motor skills.

Behavioral changes are followed by loss of communication, social, and motor skills. Behavioral impairments include the repetitive, stereotyped motions and rigid adherence to routines that are characteristic of autism. Behavior modification procedures may be quite useful. Behavior therapy programs may be designed to help your child learn or relearn language, social and self-care skills.

Treatment is the same for autistic disorder (autism) because of the similarity in the two disorders. Treatment can be very difficult and prolonged. Treatment of CDD involves both behavior therapy and medications.

Specific treatment for CDD will be determined by your child's physician based on your child's age, overall health and medical history. Treatment plans are individualized based on each child's symptoms and the level of severity.

Mark Huttenlocker, M.A. is a family therapist who works with parents of strong-willed, out-of-control teens and preteens. If your child is out-of-control and you're at your wits end, then feel free to use Mark as your own personal parent-coach. Get permanent solutions to your child's behavior problems within 15 seconds from now by visiting his website: http://www.MyOutOfControlTeen.com

A Message from Mark-

"Dear Parents: For many years now I've been running a very successful "off-line" parent program, but I wanted to take it a step further. I wanted to reach out to parents worldwide and help them discover that there really is light at the end of the tunnel. That's when I came up with "Online" Parent Support (OPS). Since its launch in 2004, OPS has overwhelmed users and success rates have been phenomenal."

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Types of Autism - The Different Types of Autism

There are five distinct types of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) that are considered to be related to Autism because of the neuro development portions that have been identified under the Autism Spectrum. They are Autism Disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS).

Each of the five disorders are classified as pervasive in nature rather than Specific Development Disorders (SDD) because they are characterized by multiple disabilities in a variety of areas rather than focused on one particular issue. Let's take a brief look at each of the five types of Autism on an individual level. While many of the characteristics may be similar, the differences are distinct enough for them to fall under different categories.

Classic Autism, commonly called Autism, is also sometimes called Kanner's Syndrome after the Psychiatrist Leo Kanner. He studied 11 children at John Hopkins University from 1932 to 1943. He wrote about the common elements found in these children including a lack of emotion, repetitive actions, and problems with their speech formation, their ability to manipulate various objects, learning difficulties, and their levels of intelligence. His studies lead to many others wanting to learn more about the disorder.

Asperger's Syndrome is named after its founder, Hans Asperger. His studies took place in Vienna in 1944. He discovered many individuals had the problems with social skills and repetitive patterns but they did not have trouble with learning or their cognitive abilities. They also portrayed some very exceptional talents or abilities that were considered to be very remarkable. Albert Einstein is a very famous individual who had Asperger's Syndrome.

Dr. Andrease Rett documented what is known As Rett's Syndrome while in Australia in 1965. This is classified as a neuro developmental degenerative disorder. It only affects girls and the degeneration results in them being completely dependent on others for all of their needs. They have some of the symptoms of Autism but they also suffer from muscle lose. Girls with Rett's Syndrome often have very small hands and feet.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) is also called Heller's Syndrome after the teacher Theodore Heller. He first described the disorder in 1908. The characteristics include the child having a normal pattern of development but then has a regression of skill as they get older.

Any type of neuro disability that doesn't fall into the above categories is classified as PDDNOS. While individuals in this particular category experience very mild symptoms they suffer greatly in the area of social interactions. The proper diagnosis is necessary so that the proper therapies and techniques can be properly introduced.

If you found this information on Types Of Autism useful, you'll also want to read about Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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Some Possible Prenatal Causes of Autism

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get more information about non-invasive, mild autism treatments at the Life Vessel of the Rockies and see how they can make a difference.

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Medical Treatments for Autism

What are the best treatments for Autism? Regardless of which ones are chosen, the overall goals are:

A) make the autistic person functionally independent, and B) to improve his or her quality of life. There are several types of Western treatments available for Autism. Here are some of the most common ones, along with some of their benefits and drawbacks:

1. Gluten-Free, Casein-Free (GFCF) Diet

Certain types of diets (i.e. gluten-free and casein-free diets) are often used to treat Autism patients. The goal of the GFCF diet is to eliminate the proteins Gluten and Casein from autistic people.

Pros:

Some clinical studies have indicated that GFCF diets can be somewhat beneficial in treating the various symptoms related to Autism. However, it should be stressed that the results are inconclusive at best.

Cons:

There is conflicting evidence that there's a link between Autism and digestion disorders. In fact, clinical studies on the issue are somewhat conflicting. It should also be noted that such diets have the potential to cause new health problems.

2. Dietary Supplements

Various types of dietary supplements can be used to treat people with Autism. For example, some studies have suggested that the combination of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium could be beneficial in effectively treating some symptoms of Autism. However, the studies conducted have been limited. Vitamin C might be somewhat beneficial in treating Autism. However, clinical studies have provided limited evidence of that, while high doses of Vitamin C could result in unwanted side-effects. Omega-3 fatty acids are a popular treatment for Autism patients, although clinical studies haven't verified their effectiveness for treating the disorder.

Pros:

The majority of dietary supplements for treating Autism have fairly mild side-effects. This is certainly a significant benefit over prescription medications, which often cause moderate-to-severe side-effects due to the powerful chemicals they contain.

Cons:

Minimal research has been conducted on dietary supplements, to determine how effective they are in treating Autism.

3. Prescription Medications

Physicians prescribe several types of medications to treat the symptoms of Autism. In fact, over half of all children in the U.S.A. diagnosed with Autism are prescribed certain types of medications. The most common types are:

antidepressants: used to treat conditions such as depression and anxiety disordersantipsychotics: tranquilizing medication used to treat psychosisstimulants: drugs used to provide improvements in one's physical and/or mental function Pros:

Clinical studies show that certain prescription medications seem to be effective in successfully treating certain types of Autism symptoms, such as irritability, tantrums, and aggression. In fact, the U.S.A.'s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved particular medications for treating certain symptoms of Autism. Other prescription medications seem to be somewhat effective in treating Autism, yet the FDA hasn't approved them for treating the disorder specifically.

Cons:

Various possible problems can result from the use of prescription medications to treat Autism. One is that different people will respond differently to various prescriptions, so it's crucial that physicians closely monitor how their patients react to various types of medications. Another possible problem is when an Autism patient receives a dosage that is higher than it should be. Yet another possible drawback of prescription medications is the human-made chemicals that they contain, which can cause an array of unwanted side-effects.

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

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Music and the Autistic Child

In February of 2010, the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hosted a professional, Nina Kraus, from Northwestern University speaking about cognitive-sensory connection between speech and music. During her presentation on the subject, Kraus said the following: "Indeed, musical experience can enhance the very auditory processes that are often deficient in clinical populations including developmental dyslexia and autism."

This statement backs up what many parents with autistic children have experienced firsthand when registering their children in childhood musical programs. Parents have long reported children opening up in music lessons in ways that they do not open up at home. This has led many parents to incorporate music in their homes, since it seems to be something that their autistic children really respond to in a positive, productive manner.

Quite a few studies have been done on the effects of music on childhood development, and the results have been positive. As Kraus discussed at the annual AAAS meeting, there is a connection between human speech, hearing and music. There have been instances of stroke victims who could not speak, but could sing clearly. This is just one example of how music interacts in the brain in amazing ways.

This extends to children as well, especially children with autism. Children become more cooperative with lessons when music is a part of the lesson. They are able to focus on one thing for a longer period of time if music is presented in some manner. Those with speech problems are able to improve through music while those struggling with eye contact can take great strides to meeting the eye of others through music lessons.

Take it from Myra J. Staum, Ph.D., the Director and Professor of Music Therapy from Willamette University. She wrote a piece on music therapy and language for autism.com, which touched on the power of music therapy for autistic children. She said that music is an effective form of therapy that can be used to enhance skill development with autistic children. Her reason for this comes down to the basic nature of music. She said it is "nonverbal" and "non threatening."

Staum goes on to explain how autistic children can be taught a variety of skills directly through music. This allows them to overcome a lot of their delays and developmental problems, so they function better in their daily lives.

Not all parents with autistic children have access to formal music therapy for their children, but that doesn't mean other forms of musical programs designed for children can't be used effectively. Parents with autistic children can easily surround their children with music and introduce music at home. With a little creativity, parents can even teach and guide children through music just as therapists are doing around the country.

A good children's musical program offered in the local community is a great start for autistic children. They will be encouraged to interact with other children, to use their brains and bodies in new ways, and to experience language from a musical perspective. Many children with autism love music and respond to it on a deep level that has not been experienced with anything else. All it takes to get that depth of response is constant exposure to music lessons in some capacity.

For more information regarding music for children and child development programs, visit Kindermusik Asia.

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The content is our own opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of Kindermusik or Kindermusik Asia.

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Autism Treatment - Clostridia & Regression

There is an issue with regression that comes up frequently in my practice. Oftentimes, this regression will happen following a course of antibiotic treatment or following antifungal treatments, and rather than improvement, you see regression. Antifungal treatments can include prescriptions such as Nystatin, Diflucan or Nizoral or herbal remedies like oregano oil, grapefruit seed extract, etc. If you see a worsening in behavior along the lines of irritability, aggression, self injury or withdrawal, you could be seeing signs of an underlying bacterial problem.

A common bacteria that many children on the Autism spectrum deal with is called clostridia. There are many types of clostridia bacteria, one type is called clostridia dificil and can actually cause one form of inflammatory bowel disease. When we talk about these negative behavioral changes and regression, we are not talking about this type. Although that form can produce certain toxins that could contribute to these negative behaviors but we are really talking about the broad family of clostridia rather that a specific form.

Great Plains Labs has two tests called the Organic Acid Test and the Microbial Organic Acid Test which look at the specific yeast and clostridia bacteria markers. HPHPA is the clostridia marker and a metabolic toxin that is picked up on these tests. That metabolic toxin appears to interfere with brain chemicals, which then can manifest in some of those behavioral issues we see with kids on the spectrum.

Yeast and clostridia live in competition with one another in the digestive tract. So that is why we often see regression with the use of antifungals. If you are not treating them both at the same time, when one is lowered then the other one can tend to flourish. So if you are treating a yeast overgrowth without also treating a clostridia overgrowth, clostridia can get worse because it has less competition from the yeast that is dying. You can also have an increase in clostridia following antibiotic use as that can kill off the beneficial bacteria in the gut which allows more growth for the opportunistic clostridia. If you see regression in your child following a course of antibiotics or antifungals, it may be wise to look into whether a clostridia overgrowth is the cause.

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

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

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Is My Baby Autistic? Tips to Help You Answer This Question

This is the most common question that parents ask whenever they notice odd behaviors from their children. A lot of people assume that if their child fails to talk at the age or 2 or 3, he is autistic. This is a big misconception. There are numerous reasons as to why speech might be delayed in toddlers, and a lot of other reasons why some children are not hitting their milestones, but sadly, autism is one of them. It is comforting to know though, that talking late in toddlers does not automatically mean that your child is autistic.

Autism is a disorder that lasts a lifetime. It is referred to as a developmental disorder because symptoms normally manifest before a child reaches the age of 3 which is a critical period of development. It then causes concerns in the child's development, learning and growth. When a child has autism, the areas that are affected normally concerns delayed skills in the following:

- Sensory - the way a child receives and process information with the use of his senses, namely; the sense of sight, taste, movement, touch, hearing, and taste.

- Cognitive - the manner in which a child learns and thinks.

- Social Interaction - the manner in which a child interacts or relates to others.

- Motor - the manner in which a child moves his body.

- Language - the manner in which a child comprehends and makes use of gestures and words.

Here is a list of concerns observed among toddlers and young children with autism spectrum disorder. This list is derived from a number of sources:

- Does not follow directions given.

- Seems to hear you at times, but is not consistent.

- Does not respond to his name at all times.

- Used to make attempts to talk, but suddenly stops.

- Throws severe tantrums.

- Manifests strange movement patterns like flapping arms, more so when excited.

- Doesn't smile in return.

- Avoids eye contact. The child seems to look past you.

- Normally doesn't cooperate when asked to do daily chores/routines.

- Is hyper most of the time.

- Prefers to play alone.

- Is an extremely picky eater. May only prefer to eat 4 different foods.

- Mimics what he hears instead of using his own words.

- Spends a lot of time putting things in a row, lining things up and gets very distressed when interrupted.

- Has a great attachment to toys or objects.

If your child has these symptoms, it doesn't necessarily mean that he/she is autistic. Make time to discuss your child's signs with a healthcare provider. Finally decide if an intensive assessment is needed.

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How to Create an Optimal Learning Environment for Your Child with Autism

Understanding the way your child's brain works is crucial to being able to provide an optimal learning environment. Below is a brief overview of some of the research about the brains of people with autism. Then you'll find easy, practical ways to implement this knowledge and create an optimal learning environment at home.

The Science
Autism is referred to as a "spectrum disorder" because there is such a wide variation among people with the diagnosis. Researchers using technology that allows them to be able to see how our brains are structured also see that the brains of people with the label 'Autism' are vastly different from one another. Because of this, some scientists have suggested we need to look below the level of the brain's structure to the way individual neurons (brain cells) are wired to find the "miss-wiring" that affects all people with autism. Researchers have found evidence that the way some neurons are connected in the brain of people with autism may lead to a low signal-to-noise ratio. This means that many of the signals brain cells are sending to each other may be accompanied by "noise", like static in a radio signal. This is one explanation for why children with autism become hyper-aroused (overwhelmed) by sensory information and why they may find it more challenging to choose between two different sources of information. For example, it is often more difficult for a child with autism to be able to listen to the teacher when other children in the class are making noise. Studies recording brain electricity in autistic people have shown that even when they are trying to ignore certain aspects of their environment (such as noise in the classroom) their brains respond to this information in the same way they respond to the information the child is trying to attend to (the teachers voice). The problem for many children with autism seems to be one of "filtering", that is, they are less able than typical children to filter out sensory information that is irrelevant to what they are trying to focus on.

The result of this is that all stimuli are given equal priority by the brains of those with autism, causing an overwhelming flood of sensory information that the child must handle. The brains of typical children learn to filter out irrelevant stimuli early on in life, so by the time that they go to school, children are able to focus their attention on what they are asked to focus on. It is very hard for many children with autism to learn in environments where there is a lot of competing sensory information (including noises, sights, touches, smells, etc.) such as a classroom.

Children with autism are taking in a lot of information all the time; this means that at some stage, they have to sort through this information to see what they really need. Studies have seen that people with autism tend to do the sorting through at a much later stage in processing than neurologically typical people. This is like going down the aisles in the supermarket and putting one of everything into your cart, then arriving at the checkout and discarding what you do not want to buy. This causes a "processing bottleneck". Studies using technology that allows us to see which parts of the brain are being used in particular tasks help us to see that this is what is happening inside the brains of people with autism. There is more activity in the brain regions designed for lower-order processing (going through the supermarket aisles) than in brain regions for high-order processing (moving through the checkout and going home with the items on your list). This may explain why children with autism often show significant challenges in areas of high-order processing (e.g. memory, attention, organization, language, etc.), because they spend so much time trying to deal with the basic incoming sensory information that they don't get time to practice the high-order thinking processing other children their age are practicing. Thus the brain of the child with autism starts to develop differently than the brain of his typical brother. There is some evidence that this processing style is already present when children with autism are born, even though the concurrent behaviors may not be recognized until 18-24 months later.

Psychologists call this style of processing (over-relying on lower-order processing) "weak central coherence." Central coherence describes the ability to process incoming information in context, pulling information together for higher-level meaning often at the expense of memory for detail. Weak central coherence then is the tendency of those with autism to rely on local feature processing (the details) rather than taking in the global nature of the situation. For instance after viewing identical pictures and then being asked to remember what was in the picture a typical person might describe the scene as "a forest at sunset" while a person with autism might remember "shiny leaves, orange light and a branch you could hang a swing from". This processing style is the reason people with autism outperform people without autism on specific tasks. One of these tasks is The Embedded Figures task. In this task, people might be shown a line drawing of a car which everyone can identify as such. When asked to point out the three triangles in the picture, people without autism are much slower than those with autism. This is because the typical people can not see "past" the car to label all it's constituent parts. The people with autism will identify the three triangles quickly because this is how they are practiced at seeing the world.

Research involving people with autism ranging from studies of how individual brain cells are connected to how people perform in psychological tests paints a picture of the world occupied by those with autism as fragmented, overwhelming and filled with "noise". This is corroborated by autobiographical reports from people with autism. Understanding the autistic child's fragmented and overwhelming world shows how important a child's external environment is when designing treatment and education for children with autism. It also explains why children with autism crave order and predictability in their physical environments.

Physical environments with higher amounts of sensory stimulation (e.g. bright visual displays, background noise, etc.) will add to the "noise" in an already overloaded sensory system making any new learning extremely challenging--like trying to learn Japanese in a shopping mall. The extent to which rooms can be tailored to meet the needs of these children is highly limited in a typical classroom setting, mainly due to the presence of other children and the subsequent size of the room. Even fluorescent lighting has been shown to affect the behavior of children with autism. These environmental considerations are either overlooked and their importance underestimated when placements are suggested for children with autism or it is beyond the scope of the school district to provide any other type of physical environment.

The Easy Part
The FIRST STEP along the road to building a comprehensive treatment program for your child is providing him or her with an appropriate environment in which to learn. Usually this means SIMPLIFY! Here's what to do:

1. Dedicate one room in your house to you child with autism. It could be your child's bedroom or another room (not too big, 12' x 12' is plenty, and smaller is fine depending on the age of your child). The room might even only be dedicated to your child with autism for part of the day (for instance if he or she shares a bedroom with a sibling) this is OK too. Do the best you can with the situation you have.

2. Remove all electronic toys from the dedicated room. This includes televisions, video-games, and anything battery powered (including singing / talking books and things that flash!) These toys can be over-stimulating for a child with autism and do not encourage social interaction.

3. Make sure you have incandescent light bulbs not fluorescent one. Fluorescent light bulbs flicker at a rate most of use tune out but that can be highly over-stimulating for people with autism.
4. Clear some space. Ideally you want the floor to be a free, clear open space on which you can play with your child. Have the minimal amount of furniture you can in the special room. Also simplify the amount of toys you have in the room and if possible put them all on shelves or in a closet.

These are the first step towards creating an optimal learning environment in which to work with your child. Parents running a home-based Son-Rise Programs are coached further on how to create a customized learning environment and Son-Rise Program playroom. The simple measures described here will aid in soothing your autistic child's over-active nervous system by making the world digestible and manageable and set the stage for social interaction and subsequent learning.

Kat Houghton is an autism treatment consultant specializing in The Son-Rise Program, a relationship-enhancement method of approaching autism. She is the founder and director of Inspired by Autism Consulting http://www.inspiredbyautism.com, director of research at The Autism Treatment Center of America and completing a PhD in Psychology at Lancaster University in the UK.

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Natural Remedies for Autism for More Normal Living

Natural remedies for autism are helpful in improving and managing the known symptoms of autism. It is common for parents and caregivers of people diagnosed with autism to feel frustrated. Feeling ignored as patients go through their endlessly repetitive daily behavior is normal. It is a struggle trying to communicate and reach the private world of people with autism. And since the signs, symptoms experiences of autism vary from person to person; it is never safe to generalize anything regarding effective treatment approaches and methods. Conventional treatment approaches recommend patients to take prescription medications to control their anxiety and prevent feelings of aggression and tantrums. However, the circulating news regarding the horrible effects of incorrect and prolonged use of common autism medications resulted in the ever increasing interest for safer and more natural options to managing and improving autism symptoms.

On natural remedies for autism

There is always a place for prescription medication in most cases of autism. However, there is always the risk and caution for the possibility of suffering minor to serious side-effects, especially with long-term use. On the other hand, patients are given options to try some natural remedies for autism, which usually combines herbal, homeopathic and holistic approaches to treatment to maintain systemic balance to the nervous system functions of the patients. In addition, they deliver many of the benefits of common autism medications but with minimal risks of sedation or side-effects.

Food Nutrient Therapy

Vitamins and mineral supplements were found to deliver substantial improvements to the functioning of autistic people. Symptoms like irritability, aggression, anxiety and tantrums are directly linked to lacking or of food nutrients. Poor diet and intolerances to certain foodstuff like gluten in wheat and grain products and dairy products trigger many bothersome symptoms of autism. In this light, parents of many autism patients have noted remarkable changes to behavior with the elimination of such foodstuff to the patient's diet.

There is also a link that the deficiency in fatty acids found in fish is directly linked to childhood autism. The cell membranes of autistic children process fatty acids at a much faster rate. Apparently, the brain cell membranes are largely comprised of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, substances that are found in abundance in salmon, mackerel and other oily fish. In a sense, deficiency in these fatty acids may be considered a partial trigger for autism.

Education and Therapy

Specialized education and physiotherapy are drug-free natural remedies for autism. Therapy approaches like occupational therapy, sensory integration and music therapy are helpful in offsetting the developmental delay caused by the disease. The combination of specialized education and physiotherapy is a powerful tool to ensuring the progress of any autism treatment plan. The impact of this treatment approach emphasizes that there are no quick fixes to overcoming the disease.

Herbal Therapy

Tranquilizing and antidepressant drugs are nothing new to autism patients. They are used to overcome highly distressing and volatile patient reactions toward seemingly small changes to their environment. However, the main downside of these drugs is that patients tend to develop tolerance with long-term use. In this light, the calming and soothing effect of herbal teas and tinctures proves to be an ideal and safe alternative to drug medications. Herbs like passiflora helps keep patients less irritable, less easily frustrated and calmer. St. John's wort prevents over-metabolism of serotonin, which deliberately improves mood and behavior and helps increase concentration.

Considerations

As autism became pandemic in the Western world, it continuously spreads worldwide. Hence, having more options to treatment gives patients more chances of overcoming the disease regaining a more normal life. The natural remedies for autism gives you a variety of treatment approaches to improve the symptoms and overall well-being of autism patients.

Want to find out more about Most Natural Remedies, then visit Elaine Schulstad's site on how to choose the best natural remedies for autism for your needs.

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How To Stop Echolalia In Autistic Children

Echolalia is a repetition of some form of dialogue that the Autistic child has heard. It can be repeated immediately or in can be repeated per verbatim at a later stage.
An example of immediate echolalia would be when someone asks the child "how are you?" and the child repeats "how are you?"
This can include complete dialogues that the Autistic child has heard from a conversation or a movie or radio broadcast.
It may not have a meaning to them at the time but they just repeat it.
Echolalia can be a little confusing when the child uses it all the time and then gets frustrated when people don't understand what they are trying to communicate.
An example of this would be if you asked the child what they wanted for lunch, a hamburger or a hotdog. An Autistic child with echolalia would say hotdog as it is the last thing they would have heard even if it was the hamburger they really wanted then they may get upset when presented with the hotdog.
Echolalia is being used by the child with Autism as a means of processing words and storing the words or complete dialogue for further use.
It increases their word bank and at times you may hear them practicing their dialogue using similar tones or inflections in speech as they heard it until they think that they got it right.
If careful attention is paid when listening to a child with echolalia, you may find that in their speech, there may be a link to what ever it is they are saying even in dialogue and what the situation is that is going on.
There are ways to stop or significantly decrease echolalia.
Present the Autistic child with two items, one that you know that they want, and one that you know they don't want.
When you offer the two items to the child, put the one that they don't want last.
For example, if you know that they like balls but they don't like puzzles, ask them "Do you want the ball or the puzzle?"
They will initially repeat "The puzzle".
At which point, hand the puzzle to them. They may get a little frustrated and make a grab for the ball and at that point you would repeat the question "Do you want the ball or the puzzle?"
As you ask, extend the ball towards them when you say ball and then extend the puzzle when you say puzzle.
After a couple or more times of this, the Autistic child with echolalia usually is starting to understand that they need to listen to what you are saying in order to get what they want.
Obviously you are going to start them out slowly and not make the requesting sentences too long or complicated as you just want them to get the idea that if they listen to your question and take the time to think about it, then answer by naming what it is they want, they will get what they desire.
Obviously your success in stopping the echolalia depends on the degree of Autism that they have but you should definitely be able to decrease it significantly in any case.
As time progresses this can be used for other more complex conversational situations and evoke more appropriate conversational responses from the autistic child with echolalia for questions such as how are you and what is your name.
Taken slowly but consistently, echolalia in an autistic child can be decreased significantly to the point where only an experienced person could pick it up.

Donna Mason has been a Registered Nurse for the past 16 years. She is the mother of 6 children, 3 of whom have varying degrees of Autism. For more information on Autism signs and symptoms, and to learn more about this mother's battle in the fight against this misunderstood condition, visit us on the web at: http://www.autisticadventures.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Mason

3 Common Behaviors of Kids With Autism

Children with autism vary greatly in their symptoms of the disorder, now more commonly known among the autism community as Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD. Symptoms of ASD can range from very mild, such as a person with high functioning Asperger's Syndrome, or very severe such as a child who is totally non-verbal and has very little ability to care for him or herself.

Here are three common behaviors in children with autism.

Behavior Number One: Children with autism have an extreme need for routine and structure. Despite the severity of a child's autism, most have an extreme need for routine, order and structure in their daily lives. They do best when on a routine schedule, preferably one that is posted visually with words and/or pictures.

Children with autism frequently want to eat the same types of food and drinks, some becoming very picky eaters. Perhaps more common than a picky eater is that the children will come to expect a certain food associated with a certain event. For instance, if the class always has pizza on Mondays, and pizza is not offered on Monday, a child with autism might get upset at this change in routine.

In the same regard, children with ASD can become upset when people change, such as in the case of a substitute teacher, a change in seats, or even visual displays changing from one day to the next. An example would be that all year the eight basic colors have been displayed on a bulletin board in a classroom. Very little reference has been made to the bulletin board but one day the red one falls down as the custodian in cleaning. No one notices but when the child with autism walks into the room, he says, "Red!" Being unable to communicate what he is talking about, he gets upset until finally someone is able to figure out what he is talking about.

Behavior Number Two: Children with Autism often engage in some type of obsession with an activity, thing or even a person.

Autistic children frequently develop obsessions with people, places or things to the point of not wanting to engage in anything unrelated to the obsession. Typical obsessions involve things such as Thomas the Tank Engine, zoo animals, a certain music C.D., or even vacuum cleaners. A typical scenario is that a peer who is unfamiliar with the child with autism asks, "Hi, what is your name?" The child with ASD who is obsessed with zoo animals responds, "Jonah and I went to the zoo yesterday. We saw lions. Did you know lions are carnivores and that the male lion is the dominant one in the pride. Groups of lions are called prides. Did you know that? Lions are known for their ability to hunt in a group. Usually it's the females that do this."

On a positive note, an obsession might be used to a person's advantage. A child who is obsessed with lions might one day grow up to work at the zoo and be the one totally responsible for the lion's habitat, or even become a lion expert, do research on lions, etc. Obsessions can change over time or be static.

Behavior Number Three: Children with autism usually have some type of difficulty communicating with others. Children with autism frequently have a difficult time maintaining eye contact. They can be non-verbal but most are verbal. Autistic children who are verbal typically had a difficult time answering "W" questions, meaning who, what, where, and why questions. If a child is asked, "Do you like ice cream?" they might be able to easily answer but if asked "What kind?" or "How much do you want?" it ,might be difficult for them to ask.

Some children with autism also demonstrate echolalia, which is repeating what others have said, either immediately after another person, or sometime later. Children who exhibit echolalia can imitate words and phrases, but also sounds such as bird calls, or repeat entire passages of words from a cartoon or movie. There are cases in which a child is non-verbal yet can repeat an entire television program, using the correct inflections and pitch.

There are many characteristics of autism but the above are three common ones.

Kristin Whiting is an adoptive Mom, Special Needs Preschool Teacher, and a regular contributor to Associated Content, Ezine, Squidoo and Hubpages. She has varied interests in such topics as family life, domestic adoption, foster parenting, healthcare, education, working with children who have special needs, social issues and GLBT parenting.
She can be reached through her two blogs - Amazing Family Life or My Special Needs Classroom - or her email at kwhiting644@yahoo.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristin_Whiting

My Autistic Genius - The Creative Link Between Autism And Genius

Though relatively new to the medical world many in the field believe their may be a direct correlation between autism and genius level thinkers. Many of our greatest historical thinkers are thought to have suffered from autism or Asperger's, so perhaps the rewiring of the autistic mind is actually a form of evolution, a level of higher thought.
Some of our greatest composers showed autistic traits and tendencies. These musical masterpieces were perhaps created by a mind more in tuned to music; after all, recent links have shown that music may help to minimize the effect of autism so perhaps some of its greatest creators were driven to do so in their focused minds in order to set things more right in their worlds. Beethoven, Hans Christian, and Mozart are amongst the worlds highest talented musical masterminds and all are thought to share one common ground, outside of music of course, and that is Asperger's.
Some of our greatest intellectual thought provokers and inventors are also thought to have suffered the similar diagnosis of autism. These include the likes of Newton, Einstein, Orwell and H G Wells. This does not mean that all who suffer from Asperger's and Autism are in the genius level, but it does prove that no matter what the case, we can help our loved ones in reaching their full potential, no matter what that may be.
So the decision is solely yours, you can choose to believe that those around you affected by Autism will never achieve anything or you can stand strong and true by there side and advocate for them to provide the most optimal outcome and the fullest life potential they have locked within them.

To help your autistic loved one do them a favour and click here!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sylvia_Rolfe

Parents With Autistic Children Should Consider Music Therapy As an Alternative Treatment for Autism

When you are parents with autistic children, there are so many autism treatments that you need to consider. There are so many different possible therapies out there, from the traditional to the alternative to ones that seem just plain crazy. One therapy that has been getting attention of late for an autism treatment is music therapy.

Music Therapy

Music therapy may not be exactly what you think it is. It is not focused on learning to play instruments so much as it is focused on using music to engage the mind and emotions of the autistic person, and helping them to communicate.

Music is a more primal, some would say more natural, more patterned way of communication. People with no abilities to communicate whatsoever have been shown to actually respond and connect to others with music therapy.

Most people with autism like patterns, and music is full of patterns. Also, music has rhythm. It is something that people with autism can feel, rather than have to think about.

Music Therapist

Music therapy is not instruction in music. A good music therapist will employ a variety of tools, information and creative methods to create musical environments where an autistic person will feel comfortable. The music therapist will create these environments based on each person's specific needs.

Music therapy requires no verbal ability, which is great for those with autism. Someone can ring a bell, bang a piano, or shake cymbals without having to talk - and by doing this, they can begin to communicate with other people through music. Many people will say that music is an ancient form of communication, maybe even our oldest form of communication.

Music therapists can build relationships with kids others might have thought unreachable by using music to reach them. They can help those with autism build communication skills, decrease their anxiety and increase their overall functioning ability.

Why does music therapy work well with autistic people?

1. Music is a universal language.


2. Music captures people's attention. Music motivates a person to respond and participate.


3. Music makes it possible for people with autism to express and identify emotions that they might not otherwise have been able to.


4. Music can help increase cognitive skills, and even help with auditory processing, gross and fine motor skills. This is because it acts as a kind of sensory integration therapy.


5. Music can reduce anxiety. Using the same piece of music over and over again can help create a sense of security and familiarity, which will help make an autistic person more comfortable and more ready to learn.

There are many different autism therapies for kids that parents with autistic children have to sort through. Music therapy can be one viable option to add to the mix.

Many interesting and somewhat lesser known therapies are also available. Parents should learn as much as you can about alternative treatments for autism. Tips from other parents and professionals can be extremely helpful. A great site that has tips and suggestions for additional treatments is the AmericanAutismSociety.org. There you can sign up for their FREE newsletter with tips and info on autism.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Kendall