How Massage Can Help You and Your Child With Autism

The recent CDC statistics that were released show that 1 in 50 children have Autism Spectrum disorder! This is an alarming increase from the last CDC statistics that estimated closer to 1 in 80. he CDC found more children above the age of 7 (above the age of normal diagnosis) which may account for the higher statistics. With the upcoming combination of what historically been several types of Autism into one encompassing Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD it creates a need for possibilities of treatment for the wide range of ages and symptoms with children diagnosed with ASD.
Massage is a great treatment option as it is not only low cost but helps facilitate and nurture a stronger bond between child and parent. The many benefits that may come from using massage are: improvements were seen in sleep patterns, on-task behavior, parent and child communication, increased positive responses to being touched, positive social interaction, motor skills, sensory function, language function, and general health. There are a lot of scientific data that backs up all of the benefits but results can still vary on each individual child..
Sleeping is a monumental issue with children of all ages, and something that parents can attest to after a long night of walking their child back to their room! A study done introduced the use of Touch to several families with ASD children, not only did the parents feel more in control and closer after the Touch training was done but also gained the perception by parents of the children as having improved sleep patterns, children were more relaxed after receiving the massage and appeared more open to touch1.
Children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) can often have trouble with attention behaviors which impact development of social interactions and relationships with others. In a study aimed at exploring how aromatherapy massage could increase shared attention behaviors, Steve Solomons, assistant head teacher at Rectory Paddock School and Research Unit in London set out to explore these issues. The children's responses were observed through the introduction of Aromatherapy. The results indicate that the children's shared attention behaviors increased during aromatherapy massage and other positive behavioral changes2.
Alternatively, standardized tests showed a decrease in common autistic behaviors, improvement in motor skills, sensory function, general health and language development in children. Using medical Qigong massage twice weekly from the physician and adding in daily massage from parents for a five week period created these results.
Multiple studies have shown that through the use of massage, children with ASD have seen improvements in wandering, more time showing on-task behavior, less time showing negative responses to being touched, and less time resisting the teacher than those in the control group4. Others reaffirm the use of massage as a way to improve social relatedness behavior during play observations at school, and fewer sleep problems at home5.
With all of the documented reasons why to start massaging there are some considerations to keep in mind. Similar to any medical treatment, consultation and guidance of a healthcare provider is a necessity! Important things to remember when massing your child is to always ask the permission, keeping the child involved is key, additionally adjusting and adapting your massage strokes for your child taking care and caution, making eye contact and continually using verbal and visual ques during the massage.
Copyright (c) 2013 Liddle Kidz Foundation Infant and Children's Pediatric Massage

Looking for tips and techniques to improve your child's health? Find answers to all your questions about autism massage, children's and pediatric massage at http://www.liddlekidz.com.

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Should Suspected Autistic Infants Be Given Iron Supplements?

You may not realize it but one in 88 children which are born in the United States now have autism. One mother told me that if this were any other medical issue or a disease, people would be outraged, and demand more research trying to figure out how to stop it, what causes it, or how to prevent it. Yes, I agree with her. Further, there are so many theories as to what causes it, or if it is just another evolutionary step for humankind, as our biological system works out the details as our brains are required to do more to survive, and to ensure that humans procreate in the future.
If there are smarter people having more babies because they can afford to, and people who are less intelligent having fewer babies because they cannot economically afford them, then we have a dynamic shift in who gets born to which families. If those families which have intelligent mothers and fathers have more complex brain biological features, then perhaps this could be an evolutionary issue, one that can be disrupted by other problems such as environmental issues, or maybe those brains need more in the way of certain types of nourishments as they are forming.
Of course, there are enough theories behind all of this speculation that it could drive someone nuts just plotting and all, but when you chart out all the different theories, it seems they do have at least some common themes. Recently there was a meeting of international researchers in Spain, a conference on autism.
After which, there was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal recently titled; "Autism Linked to Environmental Factors - New Studies of Air Pollution, Pesticides and Iron Bolster Evidence Tying Developmental Does Order to Influence His in Womb," by Shirley S Wang. The article stated amongst other things that;" one presentation suggested that iron supplements before an early in pregnancy may lower the risk, and a third suggested some association between use of various household insecticides and a higher risk of autism."
Sure, all of this does make sense because autism is caused by a change in brain formation and development. Of course, after the child is born the brain is still developing, so is there a way to make up for it, or some of it, and if so what if we gave on iron supplements to those children after they were born if they were suspected to have autism? Do our baby foods lack iron? Does mother's milk lack it due to diets? What causes a lack of iron?
These are questions I dare to ask, and I think we need more studying here. Since the US government is funding more brain research, how about it? How much would cost to do the study?
There are some mothers who are already giving supplements to their children, including iron supplements, or have them on specific diets which may contain more iron than other types of diets. It's just a matter of looking at statistics. Well, I hate to add more speculation and theories to all those already presented, but I wonder if anyone knows the answers to the questions I proposed this article. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

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An Overview of Autism Information and Symptoms

Autism is often described as a sort of neuro-developmental crisis. The classical autism symptoms often are related with an assortment of other symptoms and are together called autism spectrum disorder or (ASD). Autistic disorder is the most severe of these disorders. According to a survey, around 1 to 2 persons in every 1000 are reported to be autistic. In addition to this, it has been found out that males are four times more prone to develop the symptoms than females. According to estimation, there are 500000 people with ASD in the most developed countries like the United Kingdom.
The causes of autistic spectrum disorder are not clearly understood. However, experts believe that genetics play a prominent role. For example, if one sibling of a twin has autism, the other has more than 90% chance of developing the disorder. In some cases, brain injury during birth has also been identified as the cause of autism.
Recent research suggests that disruption of the brain during the early stages of foetal developmental is probably the main cause of autism. This disorder is not related in any way with parental practices.
It is diagnosed by the presence of three different classes of symptoms. These include low levels of social interaction, low levels of development of communication skills and repetitive or restricted behaviour patterns. Self injury is also not uncommon.
The early symptoms of autism are generally noticed by parents at about the time a child reaches two years of age, though the symptoms can begin to manifest as early as six months. Sometimes, the child develops normally for the first few months and then begins to regress and show signs. Even as a baby, an autistic child will display marked lack of social interaction. Normal pointing and babbling at the age of 1 year fails to develop. The child does not respond to names and does not respond to smiling or social contact. Instead, the child exhibits poor eye contact and may show obsessive behaviour with toys or other objects.
As the child grows up, the symptoms become more and more pronounced. They fail to socialize normally or to make friends. Instead, they seem obsessively occupied with certain objects. They fail to initiate or to hold up conversations and their pattern of language use is either repetitive or unusual. They become extremely pre-occupied with the routine while there is very little imaginative or social play.
Once these symptoms begin to appear, it is necessary to take the child to specialized health care professionals to diagnose if he is autistic. A multidisciplinary team is required to conduct a number of tests including neurological tests, cognitive tests and language tests to confirm whether the child has autism or not.
Last, but not the least, there are professionals engaged in providing specialised treatment. Hence, it would be advised to conduct a thorough research in order to select a right practitioner in this sphere. Make sure the medical practitioner you choose, can help you with the right advice and results.

Hima Bindu is a web enthusiast and a writer. She has afforded her articles and write-ups autonomously and through various online forums.
Get more information on Autism Symptoms & cerebral palsy treatment india

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Understanding Autistic Behavior

Autism is a very complex and difficult to understand disorder. Patients suffering from its symptoms mainly suffer from the impossibility to communicate with others, express their own feelings or integrate other person's actions. The language they use is very limited but also very hard to interpret.
Children with the autistic disorder usually use the same word or phrase to express different situations. Some repeat sentences like "get in the car" as they associate it with going outside. Others say "milk and cookies" when referring to a pleasant object or a pleasant action".
A meaningless voice tonality is commonly used while speaking and the persons around the autistic have difficulties in understanding his desires. Their body language is hard to interpret as they not necessarily smile when they are happy or cry when upset. Facial expressions, moves and gestures rarely match to what they are trying to say. Most common their voice assembles the one of a robot, is flat, high-pitched or sings-song- like.
Without any understandable means of gestures or language to express their needs, autistics cannot let others know what they wish. Most often they simply scream or even directly grab what they need. In specialty literature useful information is found about possible brain connections autistic patients make in a special circumstance when they are forced to scream in order to make themselves heard.
Autism does not usually effect the physical estate of the child, these are most often healthy and with good muscle control and still make repetitive movements. Some of them even spend hours making the same action like flapping fingers or trying dance moves and then suddenly freeze in a particular position; their behavior is known by specialists as self-stimulation or stereotyped actions. Some actions are repeated over and over again like a child running through the room and turning the lights on and off repeatedly.
Autistic children tend to develop obsessions with specific objects that may be funny, embarrassing or dangerous for the persons around them. Changes in their routine and environment are very upsetting for them as they want to eat same foods at the same hours or find their objects in the exact same position. This repetitive obsessive behavior is believed to bring stability into their lives or help them deal better with particular stimuli or pains. Other explanation may be the one saying that patients try to stimulate the diminished senses with their behavior or on the other hand use the well developed sense.

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

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Some Relevant Information About Autism Treatment

Before undertaking any meaningful discussion regarding the treatment of autism, it is necessary to remember that Autism Spectrum Disorder is an outcome of faulty developmental process of the brain and hence, it does not allow any provision for getting fixed or cured. So it is a life-long problem and those who have it, are supposed to spend their whole life in its company. The treatments devised for this condition do not aim to cure it, rather its treatment includes a wide and varied range of therapies that are designed to endow the autistic children with basic behavioral and communication skills that will enable them to face and handle problematic situations of their lives efficiently. Therapeutic treatments are conducted at one-on-one level and also in the form of groups. They offer to improve not only the speech related problems but also lend support in the form of strengthening emotional and psychological basis of their life. Sometimes these therapies are conducted in the form of special classroom education which are specifically designed to help people with autism.
Now what kind of treatment or therapeutic aid is required by the child depends on the severity of the autistic symptoms. Although there are some autistic children whose condition at least allows them to participate in group activities, but it is a thing to be borne in mind that the way they will perceive things and learn them will be drastically different from five other normal children- a fact that teachers and parents should take cognizance of. Sometimes such children become can act aggressively towards their peers and lash out to other children, because at such a young age it is difficult for such children to come to terms with things that seems to them very hard to accept. This kind of problem can be taken care of by the teachers and parents with patience and compassion through teaching these children socially acceptable norms of behavior and attitude.
There are therapies of various types to help autistic children to improve their social, behavioral, communication and adaptive skills. Given below are some of such therapies that you ought to know about that can exercise beneficial influence on the growth of your autistic child:
Therapies to mold behavioral structure:
These therapies and programs mainly provide help to the autistic children through positive stroke and reinforcement, self-help and social skill training program in order to ameliorate their behavioral pattern.
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Sensory Integration and Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) are two of the most popular programs run to lend help to such children.
Specialized therapies:
Specialized therapies are an umbrella term that covers a variety of physical, occupational and speech therapies. These therapies contribute a lot in terms of facilitating the normal growth of autistic children and now they constitute an essential component of an autistic child's treatment program. Physical and occupational therapy aim to overcome the problems of co-ordination and enables them to process information in an efficient manner acquired though the five senses. Speech therapy on the other hand works to better their social and language skill. Due to the lack of language skill, these children run the risk of developing antisocial tendencies that can distance them from their peers. This particular therapy enables them to develop communication skill that ultimately leads to their better understanding of those around them and hence, indirectly ensures their capability to befriend others.
Medicinal aid:
Assistance of medicines are sought in order to tackle various autistic behavior related issues that covers depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Insomnia is another common trait among autistic children which can also be taken care of with the help of medicine.
Among the alternative medical approaches that have proved to be useful to relieve the condition of autism is the hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Although it has been found to notably improve some of the symptoms that we habitually associate with autism spectrum, but its credibility as the sole treatment has not been established yet, as doctors are of varied opinion regarding its efficacy to alleviate the autistic symptoms.
Before deciding on any method of treatment, the safest bet will be know and explore the full potential of the treatment procedure you are opting for, as autistic symptoms vary from person to person. Doctors and psychologists are yet to find a uniform method that will affect a cure of autism, but various medical studies have-showed that diagnosis at the primary stage and early medical measures can contribute to ameliorate this condition.

Milan Zones is a psycho therapist having a long experience of working with autistic children. He shares insider's view about various types of autism treatment California.

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Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Consists of Five Neurodevelopmental Disorders Including Austism

Pervasive developmental disorder is a number of neurodevelopmental disorders classified under one umbrella. They are called either pervasive developmental disorder or, as they are more commonly known, autism spectrum disorders. There are five disorders included in this group. The most common one is known as autistic disorder, or Kanner's autism, and is considered the most severe.  Asperger's syndrome is the milder form. They both share the same symptoms, verbal and non-verbal communication difficulties, lacking the ability for imaginative play with repetitive play instead and poor social interaction skills.
A third is Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise specified. This one is for all the people who have many of the symptoms of these neurodevelopmental disorders but not enough symptoms to be definitely placed in one category or another. So, as they are not specifically sufferers of either Asperger's syndrome or Kanner's autism or either of the regressive autisms, they get lumped into this category.
The regressive autisms are more frightening because the child starts out making normal progress, which then not only stops but also disappears. All the progress made by the child is gone in a short period of time leaving the child to start again and the parent's completely bewildered.  Both of these are very rare but they do occur. Rett Syndrome has another oddity; almost all those that suffer from this disorder are girls. The other autism disorders are more likely to affect boys, though girls do have autism too. The regression with Rett Syndrome begins as early as six months of age and not later than a year and a half.  The child stops any of the developmental progress she has made, stops being that cuddly baby and pulls away, then begins to show the signs of autism. She also loses control of her feet and constantly wrings her hands.
The other regressive type of autism is called Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. This is worse to watch as the child meets all their milestones including speaking until they hit the age of three or at the latest four years of age. Then in the space of a few months it's all lost. They lose their sunny disposition, the ability to talk, and they can no longer control their bowels or bladder despite having already been potty trained. This regression can be very confusing for the child and earth shattering for the parents who watch their smiley child lose all interest in normal physical contact.
No matter which pervasive development disorder your child has early intervention is a must to give them the best chance in life. This should include occupation, speech and physical therapies.

If you think that there is "something not right" with your child you must find out as soon as possible if autism is the issue. Treatments are less effective with each passing day as we grow older, so find out now with the complete autism resource for determining symptoms and goes into depth about ALL treatment options for autism, natural AND medical. So do your family a favor and check out the information at Autism Symptoms.
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Strategies to Deal With My ASD Child Who Isn't Interested in the Holidays

Do you have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that is just not interested in the holiday fanfare?
Unfortunately, many children on the spectrum may be tuned out or just not interested in some or all that comes with the holidays.We expect the holiday excitement we develop as parents to be contagious and easily passed along to our kids from the very beginning and we certainly don't anticipate they will be disinterested. Typically, young children readily embrace the routines and rituals we offer without question. Eventually, the anticipation becomes mutually reciprocal and inspires ideas and activities that create new memories for the next generation.
As young adults, some of us can lose interest in the holidays and become Grinch-like or mumble a few bah-humbugs. Yet when we become new parents, we assume having children will reignite a new level of anticipation to the season that may have dimmed over the years. In addition, the holidays with young children in the picture are bound to trigger our own childhood memories and renew our feelings of excitement.
Our past experiences will always color the way we envision our holidays and how we want them to unfold. My husband and I may have different opinions when it comes to celebrating the holidays but we do our best to understand where each of us is coming from and show respect for each other's feelings. Despite our sincere attempts to accommodate our individual traditions and wishes, differences of opinions and attitudes sometimes arise.
But how do we deal with the disappointment that comes when our child with Autism does not reach the level of interest in the holidays that we hoped for?
What if your son with Aspergers does not want to help decorate the tree or your daughter with PDD-NOS shows no interest in gift giving?
What does a parent do when the spark and exhilaration for the holiday season is not present in their child?
Here are some suggestions for parents who find themselves dealing with such a situation.
- Accept reality. Acknowledge that your child may never be exuberant about the same things you are and reframe your vision of the holidays. This is just another exercise in accepting your child for who he or she is and honoring and respecting those differences.
- Examine your intent. Based on your values and your long term goals for your child ask yourself, What do I want the holidays to mean for my child? What message do I want to impart? This offers any family a wonderful opportunity to examine the real meaning of the holidays.
- Don't take it personally. This is not about you - it is not a rejection of who you are as a parent. Our job as parents is to expose our children to our values and way of life while teaching them to become independent thinkers and doers.
- Lower your expectations. Knowing what you know about your child's nuances, sensory sensitivities and ability to communicate remember to customize your expectations accordingly. Think out of the box when it comes to finding ways to engage them and get them to participate.
- View it from their perspective. Put yourself in their shoes and force yourself to walk through the holiday season in them. Pay attention to what might be getting in their way - situations that have the potential to cause anxiety or communication problems that might be causing roadblocks - and do your best to address these issues and make adjustments accordingly.
- Know how much to push. All children need to be motivated at times, even those not on the Autism spectrum. If your child is not interested in a certain activity, always start small by gently encouraging them to hang one ornament on the tree or give them the task of lighting one menorah candle.
- Pay attention to siblings. Find a way to honor the things your other children enjoy around the holidays even if it means hiring that special sitter, leaving your child with Autism with relatives or taking turns individually as parents. Trying to accommodate your neuro-typical children so they don't feel captive to the world of Autism is a challenge but can be accomplished with adequate preparation and planning.
All in all, don't over accommodate your child with Autism at the expense of everyone else's fun. He or she needs to learn that the world does not revolve around him or her and they should be expected to participate together as a family in certain activities when appropriate. Keeping the information presented above in mind will not only help you shift your mindset but will also guide your decision making as well.

Connie Hammer, MSW, parent educator, consultant and coach, guides parents of young children recently diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to uncover abilities and change possibilities. Visit her website to access Happy Parents, Happy Kids - Overcoming Autistic Behavioral Issues at http://parentcoachingforautism.com/how-we-help/products, a program to help you change behaviors, and get your FREE resources - a parenting e-course, Parenting a Child with Autism - 3 Secrets to Thrive and a weekly parenting tip newsletter, The Spectrum.

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Facing an Autism Diagnosis

An autism diagnosis is a shock for any family to bear - even though you know it's a possibility. It's not what you want to hear, and secretly you're hoping to hear something different. If you've questioned a diagnosis of autism - convinced that it's wrong and that it can't be the explanation for your child - you're not alone. It's a very usual initial reaction. And after that can come a flood of other feelings and emotions, turning these early days into a rollercoaster ride.
In this article we look at some of the common responses, and consider ways of coming to terms with to the autism diagnosis.
Diagnosis Denial
You are never fully prepared for a diagnosis of autism, and - as we said above - refusing to accept it is a very common first response. Rather than face the fact that there's a problem that needs addressing, you might blame the doctors for not understanding your child, or accuse them of getting something wrong.
But although denial is an initial coping mechanism, it's not helpful longer term as it could blind you to the fact that your child needs help. So even if you don't initially agree - even if the very thought makes you angry and sad - take time to listen to the facts and consider the information. Keep an open mind.
Sadness and Grief
These are well known emotions people have to deal with when they receive a serious medical diagnosis. And when that's an autism diagnosis for their child that seems to shatter the dreams they've had for their child, the sadness and grief can, initially, be overwhelming. But they are normal responses, so don't beat yourself up or try to bury the grief. Try to work through this real mourning phase and if you need a good cry, then have one. Just swallowing the pain can cause you more damage. Remember - you're not being depressed; you're experiencing a normal emotion and you can work through it to get to acceptance.
Anger
From the passivity of sadness to the exploding activity of anger - and it can happen in a minute, so don't let it take you by surprise. You can see-saw from one to the other throughout the day, and the anger can often be towards those closest to you or towards parents of healthy children. No, it's not pleasant, to experience or receive. But it is a normal response - a way of warning people that you are deeply hurt, and a release of tension. Keeping anger bottled up is bad for you, but so is letting it explode. So talk to people about how you feel, don't try and hide your emotions completely.
Finally - Acceptance
If you're having any of these problems with your child's autism diagnosis, be reassured that they are part of a journey, not the destination. The destination is acceptance and with it the ability of being your child's best and strongest advocate.
Be Gentle With Yourself
All this can take time, and different family members may need more or less time to adjust. Once there is acceptance the real work can begin and you can start to help your child. Research autism as much as you can, get an understanding of the treatments, and see your child begin to make progress. In summary: an autism diagnosis is just the beginning - and it can bring hope.

Jane Howitt studied dentistry, went on to graduate as a psychologist and is an experienced teacher and a copywriter. She has written extensively about Autism and is committed to disseminating valuable information to those who need it. Visit her blog at Vital Info About Autism

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Toys That Help Autistic Kids Using The Multisensory Approach

One of the emerging techniques in helping autistic kids develop their sensory and motor skills is the multisensory approach, which uses baby toys and games that encourage the child to make use of two or more senses together. When you're selecting the right toys and games for an autistic kid, you should find products that produce music or some kind of sound when they're touched or pressed. For instance, a teddy bear that says "I love you" is a good idea for a toy to give to a special child. Other suggestions are included in the following discussion about educational and nurturing products for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Some children with autism learn when presented with visual cues along with sounds. So, a therapist may hold up cards with colorful illustrations while saying the words printed on them. When a child with ASD has the ability to focus on visual stimuli even for a few seconds, this technique has a chance of improving the child's cognitive functions. As an alternative, the toy itself makes the sound, such as a pre-recorded voice speaking the word. This is most common with electronic toys that produce animal sounds when the child presses the key with an image of the animal.
However, among baby toys that are best used during a multisensory training with an autistic child is the set of nine blocks in the Plan Toys pack. The set includes three visual blocks, 3 auditory blocks, and 3 blocks for kinetic learning. Each block's surface has a different feel to encourage the child to identify various textures based on touch. The other blocks must be handled with an adult present to guide the child when determining the differences between the visual cues, verbal cues, and tactile sensations.
Auditory and olfactory senses are another pair of sensory stimuli that help kids with ASD control how they interact with their environment. A set of visually arresting cards that have been printed with colorful images of common fruits also contains small packets that exude the scent of each fruit. These common fruits include banana, apple, orange, and strawberry. A second set that works the same way contains images of foods, such as chocolate, milk, cheese, pizza, and ice cream. After learning which scents are associated with foods or fruits, the child may point to the cards to indicate the kind of food he or she wants to eat. Even when the child hasn't learned to speak the words yet, this ability to recognize objects visually is a great leap towards helping an autistic kid in developing cognitive functions.

Encourage positive interaction that strengthens bonding with your kids through creative play. Guide them through their discovery of the world around them using educational baby toys and nurturing products for children with special needs. Find them all at http://www.limetreekids.com.au where kids and parents can learn from each other.

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Autism Finding Could Lead to Simple Urine Test for the Condition

Determining that a child has autism is an important part of starting early treatment. When intervention begins early, children have better success rates and are more likely to act in relatively normal ways. The problem with autism diagnosis is that it is a long process that takes months to reach a final conclusion. While the current diagnostic tools are in the process of developing, new research suggests that it is possible to catch the problem earlier with a simple urine test.
Current Diagnostic Tools:
The current tools to diagnose autism are inefficient because the focus is excluding other potential problems. For example, doctors will test hearing to ensure that the problem with reacting socially is not related to an inability to hear.
While it is possible to diagnose autism at an early age, the process of making a final decision is about ruling out other options. It takes several months or even as long as a year to determine that children are struggling with autism and need treatment to improve their ability to function in normal society.
Gut Differences:
While current tools are limited, new research is making it possible to identify biological differences between children with autism and children without the condition. New research has identified differences in the gut that will provide more opportunities to accurately diagnose autism at an earlier stage when children might be able to improve social functioning.
The major difference in the gut is the metabolism, bacteria and elements involved in digestion. Children with autism have a different metabolic rate and bacteria in the body that breaks down food items. As a result, the components in a urine sample will differ and a simple urine test can identify autism.
Developing Tests:
Although experts understand that the gut of a child with autism is different from a child without the problem, tests are still in the developmental phase. Researchers are identifying different elements in the urine samples that will consistently provide positive results for autism.
Future Benefits:
Since current testing still follows traditional routes, the new tests will offer benefits for future generations. Parents and doctors will discover autism faster, which provides a higher chance of treatment success for high-functioning children.
The benefits are not limited to only the early treatment. Since the differences in the digestive system are being identified, it will lead to better treatment of digestive problems for autistic patients. Over time, the treatment options will improve and children will have fewer health problems associated with autism.
Research is making it possible to test for autism in the urine. By simplifying the process of identifying the problem, doctors are able to start treatment earlier and more children will successfully live in normal society. The benefit of early treatment and the ability to treat other common problems associated with autism will help parents and doctors keep the children as health and happy as possible.

Letendre Ed is the author of this article on Surgical supplies.
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Replacing Negative Behaviors in Children With Habit Training

Parents often complain that they work on changing one irritating behavior only to find their child has replaced it with another annoying action. The easy solution to this problem is to choose the replacement behavior yourself and instill it as a habit.
All children have the ability to learn new ways of doing things and develop new habits or ways of relating. But when left to their own devices children, especially those on the Autism spectrum, will easily retire into their own little worlds and continue the patterns that have been wired into their brains. Therefore, establishing new behaviors of any type will take much encouragement and repetition over a span of time.
As the saying goes, even the most intelligent people typically have to do something twenty-one times before it becomes a habit. How much repetition and for how long depends on what it is you are trying to eliminate or change. Bad habits are harder to break because one has to struggle against the power of immediate reinforcement; such as, making my sister cry always gets me my mother's attention.
Replacing old behaviors with new ones also takes lots of focused energy and effort. If you want to eliminate a negative behavior and substitute it with a more acceptable one, patience and consistency are a must. Most children will need to have the new behavior labeled, taught and role modeled, followed by many opportunities to practice. This may be difficult for busy parents to do but essential nonetheless if a change for the better is the goal.
Breaking an old habit is like blazing a new trail in a jungle - it may not be as easy as following the well-worn path but worth it if it avoids the quicksand. As children routinely perform the same action over and over again, their brain slowly gets rewired as the alternative pattern of behavior creates new neural pathways. Once established, these will override the old ones and become the default behavior.
Here are five easy steps to habit train your child:
1) Choose a value or a behavior you want to instill or modify. Prioritize them in order of annoyance and start at the top only working your way down when the one above has been mastered.
2) Provide appropriate substitutes for behaviors you want to change. If you want to stop a behavior you need to introduce an appropriate alternative to take it's place and specifically train your child to use it.
3) Make it easy for your child to remember the new behavior. Train your child with prompts and reward the behavior you want to see more of. If you are trying to get your child to stop screaming post visual reminders for them to use their 'inside voice' all around the house and praise them immediately and specifically when she speaks appropriately.
4) Be intentional and consistent in your teaching. This means creating a plan of action, getting all household members on board with it and spending the time necessary to address the negative behavior you want to eliminate every time it surfaces.
5) Practice, practice, practice. Being extremely specific and concrete with your directives and using role-play as a tool will help children with Autism generalize from one situation to another. Giving children ample opportunities to practice new behaviors is extremely important and cannot be overdone if you want to achieve success.
Always remember that many negative, aggressive behaviors and tantrums in children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder often stem from an inability to communicate effectively. If you were a non-verbal child and unable to communicate your needs to get them met, wouldn't you tend to tantrum too? Even a child with some language ability, who is trying his best to communicate but can't get his point across, can easily become frustrated and discouraged.
In cases such as these, stopping negative behaviors may have more to do with improving communication than teaching substitute behaviors. Introducing alternative methods of communication and training them to use it can form new habits and ways of relating to people that result in more satisfaction and less frustration for all. An Augmentative or Alternative Communication (AAC) method or device may mean the difference between feeling invisible, isolated, and dependent versus being able to be seen/heard, interact and get their own needs met.
As parents we need to fully embrace our role as teacher or trainer and not shy away from it. Yes it is time consuming but consistently instructing and guiding our children is what gets the best results. If not, we are granting any and all behaviors permission to take hold. We all know that the deeper a root has established itself the harder it is to remove. So make your job easier and tackle those negative behaviors before they become too ingrained.

Connie Hammer, MSW, parent educator, consultant and coach, guides parents of young children recently diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to uncover abilities and change possibilities. Visit her website to access Happy Parents, Happy Kids - Overcoming Autistic Behavioral Issues at http://parentcoachingforautism.com/how-we-help/products, a program to help you change behaviors, and get your FREE resources - a parenting e-course, Parenting a Child with Autism - 3 Secrets to Thrive and a weekly parenting tip newsletter, The Spectrum.

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Bean Bag Chairs Help Kids With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by a wide range of developmental disorders.  It affects as many as 1 out of every 150 children.  Parents of children with autism can employ many different strategies to help improve their child's behavior and mood.  One way of helping to treat a child with autism or with other intellectual disabilities is to make use of a bean bag chair.  A bean bag chair is soft, comfortable, and is able to apply equal press across your child's whole body.  This can help to calm a child down when they begin to show signs of aggression or may consider harming them self or others.  A bean bag chair can also be used as an exercise aid.

When choosing a bean bag chair, the first consideration is size.  They range in size from as little as three fit all the way up to eight feet.  One of the most popular sizes is six feet wide and allows your child to be completely immersed in it and is comfortable for them to use when watching television.

Bean bag chairs are available in a series of colors and textures.  One of the most popular fabric choices is microfiber suede.  It’s soft and plush which is great for all children, especially for children with autism.

There use extends past just being a piece of furniture.  One exercise you can do is to allow the child to pick up the bean bag chair and move it from one room to the next.  This is dependent upon the size and weight of the beanbag chair, but doing so will help to work out the child’s motor muscles.  Another exercise is to allow the child to sit in the bean bag chair and apply pressure to the sides of the chair as to simulate a cocoon.  This kind of exercise applies deep pressure touch which can be benefits for autistic children who are prone to violent movements (also known as “crashers”).  It enables the child to become less sensitive to touch and prevents any opportunities for the child to hurt himself during the process.  Regardless of the exercise, it is important to explain the nature of the exercise and doing it for a specified amount of time.

With the many features and benefits of a beanbag chair, buying one which provides the comfort and affordability necessary to meet your needs is crucial.  Comfy Sacks has bean bag chairs in a wide variety of sizes and colors.  Instead of being filled with beans, they are filled with a proprietary blend of shredded polyurethane foam.  This guarantees that it will be soft, and durable for years to come.


Think that bean bag chairs are right for your child's sensory processing disorders, or want to see some large bean bags? Then check out the beanbags at ComfySacks.com

By: John Tucks

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Think that bean bag chairs are right for your child's sensory processing disorders, or want to see some large bean bags? Then check out the beanbags at ComfySacks.com

Recognizing Signs of Stress in Kids With Autism

There are many things that can cause stress in any child. This can include a change in family dynamics, fighting with siblings or typical tension in the home. While these may be manageable stressors for adults, they can be big deals to children so it is important not to dismiss them.
Other stressors for children include issues at school such as teachers, class difficulty, bullies, homework, friends and much more. If you have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder you can add even more triggers to the list such as sensory sensitivities, an inability to communicate his or her needs effectively and difficulty de-coding confusing social situations.
Never assume that your child with Autism is without stress. Wouldn't you be if you had to live in a world that was foreign to you?
Whether on or off the spectrum, children do get stressed but they may not display the same signs of stress that adults show. Therefore, it's important to watch for the common signs of stress in your children so you can catch stress before it builds and causes other problems.
If your child has more than his share of emotional meltdowns and you want to minimize the ones that are caused by anxiety and stress then you need to sharpen your detective skills. Below are several common warning signals of stress found in children.
• Withdrawal: Most people can relate to a desire to escape when tension begins to build. This is one area where children often become invisible. Parents tend to see quiet time alone as a good thing and they appreciate the peace and quiet this may bring. But children on the Autism spectrum retreat into their own little world enough as it is so any increase in this type of behavior can be a red flag.
• Unexplained Aggression: Many stressed-out children begin to act out in ways that are uncharacteristic for them and are aggressive in nature. For example, if your child doesn't typically show aggression that involves actions such as kicking, hitting, biting and other aggressive actions - take heed once they begin to engage in these new behaviors.
• Anger - Anger can produce stress when you don't understand what is happening or you are lacking the tools to deal with it appropriately. Not knowing how to identify or deal with angry emotions can heighten anxiety in children. It is scary when angry feelings get out of control, especially if they are your own. Also, even when children understand how to deal with anger, stress can make them less likely to handle it properly. Therefore, be on the lookout for unexplained outbursts of anger that don't fit the crime.
• Lethargic Behavior - Children can become depressed when they are overrun with stress and one of the common signs of this is a lack of energy, or lethargic behavior. It may not be depression exactly, but may just be your child's way of dealing with the stress.
• Developmental Setbacks - If a child is stressed out you may notice that he or she is regressing or adopting habits that have long since been broken. For example, it's not uncommon for young children under stress to resort back to thumb sucking and/or lose the ability to dress him or her self or anything else he or she may have recently mastered.
• Repetitive behaviors - Children with Autism often have a tendency to engage in repetitive movements such as rocking and hair twirling that help to calm them when they become anxious. Don't wait for a full-blown 'stimming' episode to occur before intervening to reduce stress levels. Pay attention to what happens just prior to escalation and intervene with distraction or alter the environment.
Stress may be a part of everyday life but there are many things one can do to prevent stress from building and alleviate it when it occurs. The first step in this process is to recognize the signs and label them as warnings. Knowing what those red flags are will help you intervene quickly when you see them.

Connie Hammer, MSW, parent educator, consultant and coach, guides parents of young children recently diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to uncover abilities and change possibilities. Visit her website to access Happy Parents, Happy Kids - Overcoming Autistic Behavioral Issues at http://parentcoachingforautism.com/how-we-help/products , a program to help you change behaviors, and get your FREE resources - a parenting e-course, Parenting a Child with Autism - 3 Secrets to Thrive and a weekly parenting tip newsletter, The Spectrum.

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A Dozen Ideas to Manage Your ASD Child's Repetitive Behaviors

There are many things we do to stimulate or calm our senses
. We rock babies to soothe them and we sing or hum to ourselves in the shower, we fan ourselves to cool off when we are hot, and we hug and kiss others to give and receive comfort. When we want to increase or arouse our senses we often run or engage in some form of physical activity or exercise, or we may turn the music on loud to get in a party mood and dance. Most of these behaviors are seen as appropriate if carried out at the proper time and in the proper place.Then there is the term 'stimming', often associated with Autism, which conjures up a more negative image. The term 'stimming' or 'stim' cannot be found in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary but is defined by Wikipedia as "a repetitive body movement, such as hand flapping, that is hypothesized to stimulate one or more senses".
In the world of Autism 'stimming' is known as any type of repetitive, stereotypical behavior engaged in to alleviate or increase sensory input. It is derived from the verb; to stimulate; to provide stimulation in order to get a response, make someone interested, more alert or engaged in something.
We all engage in sensory regulation - behaviors that seek to arouse or calm our nervous system and there are many that are approved by our culture but we don't refer to all of them as 'stimming'. Is stimming just another word for patterns of self-regulatory behavior that are unacceptable? Depending what form the behavior takes and how often it occurs it could be seen as normal - a way to help a person function, or abnormal - a pattern of obsession.
Every child whether on or off the Autism spectrum, will attempt to modulate his or her sensory experience as they interact with their world. Only ten percent of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) actually engage in what we now call 'stimming' - exaggerated self-stimulation. Many of these activities would be considered outside the norm, such as hand flapping, spinning, toe-walking, licking objects, tracking hand movements or sniffing foods, items or people, to mention a few.
Unfortunately these activities can be embarrassing and even stigmatizing because our culture does not yet understand Autism. Many individuals who are not touched by Autism, and even some of those who are, fear anything that is odd, different or left or right of the so-called norm. The hope is that tolerance and better understanding will come but what is a parent to do in the meantime?. ..
It is very important that you discuss these behaviors with your child's Occupational Therapist and follow his or her recommendations. If your child does not have a qualified OT, find one. Make this a priority regardless of insurance coverage. Whatever money you may need to expend, you will get a wonderful return on your investment. A qualified occupational therapist will be able to create a customized sensory diet for your child that will not only help reduce 'stimming' behaviors but will address emotional meltdowns and much, much more.
While you are shopping around for an occupational therapist there is much you can do yourself. You are the expert on your child! You alone hold the key to unlocking his or her world - the more you understand, the better you will be able to maximize his or her potential.
In addition, any occupational therapist you currently have or are about to acquire will appreciate any and all of the information you can provide from the suggestions below. Here are a dozen ideas to help you understand and manage what some call 'stimming' behaviors in your child.
1. Conduct a detailed review. When solving any problem, I you to begin with a thorough assessment of your child's behaviors. Is there a behavior that interferes with daily living such as his ability to pay attention? Are there any behaviors that negatively impact her social life? Are any of these behaviors obsessive?
2. Seek to understand the function of these behaviors. It is important to remember that most of these are unconscious and they occur involuntarily to some degree, especially in the beginning. However, once a child realizes the rush or relief it brings to her senses it then becomes more intentional and easily gets reinforced into a habit. As long as it is deemed appropriate it can become a functional way to self-regulate one's sensory experience but if it is seen as dysfunctional and not channeled in the right way it can easily spiral out of control.
3. Gather information. If your child is verbal don't be afraid to engage him in conversation about his repetitive behaviors. If your child stares excessively at an object, consider asking him, "Are you trying to do something with your eyes? Tell me what you see." If he is able to verbalize an answer you will have gathered extremely useful information to address the behavior with.
4. Make lists. Most of your child's behaviors are functional - serve a purpose for meeting a sensory need - but they may not necessarily be appropriate. Make a list categorizing the behavior(s) as functional and appropriate vs. functional and inappropriate then you can create a plan to address them.
5. Focus on the positives first. Concentrating on appropriate behaviors and explaining the function they serve and why they are acceptable can reinforce more of the same. "I like the way your hands are being quiet. It makes it easier for you to pay attention to what is going on around you." Then the focus can turn to redirecting the inappropriate behaviors and substituting them with more suitable outlets.
6. Create a calm environment. It is well known that children with ASD often engage in 'stimming' when they are stressed or as a means to manage emotions such as fear, anger and anxiety. Therefore maintaining an atmosphere that is as tranquil, predictable and appeasing to her senses as possible will prevent many of these behaviors from occurring.
7. Be an early bird. Catch any behavior that is less than acceptable when it first begins to repeat itself. Don't comment or draw attention to the behavior. Use your detective powers to surmise what purpose the behavior may be serving and then calmly redirect your child to another more acceptable activity that will still provide similar sensory relief.
8. Schedule 'stim' time to teach appropriate time and place. No one can stop a behavior cold turkey, especially if it has been meeting a physical, psychological or sensory need and there is nothing to replace it with. Schedule times and places throughout your child's day when she knows she will be able to engage in the behavior you are trying to modify. Think of it as a gradual weaning process - as you decrease exposure to the negative stimuli you slowly increase exposure to the more positive substitute.
9. Change your vocabulary. Just because someone else may refer to certain behaviors your child exhibits as 'stimming' it doesn't mean you have to use the term yourself. We all have habits, mannerisms, and idiosyncrasies that we engage in. I challenge you to think outside the box and create your own term, something more positive to describe your child's repetitive behaviors.
10. Use distraction. When you notice your child beginning to engage in a repetitive behavior give your child something to do or start a conversation. When we are bored, we all default into behaviors that we are not even conscious of doing. So just in case the trigger is boredom, get your child physically active - engage her in exercise or some other activity she can chose from. Sometimes just asking, "What are you thinking about?" will be enough to distract her and stop the behavior.
11. Be realistic. There are some behaviors that may be defined as 'stimming' that your child may need to keep as a way to cope with daily life. It is unrealistic to expect to completely eradicate all of her repetitive actions. There is no need to take these activities away from her as this can create even more anxiety. What IS realistic to expect is to be able to modify and or shift them into more appropriate and acceptable forms of behavior as time goes on.
12. Count your blessings and focus on the positive. Take ample time to dwell on all the things your child can do well and the baby steps towards progress he is making. Keeping a journal is a wonderful way to maintain your attention towards the positive. Once the good is documented it takes on a life of it's own and becomes much more difficult to dismiss.
Remember, 'stimming' behaviors are very unique to the individual. As the saying goes, "Once you have met one child with Autism, you have met one child with Autism." Your child may need to reduce their visual input by constantly squinting and moving her head to a certain angle in order not to get overwhelmed in certain situations. Another child may need excessive sensory stimulation by staring at lights but then there are some neuro-typicals that get a sensory rush from bungy jumping, or flying off a cliff... We all have little idiosyncrasies that help us deal with and experience the world, there is no better or worse, it's just different for everyone, especially for individuals on the Autism spectrum.

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

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Principles Of Excellent Autism Care And Treatment

As an autism consultant I've observed families struggle with the overwhelming amount of information and treatment options recommended for their child. While I don't believe that any approach addresses all of a child or family's needs, I have seen the effects (both positive and negative) of enough approaches to appreciate the principles that seem to lead to the best results. In my quest to get to the 'root' of my client's obstacles to progress, I've trained and achieved certification in several complementary modalities over the past several years. This list is a summary of some of my observations of what is most helpful working with families through a variety of developmental approaches:
1. Treatment is Heart-Centered - all caregivers (parents, babysitters, therapists) and service providers should ideally be coming from a place of supportive, loving energy. (Not to be confused with celebrating for no reason).
2. Family Priorities are established in the intake process to guide treatment objectives.
3. Treatment goals are directly related to functional improvements in Quality of Life for the child and the family. (A child in Florida does not need to know what a sheep is when he doesn't know another person is in the same room with him.)
4. Spontaneous independent demonstration of skills and behavior is how progress should be measured - it does not matter what a child is doing when prompted if we don't see spontaneous generalization and use of skills.
5. Instill in parents that they don't have to do everything at once, nor do they have to do everything before the child turns 5 years old. The medical establishment unnecessarily stresses parents by drilling this false notion into their psyche. People grow and develop throughout their whole lives. Otherwise none of us would have learned to drive a car.
6. Don't believe "conventional wisdom". Science is important and critical thinking is imperative. However, be aware that it takes decades before the cutting edge research is distilled into textbooks which are used to train the next generation of therapists. The majority of professionals diagnosing autism and making treatment recommendations have little real-world experience in the homes of families who live with an autistic child. In addition, it is rare to find a diagnosing professional who has a good idea of the pros and cons of various treatment modalities. Just because a PhD or MD says ABA is the 'only' effective autism therapy does not mean it is true (it is not). It just means it is the only one they have heard much about and they probably learned about it in their doctoral or medical school program at a continuing education seminar.
7. Autism can be thought of as a disorder of Regulation - therefore, treatment priorities should emphasize 'bottom-up' as well as 'top-down' processing modalities that support regulation of the brain and nervous system. Self-regulation and Co-regulation can be addressed through a combination of various body-mind (i.e. HANDLE® and MNRI®) and cognitive-developmental approaches (i.e. RDI® and Miller Method®) that are very successful at getting to the root of many of the processing challenges children with autism tend to have.
8. Teaching skills (i.e. academics, ABA, etc.) should be addressed after Self-Regulation and Co-regulation are in progress or developing. (Self-regulation is not to be confused with "Compliance", which often happens in place of mindfulness and self-regulation.)
9. Parents should be taught as soon as possible about the concepts of regulation, co-regulation, and experience-sharing communication. Co-regulation is rarely talked about in most autism therapies, aside from RDI®. It is critical that families understand this concept, because it is a foundation to communication and independent functioning, and is often non-existent with individuals with ASD. Instead a pattern of compensation develops and 'pseudo-coordination' or 'pseudo-conversation' ensue.
10. Watch out for the tendency to 'over-therapize' the child with autism. Remember that children with autism are children first.. It is not 'normal' for a child to spend dozens of hours each week in one-sided therapeutic interactions (which much of autism treatment can be without understanding co-regulation, which is mentioned in #9). It is important that children with ASD are provided with competent roles and participate in family life like their siblings. We hope for children with autism to turn out 'normal' as adults when much of their childhood does not provide 'normal' experiences if they are over-therapized.
11. Pay attention to how the child spends his time. The brain changes itself and organizes itself through experience. This means every waking hour the child with autism is practicing and rehearsing building neural pathways, digging 'grooves' deeper and deeper. Think about the child's interests and how much time he spends engaging in repetitive, "mindless" activities (to reference Dr. Steve Gutstein), how much time he spends watching television or playing a video game. Parents can significantly alter the course of the child's brain development by becoming educated on autism deficits, and making simple adjustments to daily interactions to build opportunities for mindfulness, social engagement and creative thinking. The brain does not stop self-organizing after age 5, and parents can make a significant difference in brain development if they are aware of a few key strategies.

April Choulat from Pathways Developmental Learning Center, Inc. For useful tips and information on educational programs for autism remediation, visit us today at http://www.pathwaysdlc.com.

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Can Praise Cause Sensory Overload?

Many kids with Asperger's Syndrome experience sensory overload from embarrassment or being picked out of a crowd in some way. This is why they sometimes don't enjoy receiving an award at Assembly or Parade, or being praised for their work in class.
So does that mean we shouldn't reward them at all??? Of course not - but we have to find a way for them to feel comfortable and proud of themselves at the same time. This is where thinking outside the square for your child with Autism comes into play.
Suggestions include:-

• a one-on-one meeting between the Principal and child with AS
• sending the award to the Aspie child's house with a letter about why they're receiving the award

If your child is embarrassed when they're praised, or don't like to be rewarded in public, talk to their teacher or principal and find a solution that suits your child. We all know that when supporting children on the Spectrum there aren't any "one size fits all" solutions. We must try to individualise support and accommodation for each child.
During his school years our son really disliked any attention or spotlight on him at all. This led him to wanting to stay home from school every Wednesday in an effort to avoid Parade and any possibility of receiving an award. He was a fairly well-achieving student, so there was always a chance he may receive an award for work well done. Once we discovered this we met with his teachers and his Principal and we agreed that all praising would be done in private.
Another trait that puzzled us was that our Asperger child didn't "believe" praise that came from us (his parents). His reasoning was that we're his parents and we have to love him and everything he does. So when he was growing up we enlisted the help of family, friends and neighbours to ensure he "heard" praise and approval. We'd simply phone them with his achievements and successes and they'd casually drop it into conversation when they visited.
This worked for him - we could see him 'shine' with their praise and attention. Everyone deserves to have their star shine brightly sometimes!
Currently I've teamed up with a local psychologist and we've created a new program for children with Autism Spectrum conditions - the Sensory Detective Program. We've been using heart rate monitor rings on the children as they complete the program and the results of this have really amazed us both! All the things we know about Asperger's children is proven/displayed by their heart rates, which 'spike' at change, sensory input, social interaction and praise etc. So if you're unsure what calms or upsets your Asperger child, invest in a heart rate monitor ring - the results will amaze you!

Nelle Frances is a Special Needs educator with over 17 years experience working with children with Autism/Asperger's Syndrome of all ages. She is author of the Ben and His Helmet book series written especially for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These social stories offer problem-solving strategies to assist Aspie's to navigate their world. Nelle is the parent of a 21 yr old son with ASC. She delivers her Professional Learning Sensory Detective™ workshop to schools and libraries around the world. Her website offers resources, strategies and links on Autism/Asperger's Syndrome for health care workers, therapists, parents and teachers.

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Facts For Understanding Autism

Autism Symptoms and look different from one child to the next. But there are three core deficits that are looked at when diagnosing a child.

Lack of verbal language.
Limited in their ability to play.
No interest in socializing.
Now lets break these down to give you more examples of different autism sypmtoms. When we say Lack of verbal language that means that the child struggles to get his or her words out. If they are talking, they usually are have what is called echolalia. This is like a parrot. The child repeats what they have heard from a favorite movie. For example you may say, "Get your shoes on, we are going bye-bye." And the child repeats, "To infinity and beyond!" They give answers but they have no idea what they are saying.

Language Is Not Clear

Many children have apraxia. This is where they have language but it is not clear. They tend to leave a part of the word off when talking. For example, if they want to take a bath they would say, "I wa-- ba--, ps." You know what they are saying but the words have things left out of them.

Autism symptoms show that these children do not understand humor. The language they do have is very concrete language. They cannot talk or understand feelings and emotions. They often cannot feel pain. They often have their hands over their ears because their hearing is way to sensitive. Autism symptoms often are first recognized by a parent. Parents usually get a gut feeling that things are just not quite right with their child.
When these children are playing, they typically do not have imagination play. They are not the children who are into playing dress up.

A Fascination With Trains

Many of these children are into Thomas The Tank Engine. Trains are a huge facination. But if you watch them play the most interesting part of the train is the wheels. The wheels always do the same thing, they go around and around. It mesmerizes our children.
Other things that our children play with can seem very odd at times. They like, ceiling fans, the wheels on a vehicle (the vehicle itself), musical books (they love pushing the buttons over and over), numbers, letters or hidges on a door. They love battery operated toys because they say the same thing over and over. Our kids love repetition.

Odd Behaviors

Other autism symptoms are repetive behaviors. Most common are flapping of the hands, humming, flicking their fingers infront of their face, lining things up up in perfect order, spinning or jumping non stop. More bothersome are the behaviors that have to do with self injury. Such as biting the back of their hands, pinching and pulling on body parts.

Poor Eye Contact

Lack of eye contact is pretty common in children who are on the autism spectrum. The only way that I could get my son to look at me was to lay on my back and hold him over me with him looking down. Often, they work hard only use their peripheral vision.

Many Sensory Issues

Often these children have sensory issues. They don't like to be held or touched. They wince when brushing their teeth. They walk on their toes (a lot of times this is because of bowel issues). They crave deep pressure. They love it when you roll over them or smash them between pillows.

Selective Hearing

Alot of these children have very selective listening skills. They act like they are deaf. They often do not respond to someone calling their name. But yet whisper a word like, "milk" and they hear you!

No Play Dates

These are children who don't make friends. They are not the children asking for a play date.
Some of these kids are very into cause and effect. Like turning the lights on and off. Or opening and closing doors. They often can be found pushing a button over and over and over again.

These Kids Bolt

These are children who do not recognize danger. They bolt in parking lots or out into streets. They don't show fear from falling off of things that they climb.

High Anxiety Levels

Another autism symptoms is that these children show high levels of anxiety when asked to do something new.

What I Saw As A Mom

In each of the above core areas, you can see problems. In my son he had only 5 simple words by age 2. He could not point. He had no interest in playing with other children. He was obsessed with Thomas the train. He lined his toys up in straight lines. He had melt downs (a melt down is much stronger than a chid having a fit) whenever you removed a train that he had in a straight line. He would laugh uncontrollably for no apparent reason, for hours. He could not sleep through the night. He had a need for the same routine every day. My son couldn't even grasp the idea of potty training when other kids his age could. My son flapped his arms so much I was just waiting for him to lift off and fly. My son, pulled away when I tried to hug him. My son acted like he was deaf.

So as you can see from the above list, autism symptoms can show itself in many forms. And to different degrees. If you suspect your child may have autism, then I highly recommend that you start seeking help. The sooner interventions are started, the better the child does.

By: Al Terry

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By Kathy Medina at Finding God In Autism A leading resource to help parents who have children with special needs.

History Of Autism Pioneers

Autism does not have a long history, and this is due to the fact that the history of autism really didn’t begin until the first decade of the 20th century. Although, autism as a condition was around prior to this time, it was not a recognized condition and most people would have been regarded as insane. In fact, it wasn’t even until the Swiss psychiatrist, Eugene Bleuler, coined the term “autism” in the 1912 issue of the American Journal of Insanity, did the term even exist.

However, despite being the first person to use the term, Bleuler considered autism to be another form of schizophrenia in which schizophrenic’s lacked social skills with others, and were more absorbed in themAlthough Bleuler may have been the first to recognize one of the most common traits of autistics, there were three other pioneers of autism who really set the wheels of autism research in motion. These three doctors had a huge impact on what people believed autism was in the mid 1900’s, as well as how the disorder is recognized today.

Dr. Leo Kanner – (1894 – 1981) – Dr. Leo Kanner was an Austrian-American psychiatrist, who was one of the first to specialize in child psychology. Kanner, a doctor at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Hospital, is credited with recognizing autism as its own unique mental disorder. According to the history of autism, Kanner created the label early infantile autism, which he wrote about in 1943 in the journal “The Nervous Child”.

In his report, Kanner discussed his research based on a group of eleven children who all closely displayed the following traits:

• Social interaction difficulties
• Difficulty processing and adapting to changes
• Particularly good memory
• Belated echolalia (repeating speech made by others)
• Exceedingly sensitive to sounds, and other stimulants
• Food issues
• Good intellectual potential

He used the term autism to describe the main characteristic all the children he studied displayed – little to no interest in socializing with other people.

Dr. Hans Asperger (1906-1980) – Dr. Hans Asperger, was a scientist and pediatrician. He is best known in the history of autism for defining Asperger Syndrome – a specific type of high functioning autism. The first time he defined Asperger syndrome was in 1944, when he studied 4 young boys and, like Kanner, found that each child displayed similar characteristics. He identified these characteristic behaviors as autistic psychopathy.

Although Asperger identified most of the same traits as Kanner, he didn’t note his group having delayed echolalia. Alternatively, he said that the children had clumsy movements and irregular motor skills compared to regular children, and also that they talked much like grown ups. Asperger referred to them as “little professors”.

Unfortunately, the findings of Dr. Hans Asperger regarding autism were not widely discovered until the late 1980’s even though his reports occurred much earlier in the history of autism. It is believed that there were two main reasons why Asperger did not receive the recognition he deserved until much later than his original observations. The first reason was his findings were delayed due to World War II. The second was that his work wasn’t written in English and was not translated until almost 50 years later.

Dr. Bruno Bettelhiem (1903-1990) – Bruno Bettelheim was an Austrian-American writer and child psychologist. Bettelheim developed his own theories on autism and is best known for his theory of the “refrigerator mother”. In his work “The Empty Fortress”(1967), Bettelheim wrote about three therapy sessions with children who had infantile autism. He claimed that their disorder was caused by having emotionally cold mothers. His theory was widely accepted, and for many years, parents (particularly mothers) were considered the problem behind autism.

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Today, Bettelhiem’s theory has been disregarded by most. However, the characteristics described by Kanner and Asperger are still used to define the basic behavioral patterns of autistics. Nevertheless, all of these men have made a serious mark on the history of autism.

By: Rachel Evans -

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selves. Bleuler’s study was the beginning of the history of autism.

Benefits of Beginning or Upgrading Your Child's Diet for Autism and ADHD in Summer

In my last article, I wrote about why it's important to stay consistent with your child's diet for Autism or ADHD during the summer months, even though the pressure to conform to school standards is not there.
This time, I'd like to talk about the benefits of starting or upgrading your child's new diet during summer. This truly is the absolute ideal time to work healthy foods into your child's diet!
These are my top reasons why NOW is the time to take action:

1. Time of Plenty: There is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables this time of year. The variety of colorful fruits and veggies just draws you in when you see it. Explore your many options by trying a new produce item every week. Let your children choose what's next and have great fun with it!


2. It is hot out: Cool, simple meals and snacks are easy and fun this time of year. Turn off that hot oven and experiment with what you can eat without cooking your food. Salads, fresh veggies with a yummy dip, sweet fresh fruits are all enjoyable when the weather is warm. You can also hide all kinds of superfoods, greens, and supplements in blended fruit smoothies - a super healthy fast food! If your kids don't want drinkable smoothies, freeze them into homemade Popsicle molds and make other non-dairy ice creams that are so healthy you don't have to feel bad about giving your kids sweet treats!


3. No school means more control over what your child eats: It's more difficult to change your child's diet when they are around other kids eating "regular" foods and all the things you are trying to move away from. Use this opportunity to form new healthy habits. It's easier on your child while they are at home more and away from the influence of others.


4. Fewer Activities: With no school parties and extra-curricular activities is to plan for and no school lunch to work around, its not only easier on your child, but it's easier on YOU! Get grounded in your new lifestyle at home and you can worry about school lunches and activities later!


5. Fewer Holidays: With the exception of 4th of July in the US, (please forgive me if I'm unaware of your country's holiday!) there are no other large holidays revolving around food. Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine's Day, etc. can be a cause of stress and overwhelm for those new to the Autism and ADHD diet and who aren't prepared for it.


6. Less Stress: Use these months to go through the diet transitioning process outside the stress of school, teachers, homework, tests, expectations and conformity. Your child is under less pressure so your home is likely to be more peaceful and it's just an easier time to make changes.

I recommend that we use this time of ease in many aspects of our lives as the opportunity to begin a new diet or revamp your family's current one.
Do some evaluation: Determine what it is you want to see improve or change, evaluate your current diet, decide how you want to upgrade it, and go for it! Take it one step at a time and focus on one change only. It will be easier to make progress this way.
Do you still feel overwhelmed or just need a bit of help to work through the whole process? I also offer private coaching to help you reach your goals.
As a final thought, some parents attempt to use the summer months to lower or eliminate medication doses**, which is a great idea. If that is the case for you, and you have been toying with the idea of trying dietary changes, this is your perfect opportunity to begin an elimination diet. You can go without or reduce your child's medications** for a couple of weeks to get an idea what your child is like without them in case you've lost touch with that. (**Always work under the supervision of your child's doctor when reducing or eliminating medications!)
After your child's system has had a chance to re-adjust, simply begin eliminating the big offenders (artificial ingredients like preservatives, flavorings, colorings, MSG, artificial sweeteners, etc.) and possible allergens like gluten, casein and soy. Use this less stressful time to go through the trial elimination process and keep a journal to record all your results. Who knows? You may just decide that this is the route for you!
Whatever your choices are for your child, I wish you a very happy and healthy summer with lots of family fun!

If you're a parent of a child with ADHD, ASD and other special needs and are looking for natural methods to help your family, visit Stephani McGirr's http://www.NourishingJourney.com to receive a free twice monthly ezine full of tips, tools and recipes to help you move from struggle to success while creating a peaceful home life your family loves.

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Methods for Managing Behavior Challenges In School

Most people are aware of the fact that children begin their educational process long before they step inside of their first schoolroom. This is because it is the home life of the student that is the first part of learning to socialize, solve problems, and find answers. Because of this, when a student manifests behavior challenges in school, it is often also something that their parents are asked to help to address as well.
Certainly it might be difficult to somehow deal with any behavior challenges in school strictly through at home work, but when a student also has a condition relating to ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) it is normally essential that their home life is taken into account as well. For example, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development notes that most students with some form of ASD will tend to be diagnosed very early in their lives so at home work is vital.
Because ASD is characterized by developmental disabilities, parents must accept and help to address the potential for behavior challenges in school by beginning a great deal of training well in advance of Kindergarten. This is not always something easy to handle, nor all that affordable, but there are now many high-quality programs designed for training parents in the best methods to use when beginning to teach their children with ASD.
It is interesting to note that changes in federal educational rules make it impossible for schools to shunt students with ASD into special education classrooms, and insist that they be educated in the same classrooms as students with the condition. To help teachers and classroom support staff to assist students with ASD, however, many school systems use specialized Autism training courses.
These courses are designed to teach the educators about Autism and about the methods with a proven history for success, including methods for managing behavior challenges in school. These same training courses are also made available for parents as well, though the best of them will tend to be re-designed or re-structured for the at home environment instead of the schoolroom.
The great thing about school or home Autism training systems is that they use the ABA or Applied Behavior Analysis principles known to be among the few accepted treatments for ASD. When parents and educators have these powerful tools for behavior modification available at an early part of a student's life, they can often prepare them to achieve greater educational and social success than ever before.

Garrett Butch is the father of a 6 year old with autism and the founder of Maximum Potential Group.
Maximum Potential has developed courses that train parents, therapists and school systems how to work with children with autism.
http://www.maximumpotentialkids.com
http://www.abatrainingcourse.com

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