Are You Doubting Your Autistic Child Can Hear, Understand, and Communicate With You?

I found myself shouting at my brother who is autistic, because I had my doubts he could not hear, understand, or communicate with me, when I was speaking to him.

Have ever felt you were not being heard, understood, and communication was not present with your autistic child, while you were speaking to him or her?

I remember I could be no less than two feet away from my brother when talking to him. Being that close to him, he was ignoring what I was saying and not giving me a response. I became frustrated.

I was curious why I was not being heard or understood when I spoke to my brother, who has autism. I decided to do research on this subject and I was informed, some children with the disorder of autism might be behaving in a way that you feel they have not heard you, but in reality they did receive your message, and the conversation that was given.

I have experienced, when you think you are not being heard or understood, when speaking to an autistic person, he or she may have a different way of communicating. Their way of communication is not recognizable for you to understand, even though, they have understood your message.

There were times when talking to my brother, I felt he was not interacting with me. There were no signs of understanding, that I was heard. I evaluated and have seen this kind of behavior also occurs in other autistic children. For example:

* The autistic person may not let you know he or she is responding to you.

* What you need from the child who has the disorder of autism is, a sign that you have been heard. Such as, eye contact, a word, a gesture of nodding his or her head for understanding.

Many children with autism have difficulty with communication skills. Therefore, it would be difficult for them to let you know, they are not understanding what you are saying.

If you have doubts your child has heard you, or understood what you have stated, it might be an excellent idea if you have your child repeat back to you what you have told him or her. This can be an easy task if your child can communicate verbally.

Remember, if you do have doubts, that your autistic child is not hearing, understanding and communicating with you, take action and be willing to investigate or use different visual cards, sign language, pictures that you can make to illustrate action and communication, or you could have your child attend a speech or language class.

Bonita Darula's informational web sight==> http://www.autismintoawareness.com where you SIGN up and RECEIVE your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER about many Autistic TOPICS. Doubting your autistic child can hear, communicate, understand you. You can solve this challenging problem, that is crucial for your child. Order your updated E-book.

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

Autism Is a Gift!

Too often, we tend to think of autism as a disability. However, the word "disability" is typically defined as "lack of ability." It may be true that people with autism can lack some abilities, such as speech, the ability to potty train, empathy, withstanding touch or emotional control. Additionally, children with autism spectrum disorders often cannot tolerate everyday situations such as shopping, eating out or driving due to the inability to filter sensory input. These issues can be frustrating and downright depressing for parents, family and friends.

We must remember, however, that autism is not a disability. Autism grants its own gifts to those who have it. Those gifts can manifest themselves as stellar mathematical abilities, memory, creative writing, visual arts, or even acting. Some individuals with autism spectrum disorder even make fantastic teachers. In this role, the communication abilities of the individual shine in ways that parents, families and peers initially thought would never happen.

One organization, The Huckleberry Project Foundation in Oklahoma City, aimed to showcase the talents of autistic individuals through animation, storyboarding, voiceover work, and creative writing. Although Huckleberry was unable to maintain funding, the lesson learned was that the talents of autistic people are frequently as creative if not more so than neuro-typical individuals.

Many people with autism -- especially those with Asperger's or other high-functioning forms of autism -- gravitate to the fields of math and/or science. Some think that many of our greatest scientific minds had autism. The autistic brain often thinks of ordinary, mundane things in our world in entirely different ways and also grants extreme focus. These gifts sometimes allow the autistic individual with the ability to grasp the intricacies of physics, engineering and subjects such as quantum mechanics that neuro-typical individuals might find impossibly daunting.

With neuro-typical children, parents have the luxury of focusing on the child's gifts, because the parent is not having to deal with other behavioral issues such as the lack of potty training. As a result, parents of autistic children tend not to have as much time to nurture the gifts that autism bestows on their children. This is tough, and there is no way around that. However, focusing on the remarkable abilities of the autistic child must be done. Doing so is healthier for the child and, quite frankly, for the parents.

People with autism spectrum disorders can be quirky, profane, socially inappropriate, loud, emotionally uncontrolled and absolutely, undoubtedly talented beyond belief. As one autistic young lady put it: "We are NOT retarded. We are autistic, quirky, awesome f***ing people!" Somehow this seems to sum up the issue better than any Ph.d.'s assessment or scholarly paper ever could.

Shawn Garza is founder of http://LoveMyAutism.com and is current president of the Autism Society of Central Oklahoma http://www.asofok.org

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

Sensory Diet Ideas For Oral Sensory Seeking

The mouth has many sensory receptors: for taste, texture, temperature, wetness and dryness, movement (in the jaw and in the tongue, for instance), and so on. The information from these receptors is sent to the brain, which organizes and processes the information. When sensory processing is dysfunctional, children typically seek, or avoid, certain sensations around the lips, tongue, and mouth. A child with sensory issues may enjoy sour and chewy Starburst candies or spicy Buffalo wings because he finds these foods stimulating, but sensory seeking that involves the unsanitary and even dangerous habits of licking and biting are socially unacceptable and must be addressed.

A pediatric occupational therapist (OT) or speech/language pathologist (SLP) with the proper training in oral/motor issues can help kids who have oral/motor sensory issues. In the meantime, there is a lot parents and teachers can do to reduce unacceptable oral sensory seeking.

Offer chewy foods and/or sour foods. These give strong input to proprioception receptors around the mouth and can be helpful in preventing licking and biting. If the child's system can handle the sugar and artificial colors or flavors, you can give him gum, licorice, gummy bears, Starburst, Tootsie Rolls, or similar candies. Other chewy foods include dried fruit or sugarless gum. Sour foods that can satisfy oral needs include candies such as SweetTarts, but also lemons, limes, and dill pickles.

Offer chewable jewelry and other items. You don't necessarily need to use a food substance to address the desire for chewing or biting, however. There are many chewable necklaces and bracelets available these days, as well as tubes that you place atop pencils or pens so the child can chew that instead of the writing implement.

Address other sensory issues that are affecting your child. By all means, redirect the child to lick, chew, or bite appropriate items to lick or bite is important, but note that these behaviors often get worse when the child is anxious or frustrated by other sensory challenges. Just as you might find it comforting to chew gum when you are nervous, you may not have a strong desire to do so when you are feeling calm and focused. A good sensory diet can prevent oral sensory seeking behaviors by reducing the child's sensory discomfort overall. Lessening emotional stress on the child can have a similar effect.

Check whether your child is hungry or has a nutritional deficiency. Sometimes, oral/motor sensory seeking is related to being hungry or having a nutritional deficiency. If the sensory seeking persists, consider getting a nutritional consultation to assess whether the child is getting all his nutritional needs met or if supplementation is required. Giving the child a warm bath with a handful of Epsom salts a few days in a row, which causes the body to absorb some magnesium, seems to reduce oral sensory seeking behaviors in some children and is low-cost, safe, and easy to try.

Copyright © 2010 Nancy Peske

Nancy Peske is the coauthor of the book Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues. She sends out a weekly newsletter of practical tips for parents and professionals who work with children who have sensory processing issues, available at http://www.sensorysmartnews.com. You can learn more about sensory issues at http://www.sensorysmartparent.com.

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

Reversing Autism and ADD

Having a child born with an abnormality is every parent's worse fear - but what if you knew that problems such as autism, ADD, ADHD and other disorders were actually caused by a breakdown in a biochemical process and could be reversed.

Some Background Information

Several years ago health researchers led by Dr Paula Bickle, made a breakthrough when they found that youngsters with autism all had immune problems, high levels of toxicity and alcohol in their bodies and were lacking in most of the amino acids - especially taurine; they also lacked a number of important vitamins (particularly vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid) and many minerals - particularly magnesium, copper and zinc. These nutrients are essential for the necessary biological reactions (which convert methionine to taurine) which eliminate toxins and, very importantly break down sugar.

It is this sensitivity to sugar (along with a number of other toxins) and toxic build up that leads to hyperactivity and behavioral problems including madness. Another typical sign is the presence of dark circles under the eyes - indicating an allergic reaction.

Remarkably the researchers were able to reverse 14 of the 16 cases of autism through changes to their diet - which involved increasing their protein, fresh fruit and vegetable intake, eliminating sugar and through supplementation with essential nutrients.

This same treatment process can be applied to ADHD and ADD - a milder form of the same problem. Here's a summary of some natural and nutritonal treatments tha can be applied to ADD, ADHD and Autism.

Diet

• Total elimination of sugar - this is for the whole family and not the child - you need to set an example; this includes all forms of refined sugar and processed or simple carbohydrates.
• Eliminate or significantly reduce dairy and grain - this is a source of allergies that the child will be very sensitive to - use soy as an alternate source of food.
• Increase the intake of protein to replace the missing amino acids.

Nutritional Supplements

Supplements can help by providing the necessary nutrients to make the biochemical reactions start to work again; they are also needed to repair the damage caused by this toxic build up and to help children absorb nutrients.

Supplements include:

• Plant derived colloidal minerals - these are over 98% absorbable and provide all of the minerals required for normal functioning.
• Multi-vitamin / Amino acid formula in liquid or tablet form - vitamins and protein are required for correct metabolism, to replace the amino acid deficiency and to rebuild the body.
• Digestive enzymes to assist the body in digesting protein; the damage caused by sugar and other toxins will lead to very poor absorption of food.
• Antioxidants are required to reverse the affects of toxic damage caused to the body by the poor metabolism of sugar.
• A chromium/vanadium supplement will assist in helping to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Drugging Our Youth

There are many other diseases and health challenges that affect children but we focused on these particular issues because they have such devastating affects on family and school life. These diseases can be treated or at least controlled and improved and it doesn't involve getting our children addicted to DRUGS.

Drugs such as Ritalin and Prozac only subdue the child while the problem goes unchecked. They result in drug dependency and significant side effects such as a worsening of the condition when the child is off the drug, drooling, drowsiness and explosive and violent emotions. There have also been no long term studies into the health risks associated with putting young children onto a dangerous drug.

Summary

1. Childhood diseases such as autism, ADD and ADHD result from a biochemical malfunction that results in a toxic build up in the child and their inability to metabolize sugar.
2. Diet and lifestyle changes require the total elimination of sugar and increase in protein and fresh fruit and vegetables.
3. Natural treatments involve supplementing with plant derived colloidal minerals, a multivitamin/amino acid, antioxidants and digestive enzymes. These will repair the damage, get the body functioning properly and ensure that the child is receiving good nutrition.

Paul Newland is a health writer, sports training consultant and martial arts instructor and runs the Global-Longevity.com website.
He is the author of numerous health information books and guides, including the Wellness Report, The Ultimate Antioxidant Report, The Selenium Report, The Ultimate Nutrient Guide and The Ultimate Sports Nutrition Guide - available Free (for a limited time) through Global-Longevity.com.

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

Could Early Signs Of Autism Be An Indicator Of Playing With Unusual Toys?

What are unusual toys? I believe unusual toys are toys that are abnormal, unconventional or anything out-of-the-ordinary. These are toys your child is willing to use and play with as he or she chooses, because they think it is a toy. But is it a toy? Is it an indicator of signs of autism?

I remember when my brother was an infant, pre-school age, he was interested in playing and exploring with unusual toys and objects. Some of them were considered to be dangerous and not wise for his use.

My parents, and our neighbors thought this was out-of-the-ordinary, compared to other children his age.

As my brother developed, probably around his first birthday or later, our family noticed he would rock back and forth, stare into space, do repetitious spins, pace back and forth. He would look out of the corner of his eyes and not have direct eye contact with people. No interaction with baby rattles or toys.

I am now older, I look back on the history of my brother, who was not interested in playing with objects or toys compared to what other children felt they were comfortable with. In addition, playing with toys to fit their personalities and their genders. My brother was gravitating towards unusual toys and objects for his play time.

I have often thought, could this be an indicator of a child having autism, by not associating with the toys or objects that are considered to be the highlight of other children who do not have autism?

I felt I had to know more about this perplexing situation, regarding my brother playing with unusual toys. Could this be an indicator for early signs of autism?

The number of children at the present time being diagnosed with autism, has increased tremendously. I feel it is crucial to find out what the indicators of autism might be and what can be accomplished to assist with the signs.

I have learned, you can identify autism behaviors through the use of your child playing with unusual toys.

This does not necessarily mean that your child has autism because of the use of playing with unusual toys, but it can be an indicator for you to take into consideration.

Remember, researchers are constantly doing more studies on the possibilities that there are indicators pointing to children using unusual toys. These children, may be candidates to have early stages of autism.

You, as parent(s), caregiver(s), want to be on the alert for any suspicious, out-of-the-ordinary, playing with unusual toys or objects. This could be early signs of autism and may be an indicator or clue to have your child examined by a professional who is knowledgeable about autism.

Bonita Darula's informational web sight==> http://www.autismintoawareness.com where you SIGN up and RECEIVE your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER about many Autistic TOPICS. Do you believe your child has early signs of autism because of playing with unusual toys? Find out by reading Autism Symptoms & Treatments.

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

Parents of Autistic Children - The Challenge of a Nonverbal Child

Parents of autistic children know that there are many challenges to parenting autistic children, especially nonverbal ones.

Nonverbal kids can't express their wants, dislikes, feelings, or anything else about themselves in words. They can't answer questions. It is often quite frustrating for both the parent and the child with autism to have a good relationship without the use of verbal communication.

Parents of autistic children understandably want to know what the child is thinking and feeling - are they happy? Sad? Hurt? Hungry? Lonely? How can I help them? The child wants also to communicate these things, but they can't. A lot of nonverbal autistic kids will act out from the frustration of not having any viable way to communicate. It is a difficult balancing act for all involved.

Fortunately, there are alternative communication forms that have been developed to help nonverbal autistic kids.

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

One very common method is called the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). PECS is a method of getting a child to point to pictures to show their wants or needs.

Books of preprinted picture are available, or you can make your own pictures. It is important to make certain the pictures are of things your child is motivated to want to express.

What might these pictures be of? They could be their favorite activities, food they like, toys and books. Also, pictures that show words like "yes," "no," "hurts," and pictures convey emotions are important, too. You can either create your own pictures or use a library of pictures already created for this purpose in a software program like Boardmaker, which you can get at mayer-johnson.com.

Using a method like PECS can help an autistic child gain a basic level of functional communication. You can increase the number of pictures used as your child gets older.

Sign Language

A lot of kids who are nonverbal learn sign language in order to help them communicate. Since many autistic kids are visual learners, signing often comes more naturally to them than spoken language.

Two kinds of sign language are used in the US, American Sign Language and something called Pidgin Signed Language. An advantage to PSL is that it has a more intuitive structure, and it can be easier for autistic kids to learn.

Many parents feel that sign language is a good building block for kids to learn language. Even if this does not happen, having a little communication is always better than no communication at all.

Portable TTS (Text-To-Speech) Devices

One other option for children who are nonverbal is a device called an AlphaSmart. The AlphaSmart is used to type out what the person wants to say. It is basically a small, inexpensive battery-powered keyboard with a screen showing what is being typed. Some of these devices have speakers that will then speak the words out loud for the person. With the addition of a speaker these become portable TTS (Text-To-Speech) devices. These can work well with those who can write, but not talk.

Fortunately, there are several creative options for helping parents of autistic children whose children are nonverbal especially if these children have good motor skills.

Parents need to educate themselves on these innovative solutions and keep abreast of new developments. And a great site that has tips and suggestions for helping to raise your autistic child 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

Parenting Autistic Children - Helping Autistic Children Make Friends

Friendship can be a difficult issue that comes up quite frequently for those who are parenting autistic children. There is no doubt that most children with autism want friends, but they just lack the skills to be able to make them. Friends end up being just one more thing they have to learn; one more thing they have to figure out; one more thing that just doesn't make any sense to them. What comes intuitively to those parenting autistic children comes with a lot of work to autistic children themselves.

Why do children with autism have so many problems making friends?

Well, autistic kids can't read social cues, or easily understand the "street slang" that many neurotypical kids use. Children with autism aren't able to talk casually and easily like other children their age do. As a result, they can be shunned. Autistic kids can't easily enter into conversations. Those parenting autistic children often see their loved ones being isolated, and not fitting in.

For autistic children who want friends but who cannot quite get the hang of how to get them, it can be quite painful. These kids try as best they can to engage other kids. Unfortunately, their way of speaking or the conversation topics they choose rarely matches the interests of other children their age. For those who are parenting autistic children, we stand at the sidelines watching our autistic loved ones fail time and again.

Their peers aren't interested in spaceships, the history of paper clips or Bugs Bunny. No matter how much they might try to emulate the manner and ways that their friends speak and the words they use it comes out sounding forced...like reading off of a script. Sadly, most of the kids their age won't make the effort needed to put up with their awkwardness and difference.

Four Roadblocks to Overcome

To make friends those parenting autistic children must first understand the major roadblocks that prevent their autistic children from developing friends. Once we understand these roadblocks we can help our autistic children to overcome these hurdles. When parenting autistic children, the following four issues that often inhibit friendship development:

1. Odd mannerisms: kids with autism often talk too loudly, and can't modulate their tone of voice. They might interrupt others and not realize it, they might avoid eye contact, and they might violate the physical space of people around them without being aware they are doing it. It also goes without saying that many children with autism will likely talk excessively about their favorite topic.


2. Rule oriented: Many kids with autism are very rule oriented. This doesn't work always well with other kids, who don't want to be so bound down with following rules (or may not even be aware of what the rules of a particular situation are - many kids like to make up their own rules when playing different games.)


3. Immature interests: Often kids with autism will have interests that are more typically found in age group several years younger than they are. This makes it harder for them to connect with their peers. Those parenting autistic children may notice that their loved ones tend to get along better with children several years younger than them.


4. Sensory issues: Kids with autism get overwhelmed very easily by the environment around them. This is another problem that can get in the way of doing things with friends.

Each of these issues is well known to therapists and various methods and treatments can be used to teach your autistic children how to improve their friendship-building skills.

Helping your child to make friends can be difficult, but it can be done, if you understand what the issues to overcome are. Parenting autistic children comes with many challenges, but you can overcome them with time.

And while we briefly touched on some of the teaching methods and autism treatments that can help your autistic child build friends there are many others. Several web sites have useful information. One great site that has detailed information on treatments to help your autistic child 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