Music Therapy for Autism: Setting Rhythms, Creating Spontaneity

Autism is a condition where a person has impaired social skills and communication, as well as having a tendency for extremely compulsive and repetitive behavior. This compulsive behavior makes it difficult for you to be able to deal with the person, since any deviation from the routine will cause an adverse reaction.

Music therapy may help an autistic person get over his condition and alleviate some of the symptoms associated with it. They do this by using music's quality of having a rhythm and at the same time variety, allowing the autistic to adjust gradually

Setting Rhythms

Rhythm is one of the main elements of music. This is one element which creates a certain periodicity and routine to it. This differentiates ordered music from disordered noise. This is definitely something which autistics can pick up and appreciate. It is nearly instinctive for them to be comfortable in set rhythms and patterns, in order to make them feel comfortable. They would definitely understand that order and, in the end, tend to seek that order, enabling them to communicate.

Since they can pick up rhythms easily, it may be a good choice for them to pick up simple yet rhythmic instruments, like drums or other percussions. They may be able to be virtuosos here, allowing them to express themselves more fully and more easily for their audience. This helps them bridge the social divide, allowing them to become more productive members of society while ensuring that they will be able to have some semblance of independent living later on. They can also be very good composers and players for other instruments, like piano or, surprisingly, violin. Their compulsive behavior is actually a boon in this field, since they will definitely want to have a set practice time.

Creating Spontaneity

Music can also help the autistic be guided into understanding spontaneity and the fact that there will always be variations in things. Since there is a rhythm to back him up, he will make the transition more comfortably and more easily, especially due to the fact that there are still patterns in music, albeit used in a more varied manner. It will stimulate the mind of the autistic if he or she will seek the patterns in music. This spontaneity will also help him adjust to situations which are stressful, since he or she can just tune in to the music and "be on familiar ground".

This spontaneity is also an essential part of communication. This distinguishes them from each other. Music can help the autistic communicate due to its structured yet spontaneous structure. The variety of tunes he or she can produce is extremely high. Thus, he or she will never tire out of learning these things.

Here are other advantages of music therapy for autistics:

· Improving language comprehension

· Encouraging the desire to communicate

· Making creative-self expression possible

· Reducing non-communicative speech by decreasing echolalia (incessant repetition of the words spoken by another)

Bay Area Music Therapy strives to help a variety of patient types live stronger and happier lives through music therapy. Find out how we can help you with music therapy in the Bay Area. http://bayareamusictherapy.org

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Autism Symptoms - Special Interests and Hyperlexia

There are many different kinds of autism symptoms. Some are more severe than others. Some are less understood than others. Some of the more unique autism symptoms have to do with intellectual quirks, such as hyperlexia and special interests.

Many kids with autism tend to be quite smart. Autistic children with high IQs may be classified as having Asperger's syndrome (a form of high functioning autism). As we know, autism is a spectrum disorder, so there will be kids who have autism and have extremely different abilities and backgrounds and each can exhibit different autism symptoms.

Hyperlexia - a Unique Symptom of Autism

Not everyone will have the autism symptoms described in this article. But many will. Many kids with autism have something called hyperlexia. It means that they can recognize letters and words, and read, by a very early age, often by 2.

Kids who have hyperlexia don't understand what they are reading, but they love reading. They read everything they can get their hands on. They are the type of kids that will read every sign, every label, and every package because of their love of language.

Comprehension is Often a Problem with Hyperlexia

The problem with hyperlexia is that while it looks pretty neat on the outside to have a 2 or 3 year old reading books, it becomes a problem later on when they struggle with the comprehension of what they are reading. This unique ability to read above age level but not comprehend what is being read is a classic autism symptom.

A young child with autism may "read" a book, but they can't break it down into smaller parts or understand the parts of language or rules of grammar that make up it. They can echo lines from the books they read, often long complicated sentences (also called "echolia"), but forming their own original sentences is often much harder.

The autism symptom, Hyperlexia, in many ways is like skipping the basic rules of language to go to the more advanced ones - but without ever mastering the basic ones that you will need for all future lessons.

Special Interests are a Common Autism Symptom

Most kids with autism also have special interests. There are certain subjects that they are fascinated with and will remember every obscure detail about. It might be dinosaurs, fire trucks of World War II - and your child's mind will be a like a sponge for every piece of information out there about this topic.

The autistic child often has a great memory for details. Remembering numbers and dates come easily to them. This amazing ability to remember obscure details is a common symptom of autism. Because of this, some will refer to those who exhibit this autism symptom as "walking encyclopedias."

Kids with autism will often get very absorbed in what they are doing, especially when it pertains to their special interests. They are hard to interrupt and may even seem to lose track of the world around them.

These Autism Symptoms May Help with Future Employment

While these autism symptoms have the unfortunate effect of isolating them from their peers when they are younger, when they are older these traits can be helpful. In the work world, the knowledge, dedication and loyalty people with autism show can be a boon in certain fields and under certain conditions. Special interests, hyperlexia and other intellectual quirks are just some of the many autism symptoms that you may find in your child.

Once we understand exactly which autism symptoms a child or adult with autism exhibits, we can devise treatments and training to help them cope with the world around them.
Hopefully treatments can make life a little easier especially for those with autism and the people who love them. And for additional tips and suggestions that can help your loved one live a fulfilling and happy life visit the AmericanAutismSociety.org. There you can sign up for their FREE newsletter with tips and info on autism.

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Dealing With An Autistic Child - Anti-Bullying Strategies

One of the unfortunate parts of dealing with autistic children is that sooner or later, you are going to come across a bully or two, and you're going to need to know how to deal with them. Unfortunately, autistic children are far more susceptible to bullies both because they stand out and because they often can't stand up for themselves. Sometimes, they don't even know they're being bullied.
3 Steps to Stop Autistic Children from Being Bullied

1. Communicate: In order to help protect autistic children from bullying, you should talk with him or her so that they know what the different kinds of bullying are and how to recognize them. Some are obvious, of course, but others are more subtle.
2. Report the Bullying: Teach your child to tell a teacher or aide as soon as these things happen. Many autistic children keep the bullying to themselves in fear that either it will get worse if they tell or that nothing will help.
3. Explain It Is Not Their Fault: Explain to your child that these things are not their fault, that there are some kids with low self-esteem who thrive on putting others down to make themselves feel better.

Recognize the 3 Types of Bullying

1. Verbal bullying is perhaps the most common kind. Autistic children may be called names or their clothes are ridiculed or their manner of speaking is mocked. The bully will usually pick on some physical or mental aspect of the child that is different in some way.
2. Physical bullying, such as pushing or shoving or worse, is another kind. Sometimes a kid who is being bullied will not tell anyone out of fear of repercussions from the bully, so it is important to try to keep tabs on autistic children. If they seem more depressed and withdrawn than usual, you may want to investigate further.
3. Psychological bullying. This type of bullying is more common with girls. This is bullying by means of social exclusion, or psychological bullying. Psychological bullying happens when a group of kids tries to socially exclude the kid with autism from a group. Girls might pretend to invite the autistic child to their house to hang out with them, and when the child with autism becomes excited, cruelly tell them that they would never do such a thing. Kids will do a stunning variety of things to make the girl feel that she is being included and then shut her out, or alternately will be very blatant about excluding her. This can severely affect autistic children.

How do you stop bullying of autistic children?
The first thing to realize is that there are three parts to the bullying cycle:

• the bully
• the victim
• the bystander

The majority of witnesses to bullying will not try to intervene to help autistic children who are the victim. They could feel uncomfortable, or be afraid that if they try to do anything, they will be picked on next. They may also be afraid of seeming somehow uncool.
School Culture Needs to Change to Help Autistic Children
However, the school culture needs to be changed so that it is seen as uncool to bully. Bullies get silent affirmation from bystanders who do nothing. It gives them a message that it's okay. If bystanders began saying "Hey, it's not cool to pick on others," and bullies no longer got this positive reinforcement, they would do it less because they would have less motivation to do so.
School workshops with bullying roleplaying events, where everyone learns and practices the appropriate responses can be helpful for this. Hopefully, as anti-bullying programs get more popular, handling bullies will be one less thing that a parent or teacher will have to contend with when dealing with autistic children.

One great site that has great information on raising happy and self-confident autistic children is the AmericanAutismSociety.org. There you can sign up for their FREE newsletter with tips and info on autism.

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Problems With Autistic Children in School

Chances are an autistic child who is in mainstream education will not require special education, which means they are unlikely to have obvious learning disabilities. But that said they will still have special needs.

The first thing as a teacher you should do is to speak to other members of staff and the SENCO in your school. Make sure that everyone understands what autism is and that they are aware of how this will affect the child's behaviour.

Sometimes it is helpful to explain to the other children within the class about autism. This will help to prepare them for the autistic child starting school. It will be helpful to explain that the new class member may act differently or strangely - for example they may shout out unexpectedly or laugh at inappropriate things.

You ought to explain that although the autistic child may act inappropriately that this is not intentional and they too have feelings like everybody else. This is an important thing to stress as it will be very easy for the autistic child to become, the focus of taunts, bullying and teasing if the other children in the class and school do not understand the autistic child's behavior and mannerisms.

Probably one task you should undertake before the autistic child begins in your class is to take a note of all the classroom accommodations.

Autism classroom accommodations to consider:
Makea note of the autistic child's special need's for example going to the bathroom, with autism going to the bathroom can be an issue, find out how the child copes with this and if necessary add signs at the bathroom, (small picture cards with text) to avoid embarrassment and allow the autistic child to identify the bathroom.

Ask the parents for a meeting and try to identify the autistic child's strengths and weaknesses. You can build on the strengths and encourage these.

Sometimes it may be necessary to appoint a helper (LSA) or classroom assistant, to help the autistic child within the classroom.
The autistic child's helper's role should be to encourage the child to be more independent, work on task's and to mix with other children.

It will probably especially at first to keep an eye on the child at break times and during recess, when they might spend a lot of time on their own.

Autistic children tend to like prefer their own company, however older children and teens may feel left out or lonely. Sometimes it can be helpful to structure breaktimes to avoid any problems.

Try and avoid metaphorical speech, for example "wait a minute", autistic children tend to very literal and will not understand. Avoid sarcastic language, or exaggeration, and nick names, both when you are speaking to the child and to the class as a whole. Always be aware of what you are saying and how it might be misunderstood by the child.

You may need to repeat yourself during lessons and keep checking the autistic child is still listening, their attention span can be short especially when something is not of interest to them.

When you are talking to a group, make sure you have the child's attention. Especially young children they may not understand that they are included in the group, so you may need to include them by talking to them directly ie by saying their name or talk first, then to the whole class.

As with listening to a foreign language or something you really have no interest in, we all tend to shut off to it. An child with autism is no different, as soon as a couple of sentences go over their head they will shut down their auditory system and stop listening reverting back into their own world.

Try using visual aids when teaching a subject that requires abstract thinking. You could maybe use photographs or pictures to help keep the autistic child's attention.

Even at secondary school, it is still possible to use visual aids for example illustrations or diagrams could be added to worksheets.

Visual timetables are used with a great success, the autistic child can quickly recognise what is happening as has a visual cue for the various different times of the day, like break times, recess, pe lessons, hometime etc.

You may want to include time for the bathroom as this is a confusing time for most children with autism.

You may also want to think about the use of autism social stories as a tool for helping the autistic child keep on task and understand what is expected of them throughout the day and what they should expect from other's.

Autism social stories are used with great effect in classrooms and can be like a favorite friend to an autistic child, and teacher a like! Used in conjunction with a visual timetable and set behavior plan, autism social stories will become invaluable.

A good source for social stories is your OT or alternatively you can obtain autism social stories on line at http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school for school related social skills stories, for all other social stories visit their well stocked social stories site.

For detailed information on autism social stories visit us at:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

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Autism Care For Toddlers

Many parents are frightened upon finding out that their child is autistic. The prospect of raising a child who has autism is intimidating, and having an autistic child is an exercise in patience, certainly. However, it can also be just as rewarding an experience for parents as raising a normal child. Toddlers at any age and of any abilities can be a challenge, but there are some great ways to make it easier on your child as well as yourself.

Do Some Research - With the internet, this is easier than ever. Don't let the internet be the end of your resources, though. While there are many websites and forums online for parents of autistic children - and it is helpful to join some of these to network with other parents - it's also important to pick up a few books. Keep in mind that all children are different and every method suggested will not work for every child.

Get to Know Your Toddler - Autism is not a disorder that is the same from person to person. It is called the 'autism spectrum' because severity and forms vary from minor symptoms to very significant problems. A professional diagnosis can give you an accurate idea of your child's position on the spectrum, but it is up to you to learn who your child is as a person. Keep a Diary This is more for record-keeping than for a sounding board. Write down everything from foods to reactions to certain colours, textures, and environments. You can learn a great deal about which things agitate or upset your child this way. Also make note of any new symptoms you notice. Having a record of symptoms and reactions to environmental factors can help when contacting your child's doctor, as well.

Stay Attentive - It is important to pay attention. Every parent knows this, but it is all the more important when caring for a child with autism because many don't understand or have the ability to express their feelings and emotions. Children who have autism can seem cold, standoffish, and indifferent even to their parents. Don't make the mistake of assuming that they do not have those feelings, though. Many toddlers who have profound autism are unable to hug and kiss their parents and find it distressing when forced to do so. Take your child's feelings into account when considering any activities.

Create a Routine - Routine is everything to an autistic child because it gives them feelings of safety and calm. Most are frustrated very easily by a small change in routine that seems like nothing at all to you. Try to arrange for naps, meals, playtime, and outings to occur at the same time each day. It can also be helpful to create routines for certain times of day, such as bedtime. Many children who have autism are very high-strung. By removing stimulation, such as foods and television, a couple of hours before bed and performing more calming activities can help get an autistic toddler to fall asleep.

Please click here for information on autism care.

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Meltdowns And Tantrums Can They Be Dealt With? Find Out

You are in the grocery store making a purchase and suddenly your child who has autism, displays the loudest tantrum you ever heard. There you stand in shock and with embarrassment from this outburst. Your child needs a meltdown. But how?

Has this ever happened to you? You know you must deal with this tantrum and give your child a meltdown.

Having a child who has the disorder of autism is extremely challenging, when an outburst of a tantrum occurs.

If you have other children or are aware of other children, who are not autistic, a high percentage of those children who are under five years of age, usually have tantrums and outbursts. But, these tantrums usually can be stopped or corrected.

When a child with the disorder of autism, displays tantrums, you want to calm him or her down with a meltdown.

It can be difficult and challenging to calm your autistic child down and control his or her behavior.

Before you decide to take your child out in public places, prepare yourself that tantrums might happen and you must give your child a meltdown to stop the aggression and frustration.

In addition, you need to understand why the tantrums are happening.

If a tantrum happens when you are in public, I found the best thing to do is to solve it. Try and communicate with your child by making firm eye contact and say the word "NO." Be very firm with that word.

If your child does not understand what "NO" means, try to use visual cards with pictures on them or create visual meaning, use expressions of signs and symbols, signals for your child to relate to. Such as the word calm down, quiet, not so noisy, do not push or shove, do not throw objects, no screaming, etc.

I have discovered if you know your child will have an outburst, try to distract your child from that problem.

There may be times when you will want to carry pictures, certain toys, music, books, stuffed animals to offer a diversion from the tantrums and outbursts.

I knew a mother who had a cart full of groceries and her child had a tantrum. She had no choice but remove her child and herself from the premises. She had to discipline and give her child a meltdown.

To solve tantrums and outbursts, you may have to stop what you are doing and let your child know, enough is enough, you as parent(s), caregiver(s), are in charge. His or her behavior must come to a halt. It must stop. A meltdown should be given.

In the future, if you find your child is having the tantrums and meltdowns when you are planning the same routine, evaluate what is causing his or her tantrums?

Try to analyze the cause and solve it before the meltdowns are needed.

Bonita Darula's informational web sight==> http://www.autismintoawareness.com is where you SIGN up and RECEIVE your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER with updated topics. Meltdowns and tantrums can be dealt with. Find out how you can solve this challenging problem. Read your New Updated E-Book that is crucial for you and your child. You can order it when you receive your newsletter>>> http://www.autismintoawareness.com

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Top 10 Myths About People With Autism

1. Autism is the parents' fault: Theories of what actually causes autism abound these days. Everything from mercury in vaccinations to food allergies to genetics are all theories of how autism came about. No one seems to really know why autism exists. One thing I can tell you is that it is NOT the parent's fault. There was a time, not so long ago that doctors blamed the mother for a child being autistic. The doctors believed that an autistic child had "withdrawn inside himself" due to a lack of affection given by the mother. The mothers used to be deemed "Refrigerator Mothers" because it was believed they were cold and un-affectionate. Now, we know that this is just not true! Many scientists think that autism is a genetic problem but even so, no one can seem to find a cure for it.

2. Autism is caused by a lack of discipline or spoiling: Lots of unknowing people, mostly passers by and looky-loo's are under the impression that kids with autism are just spoiled brats who scream because they don't get their way. Parents are offered lots of advice about how to discipline and set down rules for their child by people who have no idea what it's like to raise someone who is autistic.

Let me set the record straight. If you are in a department store and see a child screaming and squirming against their parents, please don't assume that this child is being a brat. Autistic kids can have some major sensory issues. Common, everyday sounds can literally cause physical pain to some autistic people. The buzzing and flickering of a florescent light can literally drive them insane, and all the distractions and people at a public place like that can scare them because they have no idea what to expect from a stranger. If you want to help, just approach the parent and ask kindly, "I see that you're struggling, what can I do to help you?" You will be most appreciated! There may be nothing you can do, but your kindness will be noted!

3. People with Autism are mentally retarded: Some of them are, but not all. Autistic people are usually not just autistic. More often than not, they are autistic and have another issue like ADHD, OCD, Mental Retardation, Dyslexia or sensory issues. Some can't even speak, some are deaf, some are blind, but this is true with all people in general. This in no way means that ALL autistic people are mentally retarded. A lot of autistic people have average or above average intelligence. It's just that they may have no way to communicate that intelligence sometimes and once they find a way, they are much better and their intelligence is completely evident.

4. People with Autism will never contribute to society: While it may be true that an autistic person may need a mentor or some job coach training, the truth is that with a little help, ANY autistic person can find a way to contribute to society.

5. All Autistic people are like "Rainman": Rainman was a really cool character. When I first found out that my son had autism, I watched Rainman again after not having watched it for about 12 years. I had to giggle at the similarities between my son and the character portrayed on T.V. The mannerisms were almost exactly the same! This myth was true in my case, but what most people don't seem to want to understand is that autistic people are each individuals. Autism is not a cookie-cutter diagnosis. That is why they call it a Spectrum Disorder, because there are so many different symptom and each symptom has varying levels of degree.

6. Autistic people do not have feelings: I cannot speak for all autistic people really because I am not autistic. I know from knowing my son, however, that at least he does have feelings. He feels happy when he is bike riding with me in the evenings and he feels sad after having to leave his grandma and come back home when he takes a trip to go see her. He feels angry when one of his siblings takes a toy away from him and at times he just wants to be alone. I can tell that he definitely has feelings. He also shows affection. He kisses, hugs, and comforts people just like any non-autistic person. Some autistic people don't display emotion much, but it's not a blanket statement that is true of ALL autistic people.

7. People can outgrow Autism: The treatments for autism are getting better and better everyday. Mostly, the parents of autistic people are the ones working for a cure and not so much the doctors and the scientists. Sometimes it's the autistic people themselves who are working to find a cure. But there is really no true "Cure" for autism that has been officially found. The mainstream treatment for autism seems to be ABA therapy or Applied Behavior Analysis. It's kind of a reward program that gives the autistic person what they want if they behave in a certain manner first. I'm not sure how I feel about this therapy. To me, it seems like the therapists are only trying to teach the person with autism how to sit down and shut up, which is not what they need. But there are other treatments out there such as the Son-Rise Program by The Autistic Treatment Center of America that I like. The bottom line is that the symptoms of autism can be diminished, almost to the point of being invisible, but autism is a life-long disorder and people don't grow out of it.

8. All autistics are geniuses: Just like in the statement about autistics being mentally retarded, some are geniuses, and some aren't. Sometimes you will meet a person who is an Autistic Savant. Lots of autistic people have this trait. This is when the person may be a little slow or seemingly unintelligent in some area but their intelligence and comprehension seem to spike in reference to something that they are very interested in or sometimes this happens with one of their 5 senses. Temple Grandin is an example of this with her vision. She has a 3-D photographic memory and is able to move and shift the pictures around in her mind to look at them from different angles like a computer program. She's been able to do this long before computer programs like that even existed! This is not the exception to the rule though, there are many different levels of intelligence in the autistic community.

9. Autistic adults will never be able to live on their own: Again, this is not a blanket statement for autistics as a whole. Autistic kids will always grow up to be autistic adults, but with proper training and a little bit of help from programs and the community, it is entirely possible for an autistic adult to live on their own. Symptoms of autism are many different levels of degree. Some function almost "normally" and can do most tasks all on their own with little help from anyone else. Some just need help with things like money management and social situations, and some may be so severe that they may always live in a place like a group home with other autistic people. It just depends on the person.

10. Autism is a mental illness: Autism is a developmental disability, not a mental illness. There is a difference between a mental illness and a developmental disability. A person with a mental illness is usually very competent and able to care for themselves, but sometimes they have flaws, such as depression or moodiness, that vary from rational to irrational. A person with a developmental disability normally has trouble in areas of life, like self-sufficiency and self-care and may only function up to a certain age level that may be considered far younger than his or her chronological age. A person with a developmental disability may also have a mental illness in addition to their disability but a person with a mental illness does not necessarily have a disability. Another difference between the two is that a developmental disability is permanent whereas a mental illness is treatable.

I hope this has helped to clear up some of the questions people have about autism. I think that the general public really misunderstands autism but with the rising number of people being diagnosed, it seems like there will be more and more encounters with autistic people in the near future. With this in mind, it is good to try to understand this disability as much as possible.

I am a mother of an autistic son who cares very much about the autistic community. I am working hard to help others understand autism better so that we can all live in a more tolerant society. There is more hope for autistic people today than ever before. Here is more information on people with autism.

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