Savant Syndrome and Severe Autism - Open Channels of Expression

Have you ever experienced flow? Many creative people sense that their art is created through them rather than by them. Many scientists and philosophers have had similar experiences. Where do these inventive ideas originate? Who or what is the source? Our individual egos cannot help but question, analyze and edit. I suspect that a savant is not encumbered by ego and thus remains in flow.
I speculate the savant experiences a gradient of exchange in which he opens up a vacant part of himself to ideas, a form of canalization that deepens and widens over time. The passage of information flows freely, uninterrupted by configurations of brain wave patterns that transpose higher-level thinking into constructs that configure themselves to the mechanism in place. In other words, savants experience information as a free flowing river without the tributaries. The source of the information can be thought of as the ocean of the mind where all information is available. Random thoughts proliferate in a disorganized fashion, attuning to the frequency of the individual being used for expression. An open channel or receptivity occurs.
This genius includes direct expression of an extreme area of competence since the ego of the savant does not interfere with the process. This subjugation of objective self occurs, as the dominant force is the expression of the idea. The savant is able to turn himself over to another source for expression. Unlike most of us, who self monitor, his gate to the emanating force is wide open.
The savant may not have full awareness of what he has produced; however, he is aware that he is in flow. It is a meditative state for him in which his system feels relaxed and at peace. His accomplishments, though not entirely his own, could not occur without him. It is a dance so to speak. He is a tool to express areas of consciousness that would otherwise be unavailable. It is a process that affirms the unique aspects of his connection to universal knowledge and the knowledge base of others individually and collectively.
Balance of self with soul and complete surrender to the process demands ultimate trust and courage. Who among us is capable of that level of abandon? Perhaps, that is why so many of these intriguing savants have been diagnosed with autism or other neurological and/or perceptual differences. Just maybe, it is the lack of ego restraints that allows their genius to flourish.
Many individuals diagnosed with low functioning autism, I believe are intellectual and spiritual savants. Their process differs- they need an agent/facilitator to serve as a catalyst for expression. The preconceptions and knowledge base of the agents/facilitator limit their expression since they interpret the autistic savants unmitigated free flowing thoughts using their own vocabulary and knowledge base. Some agents, I believe reside on the perimeters of knowing but fear of taking the plunge holds them back. If the agent makes a concerted effort to incorporate new knowledge with past understanding, the circle will continue to widen. But in order for this to occur the agent needs to acknowledge that it exists.
Engagement in this process manifests its own rewards for both the person with autism and the agent. Both experience flow each influencing the other in a meditative dance of possibilities.

I have worked with individuals with autism for many years. What they have taught me was to be sure of nothing, and open myself to the extraordinary. I am compelled to share what they have shown me. Please recommend this article to anyone you know who might be interested. Questions and comments are appreciated.
Mary Ann Harrington MS
http://web.mac.com/maharrington

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Possible Non Genetic Causes of Autism

Autism is a developmental disorder that typically manifests in the first 3 years of a child's life. Simply put - and Autism is anything but simple - Autism impedes the brain's normal development of social and communication abilities. Children with autism display a myriad of symptoms / behaviors at varying degrees which include, but are not limited to:

• Heightened sensitivity in some or all of their senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and/or taste)
• Exhibit repetitive behaviors or rituals and show distress when routines are interrupted
• Struggles with language and may communicate through gestures rather than words
• Show increases or unusual attachment to objects
• Difficulty communicating and being "social"
• Does not respond to "normal" social queues such as smiling and eye contact
• Struggles with empathy and concepts of the "self" versus "others"
• Often displays a very specific or narrow span of interest

Despite rigorous scientific analysis, there is still quite a bit of mystery shrouding autism. Genetics appear to be an underlying factor is the development of autism. Fraternal twins, for example, are less likely than identical twins to share the diagnosis suggesting a definite link to the child's chromosomes. Also, families with a history of nervous system or neurological issues have a higher predisposition for autism. But science has shown that autism is likely the result of several variables - not genetics alone. Studies have suggested a strong correlation with external influences, specifically chemical exposure and sensitivity, diet, digestive tract changes, and an inability of the child's body to properly utilize necessary vitamins and/or minerals.
Chemical Exposure & Chemical Sensitivity
It is believed that chemical exposure - either to the woman during pregnancy or the child's direct exposure - may be a contributing factor to the development of autism. Mercury and environmental chemicals that cause oxidative stress have both been areas of particular concern. Even after autism is diagnosed, these chemicals may increase the severity of symptoms. For these reasons, it is advisable for child-minded families to reduce the amounts of chemical exposure a child bearing adult and the subsequent offspring are exposed to in the home. You can do this by using non-toxic cleaners designed for chemical sensitivities. For more information on specific ingredients to avoid, check out our past post on chemical sensitivities in the home. Install water purifiers and drinking faucets and consider treating water with ion water purification. Lastly, choose toiletries that are salicylate (SLS) free, including soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, sunscreen and salicylate free dental care.
Dietary Influences
Food additives and pesticides are another possible autism trigger. According to a 2005 Barlow studies, these toxic elements "act as an additional insult to the system and prevent the normal recovery of [antioxidant] defenses." This in turn can lead to "neurodegeneration" especially with concurrent exposures. A diet rich in these preservatives and pesticides can not only trigger autism, they have the potential to aggravate and intensify symptoms. For this reason, reducing or eliminating foods that use pesticides or are rich in preservatives is important.
Some things to keep an eye out for include:

• Processed foods - the more processed, the more likely it will contain preservatives.
• Sodium nitrate - often found in meats such as bacon, lunch meats, smoked fish and corned beef.
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) - often associated with Asian food, but can also be used in soups, salads dressing, chips and frozen meals.
• Salicylates - can be naturally occurring in whole foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, but can also found in sweets, condiments, oils, grains, meat, dairy, soy, processed foods, and even beverages.
• Potassium Bromate - increasingly uncommon but still legal in the US. Used to increase volume in some bread products.
• General "Food Coloring" - found in candy, fruit cocktail, beverages and baked treats.

Digestive Tract Issues
An Australian study discovered a significant difference in how autistic children digestive tracts metabolize amino acids and also identified notable differences in the levels of healthy intestinal bacteria in the large intestine. These digestive limitations likely contribute an inability to utilize important vitamins and minerals. If your child is autistic, ask your physician to use appropriate amino acid urine and fecal tests to help identify any issues in your child's digestive tract. Promote digestive enzyme health with a natural probiotic cleanse, which in turn will help your child absorb necessary nutrients and stave off toxins.

About the Author: Eric Lancaster is the Executive Vice President at Teraganix, formerly EM America. Teraganix is the exclusive US distributor for Dr. Higa's original EM Technology including EM-1 and Bokashi products. EM-1® has a myriad of practical uses, from organic vegetable garden fertilizer to micronutrient fertilizer and even a kitchen compost accelerant.

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SID - Sensory Integration Disorder and Neurofeedback

Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) was discovered by Jean Ayres, Ph.D. about 40 years ago. Symptoms of SID in children are often misinterpreted as psychological problems or just plain bad behavior.
Higher cognitive functions including things such as learning and behavior depend upon having normal sensory integration.
As a psychologist, I am sad to say that when I was in graduate school, (1982 - 1987) that this disorder wasn't talked about much. At this time I am often involved with families who have a child with Sensory Integration Disorder.
Imagine, if you will, that for each of your 5 senses, there is a wire of a different color that leads the information form that particular sense, into your brain. For example, for the information that comes in from your eyes, or your visual senses, you might imagine a red wire; and blue one for hearing (auditory), etc.
Now, assuming that your brain was able to notice what color of "wire" the information was coming from, and knew that the red "wire" was information from your eyes, and blue was from your ears, it would be a fairly straightforward process for keeping things figured out. Someone with SID, however, doesn't experience it quite like this.
When someone is dealing with SID, their brain is getting mixed signals. At times, the red "wire "might be visual information; at other times, it might be the blue "wire" that is shuttling the visual data. Then, there may be times when the red "wire" is carrying both visual and auditory information. Can you see how this might be very confusing for the brain to interpret?
This sounds like a rather complex challenge, does it not? One could argue that it is, I suppose, but I've never been one for building a "case" for difficulty. Instead, I prefer to gather evidence for possibility.
In short, when neurofeedback is helpful for those with SID, it's as though neurofeedback is able to teach the brain to start recognizing the "wires" accurately and stop acting "color blind" when it comes to incoming sensory information. And, why shouldn't everyone's brain learn to clearly interpret sensory information?

Want to know more about the amazing world of Neurofeedback? Click on this link to go to http://www.NeurofeedbackBook.com Dr. Clare Albright is a psychologist and the author of a 168 page book, "Neurofeedback: Transforming Your Life with Brain Biofeedback" and can be reached at (949) 454-0996 http://www.NeurofeedbackBook.com. The pdf version of the book can be downloaded for only $7.99!

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Facts About Autism Treatment for Kids

Autism is a really major sickness which largely has an effect on children. Unfortunately, you'll find plenty of un-answered concerns with regards to autism nowadays. In addition, contemporary medical science may provide a few efficient therapies which may help. There is the fantasy that autism can't possibly be remedied. Needless to say, no one assure good results, however particular therapies might be efficient. It's important to remember that various kids may get various signs and symptoms. That is why typically, autism is not clinically determined in children who've it. Concerning therapies you will find purely health approaches and also communication cures that we're going to take a look at in the following paragraphs.
Sadly, kids affected with this particular illness tend to be often separated from our community. This is the greatest mistake. Children often do not want to talk with children troubled with autism. Recent studies indicated that it's imperative for the kids having this specific disease to communicate with the pals. Healthful communicating is certainly the perfect treatment. You will find particular groupings of autistic children in which doctors develop the appropriate cures that include communicating. Youngsters must take a look at images, perform exercises and so forth. Interaction with healthful young children is crucial! This can seem weird yet connections with domestic pets is definitely extremely helpful. Leading doctors confirm performance of this particular tactic with results of experiments. Boys and girls really feel much less cut off any time interacting with household pets.
Language cure can be also incredibly popular. Youngsters should improve their oral communication abilities collectively. Sure, presently there can be particular issues, but it is possible to make use of graphics to illustrate language. You may recognize that boys and girls will really like these types of classes. Songs treatment is actually an alternative popular therapy. Soothing songs has a great affect on kids. Sure, it should not be aggressive rock. This particular remedy suggests listening to popular music, rhythmic moving or maybe even learning piano or acoustic guitars. Encouraging outcomes are certain to get! Youngsters suffering from autism must get massage therapy. Everyone knows, massage treatment is certainly valuable in lots of scenarios. Deep massages may lower anxiety which can be great for affected boys and girls.
Moms and dads must remember that after they discover some indicators they should contact a health care provider as soon as possible. Never ever make use of any kind of self made remedies. Never ever use suggestions which you will discover at sites that are not managed by medical practitioners. What's more, it is essential to bring boys and girls affected by that sickness to a couple of health professionals which could get different options concerning helpful remedies. As mentioned above, essentially the most powerful remedy is certainly conversation. Regrettably, autistic youngsters are exiles. Healthier youngsters ignore them. Thus, it is important to make sure such a young child is a member of the contemporary society. Keep in mind that a mild autism might be cured at first stages. Furthermore, remedy at early stages is actually very effective. For example if a young child has got language disorders, it's important to center on oral communication and popular music remedy.
As previously said, educational as well as health-related treatments are suggested. But, every kid is exclusive, so, to choose acceptable therapies it is necessary to consult a health care provider as well as assess skills of the infant.
Remember that children really like taking part in activities. So, remedies must possibly be a great play time for them. Sure, major circumstances could require clinical remedies.

To get extra info about autism treatment make sure you'll visit our web site. Let us overcome this disease jointly.

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Treatment Process For Autism

To put it as simple as possible, autism can be diagnosed as a symptom, which occurs in early childhood and causes generative communication disorders. A neurological disorder, children suffering from autism refrains from all types of social interaction. What sets these children off is their inability to express themselves properly. The symptoms develop in the as early as two to three years and research has that the disorder is on the rise, with every two person of the 10000 people are affected. This is much higher in males than in females.
What is most difficult in dealing with this disease is that there is no concrete path to cure it. People know very little about this ailment. Fortunately, some recent discoveries in medical science have shown positive results in curing neurological disorders. This kind of disease attacks patient's central nervous system and hinders their natural growth of understanding. Experts in medical science have been searching for a cure to wipe this severe disease from this world, and at last, their long and frantic search paid off when they discovered the positive effect of antioxidants in our body.
Hyperbaric chamber
Let us talk about how 'antioxidants' help us to cure neurological diseases. Antioxidants are a common element found in oxygen. These elements join with our blood cells and force our blood steam to reach to the damaged tissues and heal it. Now, in order to do that, we would need to breathe pure oxygen in high atmospheric pressure. To, make it happen, 'hyperbaric chamber' stepped in the game. This machine is designed to provide pure oxygen to patients at high atmospheric pressure. High air pressure increases our oxygen intake and our blood cells become saturated with pure oxygen. Our antioxidant-induced blood cells heal damaged cells faster.
Treatment includes more
Treatment for autism sure starts with hyperbaric chamber but it does not finish with it. You will need to fix up a diet chart, counseling, and physiotherapy session to help the patient in developing communication skills. Before hiring a caregiver or enlisting a patient to a medical center, you must do some research to learn about their success rate in curing neurological disorder. The choices you are about to make to start a process in order to cure an autism affected patient; will decide the success or failure of the process. Therefore, every step must be taken cautiously.
Therefore, it is apparent that not only medicinal treatment, neurologically damaged patients needs a precisely planned process to cure autism totally.

Kevin Halls is a researcher on WI Autism. His tips and suggestions towards curing autism proved to be helpful. Thus he is sharing his thoughts with us.

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Autism Disorder Spectrum Gets a Boost From Artificial Intelligence

Our nation's challenge with autism is real, and it is significant - this is not something we can pretend away, or hope it will disappear - it won't. Thankfully, there is a large group of folks working to solve this problem. I'd like to take a few minutes to speak to you about all this because it has been a topic of conversation at our think tank for quite a number of years.
Now then, just to give you an example of some of what is being done to get a handle on the enormity of this problem - consider this new innovation. The MedGadget Website has a very cool innovation listed on April 19, 2012 in an article with a nice graphic display titled; "Autworks: A Web-Based Tool to Diagnose Autism," by Jan Sinnige. The article/essay stated;
"In the latest issue of Nature Translational Psychiatry, researchers from the Center for Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School published a new algorithm to detect autism much quicker. They developed a web-based tool to complete these questionnaires and tested the contribution of each survey question individually to diagnose the autism disorder. They found that only seven questions were sufficient for an accurate diagnosis."
Interestingly enough, autism diagnoses have increased drastically and one study indicated that autism occurs now in 1 out of every 88 children, if this is the case, it's beyond epidemic proportions. An article worthy of your consideration on this was written by Shirley S. Wang published on March 20, 2012 titled; "Autism Diagnoses Up Sharply in the US," and as I was discussing this with a local county case worker here specializing in adult autism cases she speculated that the increase was two-fold.
First, there is much more awareness these days, therefore any mental anomalies would be duly noted, plus, there were an increase in cases. Some grad students I spoke with from the University of Riverside had put together a diagnosis matrix, which was helping them identify where on the autism spectrum each student in High School Special Ed was at, thus making it easier to teach to their specific needs since the spectrum is so large.
From high functioning autistic conditions to those which are completely debilitating there are solutions to helping individuals through school and life - able to live on their own and enjoy a fruitful life. We are a strong and powerful nation - we have the will to help those who need it most. We can do this. Think on it.

Lance Winslow has written an eBook for the Autism Community to help in raising funds Future Concepts. Lance is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank.

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How Do You Assure Autistic Siblings to Get Along With One Another?

Siblings who are in a family with autism present, may have a difficult time for them to relate, understand each other and cope. To assure siblings will get a long with others in the family with autism, requires patience and a huge amount of love.
I believe, if the siblings are taught to be kind and loving, this will encourage them, that when there are mistakes, that are made with the sibling relationships, they will forgive each other.
A child with autism in a family with siblings requires everyone to be taught values. For example, consideration graciousness, respect, sharing and concern for others, which will assure the siblings to get along.
As a parent(s) or caregiver, your job is to relate two imperative things to your children. The first thing is-- tell your child he or she is special and important and you love him or her as much as you always did and that will not change. The second thing is-- to always let your child know, their brother or sister is also special and important and you love them just as much him or her and that will never change either.
Having a child with autism in the family can be challenging for the other siblings to learn how to get along. It is wise never to compare your children to other siblings who are the family.
Each child is special with many unique gifts and challenges, but never compare, elevate, or put one child down against another.
Another way to assure siblings to get along is to teach your children cooperation, team work by having each child share the load of responsibilities of chores that each individual is capable of doing and according to their age.
Praise your children for doing such a great job at their chores, even if it the end result is not perfect. Do not talk down at them or scold them with harsh words. It is the team work and effort that counts.
If your child has autism and is younger than the other siblings, it would be wise to have your older children understand that their younger brother or sister many have some difficulties with certain areas of their functioning, but they are valuable and important but need a little extra help.
In addition, to assuring that the siblings get along with autism in their family, is to have a sense of humor. Have fun with your children and make it enjoyable for all to laugh, make mistakes, dream have goals and understand the talents and gifts of each individual.
This will bring cooperation, team work, self-esteem and create the assurance that siblings will get along with each other.
Unconditional love for all of your children is crucial, no matter how many siblings there are and the various levels of autism that is within the family. Love is the assurance to get along with all members in the family.

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