Children and adults with autism are unable to relate to others in a meaningful way. They have difficulty developing relationships or understanding other people’s feelings and often develop strange obsessions or odd behavior patterns. Autism is believed to be a brain development disorder, and while there is no cure there is hope.
Autism is rare, affecting every two to four children in 10,000, and nearly three times more boys are affected than girls. It is also more common in higher social classes. Most cases present themselves before the age of two and a half or earlier. Although the cause is unknown, it has been linked to epilepsy (10 to 15 percent of sufferers develop epilepsy) and later schizophrenia (there is some indication that autism may be a form of schizophrenia, although it does not, as yet, respond to the same medication).
Most sufferers remain educationally subnormal, although some have an isolated special ability, for instance, with numbers or music.
Treatment
There are a vast range of approaches that can help people with autism develop, communicate, and become more independent.
Diet and Nutrition High doses of vitamin B6 and magnesium have been found to be helpful in improving sleeping habits and attention span, decreasing hyperactivity, irritability, and aggression in autistic people.
Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for:
Massage Hand and foot massage (with or without essential oils) can help autistic people learn to enjoy positive touch and be calm. Carers can be taught how to massage.
Music Therapy Trained therapists have had good results using music to communicate with autistic children and help them express themselves.
“Holding” Therapy When combined with other treatments, holding – where the parent insists on comforting an unwilling child – has been found to be effective in improving the behavior patterns of autistic children. Families will find that they need support and advice from experienced therapists when attempting to use this form of therapy.
Relaxation Techniques Learning relaxation techniques can help avoid violent outbursts.
Osteopathy Autistic children can benefit from gentle manipulation by specialized osteopaths.
Talking Treatments These can help the family deal with an autistic child. Behavior therapy may help reduce difficult behavior and teach new skills.
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Who: Author, activist, and guest lecturer in the Elms College autism spectrum disorders program, John Elder Robison.
What: Robison will read from and sign copies of new book, Be Different. Free and open to the public.
When: 7 p.m., April 26, 2012
Where: Elms College Alumnae Library Well
Robison’s long career took him from working backstage with rock and roll greats, to engineering and toy design, to his own high-end car repair shop. A chance visit to his garage by a therapist introduced him to Asperger’s, and the symptoms that had never added up to a diagnosis throughout his entire life. Publishing his autobiography, Look Me In the Eye, propelled Robison into the ranks of activism and authorship.
For more information, contact Kathryn James, Ph.D., director of the communication sciences and disorders and autism spectrum disorders programs, at jamesk@elms.edu or 413-265-2253.
Elms College is a co-educational, Catholic college offering a liberal arts curriculum that gives students multiple perspectives on life. Founded in 1928 by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Elms College has a tradition of educating reflective, principled, and creative learners, who are rooted in faith, educated in mind, compassionate in heart, responsive to civic and social obligations, and capable of adjusting to change without compromising principle.
It has been scientifically diagnosed and defined that a kind of disorder that affects the brain’s development is known as autism. The signs of autism usually manifests during childhood or infancy. These signs do not stop here but continue well into the adulthood of an autistic patient. This article gives you an overview of autism. It will broaden your knowledge about the disease and give you a wider perspective on how to really treat the patient with such disease.
Autism makes the patient to display some incoherent speech and language difficulties. The person or child with autism usually finds it difficult to relate or interact with people. More so, if you present objects or show him events he will be quite uninterested in the whole event. As a parent, if your child is beginning to show any of these signs then you must know that there is a possibility that the child is an autistic child.
The cause of autism is yet to be discovered but various studies made through autism researches have identified the risk factors associated with those children with autism. For instance, it is known that the brain of the autistic child is slightly larger than that of a normal child.
Other risk factors of this disorder include: lack of enough vitamins and minerals in the body of the victim and presence of heavy metals like mercury in the blood. These metals are caused by vaccinations carried out on children when they are been immunized of certain diseases. (This fact is yet to be wholly acceptable by all medical experts, though).
Most reputable scientists now believe that autism has existed throughout the history of humankind. Some have speculated that ancient legends about “changelings” are actually stories of children with autism. Celtic mythology is redolent with stories of elves and visitors from “the other side” who steal a human child and leave their own damaged child in its place. The child left behind is usually mute, remote and distant, staring into space and unresponsive to its adult caretakers. We must bear in mind that in times gone by, and in some cultures today, children who are unlike the average expected child are seen to be victims of evil or some sort.
In 1801 the French physician Itard took into his care a boy who had been found wandering naked in the forest. It was believed at the time that the boy had lived alone in the forest since early childhood. The boy could not speak and was unresponsive to human contact. He has come to be known as “sauvage de l’Aveyron,” or “wild boy of Aveyron”. Itard’s tireless efforts to help this boy mark the beginning of special educaiton. Although autism was not a term used at the time there are those who speculate that the wild boy of Aveyron was a child with autism.
The real history of autism dates back only one hundred years to the time of the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler. In 1911 Bleuler was writing about a group of people then identified as having schizophrenia. In his writing he coined the term “autism” to describe their seeming near total absorption with themselves and distance from others.
Writing in the early 1920′s, Carl Gustav Jung introduced the terminology of extrovert and introvert. Jung viewed these personality types as being present in all people to one degree or another. However he noted that in extreme cases, cases that in the language of his day were called “neurotic”, a person could become totally absorbed into himself or herself.
It was not until the late 1930′s and early 1940′s in America that the term “autism” joined the official psychiatric nomenclature. Psychiatrists Leo Kanner, who started working with a particular group of children in 1938, and Hans Asperger, both publishing findings and writing in 1943 and 1944, wrote about groups of children they had studied and called either “autistic” or children with “autistic psychopathy”. Both authors believe these children displayed a constellation of symptoms that were unique and represented a syndrome not previously identified. As the children they studied seemed unable to engage in normal human relationships they borrowed Bleuler’s term “autism” to identify the syndrome. The defining difference between the work of Kanner and Asperger and that of Bleuler is that for the former two the condition they describe is present at birth while for Bleuler the condition appears much later in life.
Another important difference in these early pioneers of autism is that Kanner group is quite self-contained and comprised of individual all sharing the same “core” symptoms. Asperger’s group is quite wide, ranging from the children like Kanner’s to children with near normal characteristics. The vestiges of these two differing descriptions, now bearing the names of their illustrious “discoverers” remains to this day. In the literature and in lay terminology we still hear people described as having “Kanner’s autism” or “Asperger’s syndrome.
Around the time of Kanner and Asperger another famous, indeed in autism circles infamous, name appears. This is Bruno Bettelheim. In 1944 Bettelheim directed the Orthogenic School for Children in Chicago, Illinois. There he worked out his own theory of the cause of autism and started intervention programmes. Bettelheim believed that autism was a result of children being raised in severely unstimulating environments during their early years. He believed it was parents, particularly mothers, who were unresponsive to their children that caused autism. The unfortunate term “refrigerator mother” arose during this time.
Although Bettelheim’s psychological theories were eventually discredited it was not for many years that science advanced to the point that mother’s were not blamed for autism. Indeed, the author’s own post-graduate training in the mid to late 70′s was characterised by lectures about “refrigerator mothers” having caused autism. The legacy of Bettelheim’s theory is undoubtedly one of terrible harm inflicted on so many mothers for so many years. [I cannot help but wonder if we really have progressed since I have so often heard mothers of children with autism being described as "over-anxious", "clinging", "over-involved" and "pushy or aggressive" by some educators, psychologists and physicians]
From the 1980′s onward considerable research has been undertaken to uncover the “cause” of autism. So many theories have come forward: genetic, environmental, toxins, endocrine, metabolic, unusual reactions to certain foods or additives and the current favourite, immunizations. Despite all this theorising autism still remains a puzzle. Little scientifically valid evidence supports any particular theory and research continues into the cause of autism.
What do we know about autism?
It is now and accepted fact that autism is a neurodevelopment (sometimes called neurobiological) condition. This places the site of autism within the human brain itself, not in the form of physical brain abnormalities that appear on physical examination or X-ray, but rather in the chemical and electrical activity of the brain. It is know that autism is present at birth, is more common amongst boys than girls and is a life-long condition with no “cure”. We know that autism can be treated effectively and there are a wide number of treatment options available. It is now known that education is particularly important in the treatment of autism and that early intervention is critically important. Children born with autism can improve along a number of pathways but they will always have autism no matter how seemingly like others they may become.
Having said what was said about autism being incurable and a life-long condition there are those who say it can be cured. Interesting forms of treatment being studied in New Orleans, Louisiana involve testing children with autism for low-level presence of lead in there system, then providing treatment to eliminate any traces of autism. This is said to have “cured” over 1,500 children of the condition (personal conversation with the lead physician). It has to be cautioned that such extreme and emphatic statements must be put to the rigorous test of scientific study and that the sorts of assessments being completed on these children in New Orleans are not in favour in Europe at the moment.
What is autism?
The neurodevelopment or neurobiological condition known as autism is highly variable. No two people with autism are alike. Having said that, all people with autism share common characteristics. These characteristics exist along what is called the “Triad of Impairment”.
The Triad of Impairment consists of significant deficits across three developmental areas:
1. Social impairment
2. Verbal and non-verbal communication impairment
3. Impairments of thinking and behaving
1. Impairment of Social Interaction
There are several sub-types of behaviours that characterise this group of people with autism. They can be quite aloof, behaving as if other people did not exist at all, making little or no eye contact and have faces that seem to lack any emotional display whatever. Less common is the passive group who will accept the advances of others, can be led to participate as a passive partner in an activity and who return the eye contact of others. Another subtype has been called the “active but odd group”. These people pay no attention to others, have poor eye contact and may stare too long and often shake hands far too vigorously and strongly. The last subtype is the overly formal and stilted group. They tend to use language in a very formal way when it is not called for, are excessively polite and try to stick to the rules of social interaction but don’t really understand then. They tend to have well developed language skills that can mask their real social deficits.
2. Impairment of Communication
Significant deficits in communication are present, to one degree or another, in all people with autism. They may have problems is using speech (expressive language), ranging from having no speech at all (about 20% of cases) to have very well developed speech. They make repeat words spoken to them (echolalia) or repeat phrases they associate with something they want (e.g. “Do you want to play” instead of “I want to play”). They will also have deficits in understanding speech (receptive language). Confusing between sounds of words can be present (e.g. meat and meet). Difficulty with irony, sarcasm and humour is often found in those with well-developed expressive language. They may have problems understanding when an object has more than one meaning (e.g. soup bowl, toilet bowl).
In addition to the problem listed about in receptive language people with autism can often have significant difficulty with modulating their tone of voice and putting expression into what they say. They can sometimes sound robotic and speak with a droning monotone. Sometimes they can emphasise the intonation of certain words with unnecessary force. Sometimes they are too loud, sometimes too quiet (more frequent).
It is important to recognise that communication is more than speech. Non-verbal communication is important for human social interaction to proceed smoothly. People with autism have deficits in understand non-verbal communication. They may not be able to interpret facial expression or to use it themselves. They may have odd and unusual body posture and gestures. They may not
I decided to make this video about the way Autism affects me. I would be very interested to see if anyone else relates to these problems. Please let me know. Video Rating: 4 / 5
Based on nearly two decades of Chantal Sicile-Kira’s personal and professional experiences with individuals and families affected by this growing epidemic, Autism Spectrum Disorders explains all aspects of the condition, including:
– The causes of autism spectrum disorders – How to properly diagnose ASDs – Treatments based on behavioral, psychological and biomedical interventions – Coping strategies for families – Educational needs and programs – Living and working conditions for adults with ASD – Community interaction – Teaching strategies and resources for educators and other professionals
According to a recent study released by the CDC, it is estimated that 1 in 88 American children has some form of autism spectrum disorder. Though the causes of autism are unknown, it is widely understood that early diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve the quality of life of the child and family.
Psychologist and author Dr. Paul G. Swingle uses neurotherapy to treat clients with autism in his practice in Vancouver. When asked about his approach, he replied, We begin with the ClinicalQ assessment in which we can detect anomalies in brain activity some of which are found in autism. Slow frequency in the back of the brain and an imbalance between the right and left frontal cortex, for example, are commonly found in children with autism.
Once the assessment is complete, the treatment, including braindriving can begin. During braindriving, sensors are placed on the scalp to monitor brainwaves in real time. Harmonics we developed specifically for braindriving are used to change brain activity driving the brain functioning to more balanced and normal ranges. Unlike traditional neurofeedback (brainwave biofeedback), which requires a certain level of cognitive ability, braindriving can be used with clients as young as four months of age in addition to clients who cannot participate in more volitional neurofeedback programs.
Words From a Mom Whose Child Was Treated
Arlene Martell wrote about the neurotherapy her son Adam received as part of his treatment for Aspergers and epilepsy in her book Getting Adam Back. In it she states, It is hard to put into words the gratitude I have for what Dr. Swingle has done for my son. Already as a family, our life was greatly impacted as we tried to cope with a child who was extremely obsessive compulsive, did not have the ability to reason or understand consequences and had terrible seizures, learning disabilities, behavior problems and no impulse control. Every parent wants what is best for their child but when a treatment I had not heard of comes along after so many others have failed, including 6 medications, while continuing to watch your child deteriorate it is hard to keep faith. Dr. Swingle did more than give me hope he healed my son, giving him a new chance at life.
ClinicalQ and Braindriving
Vancouver, Canada May 4-6, 2012
Dr. Swingles will be presenting an upcoming workshop on “ClinicalQ and Braindriving: Fundamental Neurotherapy for Professionals” in which he will introduce the methods used in his practice. Participants learn how to record the ClinicalQ and to interpret the results. Methods for probing the client based on comparisons with the ClinicalQ clinical data base are reviewed and many cases are studied to help participants learn how to capably use this intake procedure. The details associated with selecting appropriate unconditioned stimuli for braindriving are reviewed and the methods for administering basic Braindryvr protocols are shown.
Dr. Swingles 2012 Webinar Series
Interested healthcare professionals are invited to learn more about the ClinicalQ and Braindriving by attending one of Dr. Swingles online webinars. The 2012 series will cover a variety of topics ranging from depression and mood disorders to sleep disorders and chronic fatigue. One webinar will focus on treating emotional difficulties in children and another will focus on optimal performance training.
About the BFE
The BFE-LFB program provides continuing education via conferences, seminars, workshops, internet courses, and software for professionals around the world. Content is developed independently by International Research & Education Project teams. Financial support comes from the Biofeedback Federation CIC, a non-profit Community Interest Corporation located in the UK. For more information, visit the BFE Online Shop. The next BFE Annual Conference, which includes a workshop with Dr. Swingle, is scheduled to take place September 11-15, 2012 in Rzesz
PDD-NOS is a diagnosis given when a child does not meet all the criteria for Autism, but they show several of the signs. PDD-NOS or Persuasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified is diagnosed with several different types of assessments. We will look at these different types of assessments needed for PDD-NOS.
Medical Assessment
The medical assessment will examine the child completely to rule out any health conditions that could be causing the symptoms the child is experiencing. Some health conditions can cause similar symptoms as those in Persuasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
Educational Assessment
The child will be tested in several different educational areas. They will be assessed on what skills they have appropriate for their age. They will be assessed on daily living skills. These skills include dressing, bathing, eating, etc. These skills can be assessed by testing, or interviewing the parents, and teachers.
Interviews with Child’s Parents, Teachers
Children with Persuasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified can have different symptoms at different times or places. Interviewing the child’s parents and teachers gives a better picture of the child. A child in school is with the teachers for several hours a day. They can add very important information to the child’s assessment. The same can be said for anyone that spends a lot of time with the child. This might be a daycare provider, or grandma.
Psychological Assessment
The child will be assessed by a Psychologist to rule out any mental disorders that could be causing the problems. The child will be examined for delays in several areas like cognitive, or social. They will be evaluated for anxiety, or problems with depression.
Behavior Observation Assessment
The doctor assessing the child for PDD-NOS might want to observe the child in a natural setting. This can be done in the child’s home. This gives the doctor a better view of symptoms a child is having. They can see how the child acts with their family.
Communication Assessment
The child will have their communication skills tested. This will be done with testing and by talking to the child’s parents. The child will be assessed for their ability to understand others, and their ability to use their words. The doctor will want to know if the child understands body language, and facial expressions.
Occupational Assessment
The occupational assessment will check how well the child can use their fine motor skills. They will also check for any sensory issues the child may be dealing with. An example of a sensory issue would be a child that only likes certain textures. This can make choosing clothing difficult.
After all of the assessments are complete the team will meet and decide if the child has met the criteria for a diagnosis of Persuasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. If the child is found to have PDD-NOS a treatment plan will be created. Getting treatment for the child is very important. The treatments can help a child with Persuasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified to be able to communicate better. They can learn how to act in social settings. Overall treatment can make their life easier.
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (also referred to as Autism Spectrum Conditions, Autism Spectrum, and Autism) is something that six out of every thousand children in the United States have been diagnosed with. Many times this condition is very misunderstood and some parents don’t even truly understand what the signs of it are.
During this article, you’ll learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder, its symptoms, and how it’s managed. At the time that this article was written, all of the information provided below was scattered around the internet which urged us to bring it into one easy-to-understand article.
What are the different types of Autism Spectrum Disorder?
There are three different primary forms of Autism as well as two uncommon conditions. Over the years it became know that the symptoms aren’t always the same and branching it off would help treat Autism Spectrum a lot more efficiently than having one broad diagnosis.
The three main types of Autism are:
Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified
Otherwise referred to as PDD-NOS, this is the moderate form of Autism. It’s diagnosed when a patient doesn’t have as severe of a case as Autistic Disorder and it’s not as severe as Asperger’s Syndrome.
Asperger Syndrome
Asperger’s Syndrome is the least severe form of Autism. It’s also commonly referred to as high functioning Autism since it causes one to talk about their favorite things non-stop. Also, Asperger Syndrome is found three times more often in boys than it’s found in girls.
Autistic Disorder
This is the most severe case of Autism which does affect the child with more impairment than the other two forms of Autism that were discussed above.
The two uncommon types of Autism are:
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
This is the most severe form of Autism around. More commonly referred to as CDD by medical professionals, the impairments are extremely severe and could cause seizures. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is more commonly found in boys than it is girls.
Rett’s Syndrome
This type of Autism happens to be one of the rarest forms and is usually caused by genetic mutations. Rett’s Syndrome is just about exclusive to girls, meaning that it’s very, very rare to find it in boys.The impairments caused by Rett’s Syndrome are very severe when compared to the other forms of Autism featured on this page.
What are the signs and symptoms associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Autism is a disorder which is extremely difficult to diagnose. The reason for this is that the symptoms vary from person-to-person and sometimes the symptoms aren’t common ones found in most that are diagnosed with Autism.
Some indicators of Autism include:
No attempts to talk or point before a child turns one year old
Constantly lining up toys and/or other items
No single words spoken by 16 months
No two word phrases by two years old
Lack of response when called by their name
Lack of eye contact or poor eye contact
Not being socially responsive
Lack of a smile
Obsessed with certain topics or things
Lack of social relationships with others
Specific routines that aren’t broken
Odd use of language
How is Autism Spectrum Disorder managed?
While there is no real cure for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder there are routes that you can take to help a child deal with Autism. Children with Autism should get treatment at as early of an age as possible.
One of the most common problems among Autistic children is that it can be extremely difficult for them to learn how to talk. To help a child with Autism overcome this, therapists will use sign language and pictures to help the child understand the concept of spoken language.
Therapy can also help children learn things like living skills and interacting with others. These are two more common issues that children with Autism are forced to face and over the years people have been trained to enhance the learning experience when it comes to these things.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Summary
Autism Spectrum isn’t the easiest thing for a child or parent to live with, but thankfully there are more options to help manage Autism than there used to be. With it being so common among children, it’s critical to know that the treatments are changing to make life better for the child as well as their parents.
For other great articles and information about autism spectrum disorder you can visit our website www.AutismSpectrum.me where your comments and suggestions as well as any articles or stories you wish to share are always welcome.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) means there is an ample variety of behavior and abilities disorder. No same behavioral abnormalities are present in every ASD individual. It may be mild in one person and serious in others. Cure has yet to discover; but treatments and medications are at hand. Parents are the first person to detect the symptoms of ASD during infancy. If red flag indicators are present, consult a pediatric physician as soon as possible.
Problems with the following are some of the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder: First is difficulty with socialization. They do not have eye contact and a loner. They cannot understand the feelings of other people. They cannot notice people talking to them or do not have interest with other people. Second is problem communicating and interacting with others. ASD patient mostly do not talk and sometimes they echo or repeat what you say.Third is having a repetitive behavior. ASD patient have routine activities and repeat actions every day. They get frustrated if those activities suddenly change. Lastly, they have development delay. Autism spectrum disorder people have a poor development in cognitive skills but may be normal in motor skills. Sometimes they can learn the difficult task first over the easy one. They find it easier to solve a puzzle and computer problems than talking to other people. They can also learn a skill faster and might forget it right away.
Physicians are getting into hitting the right stone in determining the causes and treatment of Autism spectrum disorder. The first way to treat ASD is for the parents to accept the condition. After that everything will follow including all the therapies that the child needed. Love, support and attention of the family members are important for fast improvement of the child. Having the ASD condition does not make a child less of a person. With the help of his family member, that child can live a normal life. And in addition to that, the child must be provided a structured classroom. It can provide structure and visual learning. These treatments help the child to function independently to have the quality life possible.
