Autism-Articles

This is the most common question that parents ask whenever they notice odd behaviors from their children. A lot of people assume that if their child fails to talk at the age or 2 or 3, he is autistic. This is a big misconception. There are numerous reasons as to why speech might be delayed in toddlers, and a lot of other reasons why some children are not hitting their milestones, but sadly, autism is one of them. It is comforting to know though, that talking late in toddlers does not automatically mean that your child is autistic. Autism is a disorder that lasts a lifetime. It is referred to as a developmental disorder because symptoms normally manifest before a child reaches the age of 3 which is a critical period of development. It then causes concerns in the child's development, learning and growth. When a child has autism, the areas that are affected normally concerns delayed skills in the following: - Sensory - the way a child receives and process inform...

The body is designed in a way wherein the different sense organs work with the brain for the interpretation of the different senses so that we can exhibit the appropriate responses, both behavioral and motor. However, there are instances when the responses are not proper because of misinterpretation of the senses. This condition is called sensory processing disorder. Sensory processing disorder (SPD) was formerly known as sensory integration dysfunction was first described by A. Jean Ayres, a neuroscientist who said that this disorder is similar to a 'traffic jam' that occurs in the neurons, wherein some parts of the brain are prevented from receiving the correct information so that sensory information are interpreted correctly. For someone who has SPD, what happens is that sensory information is perceived differently from that which is normal to other people. This will then result in behavior or responses that are unusual, which makes it hard to accompli...

There's something up with a child you know. He's clumsy, picky, always on the move, or flopped in a chair like a wet noodle. He's impulsive, intense, and quirky. Maybe he has a learning disability, ADHD, or autism, or maybe not, but his behavior and responses to everyday sensations are puzzling. Why does he withdraw or act out? Why are transitions so difficult? Can he really hear the fluorescent lights that he claims are distracting him? It's very likely that this child you're concerned about has sensory processing disorder, also known as SPD or sensory integration dysfunction. An estimated 1 in 20 children and almost all children with autism have SPD. This child's nervous system is wired atypically, causing her body to process everyday sensations differently. Unable to rely on her senses to give her an accurate picture of what is going on in her body and her world, she is prone to anxiety, distractibility, impulsivity, and frustration. A ...

There are many children within the school environment that have feeding difficulties. For these children, the task of eating lunch and snack at school is a daunting one. However, lunch and snack time can present the perfect opportunity for addressing feeding difficulties if given the necessary attention and intervention. A team collaboration framework is necessary for the design and implementation of a successful feeding therapy program within the schools, with many people and steps involved. Who is involved? The child is the primary person involved. The student's family is a key player in the success of the program. The school based speech/language pathologist or occupational therapist is typically the person responsible for designing and overseeing the feeding therapy program. Teachers and paraprofessionals play a major role in the direct implementation of the program. There may be other school personnel involved for each individual child and his/her needs, suc...

The Sensory Profile Assessment (SPA) is used to identify the child's unique sensory preferences and provide tailored intervention strategies. This assessment tool provides a standard method for measuring and reporting sensory processing abilities. The purpose of the profile is to provide a tool for linking performance strengths and barriers with processing sensory information. It is designed for children aged three to ten years and takes 15- 20 minutes to administer. It involves the parent or caregiver of the child completing a 125-item questionnaire, which reports the frequency with which the child responds to various sensory experiences. There is also a 38-item short profile available that takes five minutes to administer. Once the questionnaire is completed, the summary score sheet is used to obtain a profile of the child's responses. The items of the sensory profile cover three major sections, including sensory processing, modulation, and behavioral/ e...

I want to learn out of curiosity, if children with autism have varying degrees with their senses. How would I determine the answer to my curiosity? Can it be done with all of the five senses that we have, for it to be accomplished? What about the senses of smell, touch, and taste? They are just as important to us, as to what we see, hear and how we express ourselves. I believe there are varying degrees individuals have, with autism. For example: To learn and express their senses. They may have difficulty understanding what their senses mean or what to do with their senses. There may be some correlation in this area, that could be considered to be dysfunctional in their behavior. I have observed, some children who have the disorder of autism, are extremely sensitive to bright lights, texture, touch, certain sounds, loud, soft and high-pitched noises. In addition, to some smells and odors. Therefore, I have observed some people with autism, have varying degrees wit...

Dinosaurs and the Autism Spectrum Autism is a life-long, debilitating condition that affects a surprising number of people. Research from the National Autistic Society suggests that as many as half a million people in the UK have some form of Autism or have a related condition such as Asperger Syndrome. Autism is a condition that affects the way in which people relate to themselves and the world around them. Sufferers can be over-sensitive to sensory stimuli, they can find it difficult to make sense of their environment. Asperger Syndrome is a form of Autism. People with Asperger Syndrome find it difficult to communicate and interact with others. Neither Autism or Asperger Syndrome are related to low intelligence, indeed, from our experience with children that have Asperger Syndrome the child concerned is often shown to have a higher than average IQ. For example, one of the attractions of dinosaurs to children on the Autism Spectrum are the long names and all the...

Is your child with autism over responsive to sensation which shows by withdrawing from touch, or getting upset by loud noises? Or is your child under responsive to sensations which shows by hyperactivity, unawareness of touch or pain, and likes loud sounds? Your child may have sensory integration dysfunction, which could be affecting their education and life. This article will discuss what sensory integration disorder is, and also about diagnosis. Sensory integration refers to our ability to take in information through our senses (touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing), interpret that information, and respond to it. Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID) is the inability of the brain, to correctly process information brought in by the senses. People with SID may misinterpret everyday sensory information such as touch, sound and movement. Below are a few symptoms of SID: 1. Loves to spin, swing, jump-this may calm them down, 2.Complains that some cloth...

All children, but particularly those with sensory processing disorder, can benefit from movement activities in the classroom that provide input to the proprioceptive receptors in the joints and ligaments. In addition to providing exercise, these types of "heavy work" movements make it easier for the child to focus and attend. For the child with SPD, it's vital to get proprioceptive and deep pressure input throughout the course of the day as part of what's called a "sensory diet" of activities. It is not enough to get plenty of exercise and calming input before or after school, or during one session of OT. Most children with SPD need to be encouraged and guided to get the input they need throughout the course of the day. There are many ways to help kids get this input within an ordinary classroom and school building. The child who is a sensory seeker will likely eagerly participate and even find her own ways to get the input she senses...

Your son with Asperger's is refusing to go to school. Your sensory sensitive daughter is constantly testing your patience when it comes to mealtime. Your six year old with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is throwing tantrums like clockwork. Your four-year-old child with PDD is not responding positively to potty training. Is there anything about these scenarios that you can relate to? There are bound to be certain times for any parent when everything feels overwhelming and being the parent of a child on the Autism spectrum brings yet another set of challenges with it. On occasions such as these you may wonder how you are going to carry on and make it to the next day. If you are facing a situation that makes you feel as if you are moving through quicksand, I have three words for you - it will pass. There are times during these challenging years that may seem never ending but in retrospect, you may someday find yourself asking, "Where did all the time go?...

So what is autism? First of all, we must make some distinctions. There are various types of difficulty within the spectrum of disability of which we are speaking. The major distinctions are as follows: Autism Asperger's syndrome, Rett Syndrom, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. The most prevalent and commonly known two of these are autism and Asperger's Syndrome. What do we mean when we say autism is a 'spectrum disorder?' When the term, 'spectrum disorder' is used it means that there are a range of symptoms, which can be attributed to autism. Any one individual may display any combination of these symptoms, in differing degrees of severity. Therefore an individual at one end of the autistic spectrum may seem very different to an individual at the other end of the spectrum. Who first discovered autism? Autism was first recognized in the mid 1940's by a psychiatrist called Leo Kanner. He described a group of children, whom he was t...

People who have high functioning autism can be taught at an early age to express themselves through different forms of therapy. In order to lead relatively normal lives, a high functioning autistic requires a certain level of social skills. The development of these skills can be accomplished through a number of therapies including play therapy, social skilled classes or groups, psychotherapy, social stories and expressive therapies. One expressive therapy that has proven to be quite beneficial is art therapy. Art therapy can help an autistic develop social response by allowing them to express their emotions through art. This form of complimentary therapy may be an ideal way for an autistic to develop social skills. What is art therapy? It is a therapy that involves using a number of various art materials such as paints, batik (a way to dye fabric), clay, etc. as a method of expressing thoughts or feelings through visual representation. Art therapy is based ...

Have you considered a toy for autistic child? Regardless if a child has autism, another disability or not, all children love toys. Of course, no child is alike. Therefore, what may be enjoyed by one child may not hold the interest of another. Thus, the trick is to figure out which toys your autistic child will enjoy playing with, and will help them develop skills. The following are 10 great toys for autistic children. The first 5 are suggestions are for children age 3-7 and the second 5 are for children age 8 - 12. Following each basic toy description is examples of where you can find them - Ages 3-7 1. Paints and/or coloring pencils with large paper - This is a great way for an autistic child to express him/herself in color. Knowing what colors your child responds to may be helpful when it comes to learning. Check Toys R' Us, Sears, or Wal-Mart. 2. Building blocks - any toy for autistic child that can be stacked helps them improve their motor skills...

Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, affects one out of every 150 children, but there are many different therapies available to help autistic children enjoy better quality of life. One of the best therapies recommended for autistic children is called deep pressure, which involves putting pressure on children's bodies in order to stimulate their nervous systems and promote calming feelings. One of the best ways to provide deep pressure therapy for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder is with beanbag furniture. Bean bags can provide safe and even pressure all over a child's body. Because they are filled with shredded foam, beanbag chairs are perfect for deep pressure therapy for autistic children because the foam conforms to the child's body. The foam also is soft enough be safe for the child, even while providing the sensory input autistic children crave. Children with some forms of autism disorders like to make violent movements, and beanbag furniture c...

Art therapy may be an ideal way to develop social skills, but an autism diet may also be another form of effective treatment. Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy, and like expressive therapy, when it comes to food control, there is more than one type of diet that can be used to treat autism. Many health practitioners believe that an autism diet may be beneficial treatment. The reason is because most autistics have distorted immune response which causes their body to respond abnormally to certain types of food, viruses and toxins. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for many autistics to suffer from gastrointestinal inflammation and other intestinal disorders. It is thought that these intestinal problems might decrease the body's ability to absorb specific essential nutrients. Thus, by following a diet and other alternative treatment methods, certain abilities and overall health may be improved in an autistic individual. The following are 4 autism diet...

If you've just received a diagnosis of autism in your child, then you know that autism treatment for toddlers is of the utmost importance. You are also most likely plenty scared about what will follow, and what you can do to help your child. Don't worry, that is a natural reaction. There are plenty of therapists, doctors and other parents that will be able to help you along your journey. Sensory Integration Therapy One kind of therapy that can be very useful in the treatment of autism in toddlers is sensory integration therapy. You see, most kids with autism have sensory issues - they will scream in agony if something is too loud, tastes bad, has an unpleasant texture, or is too busy or uncomfortable visually. We use the 5 senses to take in all our information about the world. Toddlers with autism, however, receive sensory information 100 times stronger than we do. Everything is magnified for them. This is one reason that your autistic toddler can often s...

Sensory disorders and autism are often found together. Some of the symptoms overlap or are a result of the other. Either way, in an autistic child whose living in his autistic world, it can become overwhelming to function daily as a result of sensory issues. Whether they experience issues with certain smells or textures of clothing, colours of food or loud noises, the world just seems to be too much too bear for this child. What are some signs to watch out for in your child? Well let's jump right in and see; Touch hurts, or they shy away from it. Though it may be the smallest, most gentle touch to the average child, to your autistic child, that simple touch may feel like the whole world has just grabbed a hold of them. Strong dislike of getting their hands dirty. Anything that dirties them slightly, like painting, paper mache or some foods sends them screaming and crying. For whatever reason, the texture of that mess is sensory overload. L...

Unfortunately in this day and age there are still people who do not see Sensory Integration as a treatment therapy for children with Autism. Unfortunately many people do not see it as a therapy in its own right. It is a therapy so intense that is can be puzzling and daunting to people. It is also a therapy so simple with gains that are so important and significant. Whether working with a child who is over sensitive or under sensitive there is help to be had. The first thing for a parent to think about when considering Sensory Integration is being able to suspend their thoughts and feelings. They have to be able to do that to acquire the empathy of thought and feeling needed to figure out what to do to help their child. If a child is screaming because they are over sensitive to their environment they will not be able to learn. If a child is so under stimulated that they can not work up the energy to engage they will not be able to learn. Parents can help a child w...

My four year old is a bundle of energy. He flits from one thing to the next without a breath. Diagnosed with Autism and also ADHD he has many of the usual difficulties faced by children with this diagnosis. When I talk about proprioception in relation to my son I am talking about some of these challenges. Proprioceptive is about knowing where we are in our space. Most of us can tell if we are standing straight or leaning, near an object or farther away. For Billy this is not always the case. Before his diagnosis and before I had any sort of understanding of his world, he drove me crazy... Don't get me wrong, I love this little boy to the extreme, however - not one night went by without he ended up not only in my bed, but trying to sleep so pressed against me that I had to hold myself from falling out. Day after day, he would run around and around our house with countless bumps and falls. His constant need to feel surfaces against him as he ran would result in ...

One of the hardest autism symptoms in your child to observe is that of self-injurious behavior. What is self-injurious behavior? Well, some kids with autism will bang their head, hit themselves, bite their hands, or otherwise engage in activities that hurt themselves. Why does an autistic child deliberately hurt himself? There are many theories to explain these autism symptoms in a child. For some kids, it may block out other stimuli. They may be overwhelmed and over-stimulated from their environment, and they desperately need to focus on something internal or external. Causing pain to is a way to switch that focus of attention. A child may have extreme sensory issues and need a lot of tactile feedback. Head banging and other similar behaviors may be ways of trying to get that tactile feedback, although not very good ones. If this is the case, sensory integration therapy should be undertaken, and the child with autism should be given other ways to get the tactile fe...