Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Autism
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) May Alleviate Symptoms of AutismResearcher Says He Has "Found the Pathology of Autism"
Dr. Manuel Casanova holds an endowed chair at the University of Kentucky. He's written dozens of peer-reviewed papers, and receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Casanova is conducting research on the autistic brain -- and, according to him: "I think we have found the pathology of autism. ...It explains so much, it all makes sense."Not only does Dr. Casanova believe he has found the pathology of autism, but he is also working on a treatment which may have the ability to lessen autistic symptoms of hypersensitivity without compromising the creativity and savant abilities that make autistic people so extraordinary.
Minicolumns in the Autistic Brain: Good News and Bad News
The outer part of the brain is called the neocortex. Within the neocortex are groups of cells called minicolumns. These minicolumns are the smallest unit of cells capable of processing information. Ordinarily, minicolumns include relatively large cells, called neurons, which allow communication not only within an individual minicolumn but also among different parts of the brain.Minicolumns in people with autism are smaller and more numerous than normal. In addition, neurons within each minicolumn are reduced in size. This may be both good and bad, says Casanova: "Since the efficiency of connections among neurons is a function of cell size, the presence of smaller neurons in the brains of autistic patients has a dramatic effect on the way that different parts of the brain interact with each other. Brain activities that require longer projections (e.g., language) may be impaired while those that depend on shorter connections (e.g., mathematical manipulations) may be preserved or reinforced."
In other words, people with autism are exceptionally good at anything that can be processed in one area of the brain -- such as math and visual discrimination. They are, however, exceptionally bad at anything that requires coordination among various parts of the brain -- such as social skills, language and face discrimination.
[MORE ...]Related:
- MRI LINKS AND OTHER COOL THINGS: Autism and extraordinary ability
- Autism treatment study using aba and tms
- Look Me In The Eye: Brain Plasticity and TMS
- Clinical Trials Show Promise for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
- Initial Studies of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- Brain Stimulant: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Autism
- Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) « Hacking autism
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Autism Epigenetics
Related:
- Epigenetics defines at Wikipedia - In biology, the term epigenetics refers to changes in phenotype (appearance) or gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence, hence the name epi- (Greek: over; above) -genetics. These changes may remain through cell divisions for the remainder of the cell's life and may also last for multiple generations. However, there is no change in the underlying DNA sequence of the organism;[1] instead, non-genetic factors cause the organism's genes to behave (or "express themselves") differently.
- Can Epigenetics explain autism's causes?
- New Theory Of Autism Suggests Symptoms Or Disorder May Be Reversible
- Epigenetics of autism spectrum disorders.
- BioNews - Epigenetic link to autism
- Autism, fever, epigenetics and the locus coeruleus.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Risk, Risky, Riskier ... or Not
Autism Recovery Revisited: Tell the Chicago Tribune They Are Wrong
The Chicago Tribune is running another series of articles stating that "risky" treatments are of little use to children/people with autism (HERE). (Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics, in their backyard, will tell parents to use powerful psychiatric drugs with little to know knowledge of how they work or their long term effects on kids. Talk about risky.) We'll be sharing more info with you about the interview process these journalists followed and what did and did not make their final article. In the meantime, we invite you to send Patrician Callahan (pcallahan@tribune.com), Trine Tsouderos (ttsouderos@tribune.com) and Editor Gerould Kern (gkern@tribune.com) a polite email sharing how treatments have improved your child's life. When you send your email, include a copy in our comments, please.
We beg to differ with the slant the Tribune is taking. Children can make tremendous progress and we will share stories with you from our recovery category. Start with this little girl, who is using speech for the first time. If you ever figure out why people with autism are NOT supposed to see improvement or, God forbid, recover, let us know. The anger, skepticism and outright denial of medical care for autism is stunning.
Abilify (Aripiprazole) for Autism?
Aripiprazole (Abilify, Abilify Discmelt) is an atypical antipsychotic and antidepressant used in the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and clinical depression. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for schizophrenia on November 15, 2002, for acute manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder on October 1, 2004, and as an adjunct for major depressive disorder on November 20, 2007.[Wikipedia]
FDA OKs Abilify for autism-linked irritabilityThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved top-selling Abilify as a treatment for autism-related irritability in children from the ages of 6 to 17, drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. said Friday.
Bristol-Myers and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., based in Tokyo, are collaborators on the development and distribution of Abilify in the U.S. and Europe.
Abilify is Bristol-Myers' second-biggest revenue generator, with $2.2 billion in 2008 sales.
The FDA's latest approval allows the drug to be used to treat symptoms associated with autism such as aggression toward others, deliberate infliction of self-injury, tempter tantrums and moodiness.
The companies said in a statement that it was intended to be used as part of a more comprehensive treatment program that includes educational, psychological and social aspects.
[FULL ARTICLE]
Monday, November 16, 2009
Respen-A as Autism Treatment?
Study: Respen-A medication appears to normalize brain function in autistic children
A new treatment for autism appears to normalize brain function, according to Nashville physician Fred S. Starr, MD, FAACAP, BCIA-EEG.
In addition to high serotonin levels, autistic children have a characteristically common "u" EEG pattern reflecting impaired brain function, particularly in areas of the brain responsible for social interaction, communication, speech and bonding.
However, Quantitative EEG's conducted by Dr. Starr on autistic children after three weeks on the medication Respen-A showed that the children's brain patterning changed to "normal" patterning. Starr says that behavioral improvement was also "evident". "Speech, interaction and social skills improved markedly in patients using Respen-A, and displays of frustration and anger markedly diminished," Starr said.
The theory behind the use of Respen-A was developed by private researcher Elaine DeLack, Stanwood, WA. Unlike theories that center on negative reaction to vaccinations, DeLack looked at exposure to a commonly used drug used during delivery, and at brain enzymes that affect the brain both at birth, and again as the child enters childhood.
DeLack's hypothesis (which can be viewed in slide show format at www.Neuro-Med.net) connects autism to the use of epidurals during childbirth. Epidurals were introduced into this country in the 1960's. By the mid-80's, 22 percent of women received an epidural during delivery. In the mid-90's, the number grew to 67%. Today, nearly 90% of women receive an epidural during pregnancy.
However, DeLack contends that it may not be the epidural procedure, but the drugs given in conjunction with the procedure, particularly the drug Pitocin, that has contributed to increasing numbers in autism.
Pitocin crosses the placenta to the infant's system during childbirth. The drug requires adequate production of an enzyme found in the liver (CYP 3A4) in order to rid it from the body. If the infant has a genetic inadequacy of the CYP 3A4 enzyme (found more often to be lacking statistically in boys than girls), the drug's intensity could become elevated in the infant's system, and build with another naturally occurring neurotransmitter that plays a key role in brain development: the hormone Oxytocin.
Oxytocin builds naturally in the brain during the first 7 - 10 days of life, ensuring that nerve patterning develops as it should in the brain. Once Oxytocin levels reach a naturally predetermined level, the development of the brain's nerve system (HNS system) ceases.
DeLack theorizes that the addition of Pitocin into the bloodstream of infants without adequate CYP 3A4 genetic enzymes, causes brain development to "shut off" early, stunting crucial neuro-development.
DeLack hypothesizes that a second enzyme may explain why autism shows up in many children around the age of three. The enzyme MAO-A is essential in regulating serotonin levels in the brain. In the first years of life, MAO-A levels remain high, assisting brain function. The impact of MAO-A may, in fact, cover symptoms of brain impairment in infants and toddlers.
MAO-A levels diminish as the child ages - allowing serotonin levels to rise, impacting the areas of the brain associated with communication, speech, emotion and bonding. Respen-A curbs the level of serotonin in the autistic brain.
"We see promise in all of this," DeLack says. "Further study will determine if simple modification during childbirth could be all that is needed to stem the surging tide of autism," states DeLack. And for those who have autism? "Respen-A could give them a quality of life that they - and their parents - deserve."
SOURCE Neuro-Med.net
Applied Affectionate Behavior Analysis (AABA)
Great resource for dads, How To Connect With An Autistic Child.Related:For fathers coming home from work and find it impossible to connect with their autistic child, it can typically be the straw that breaks the family's back. Now an autism expert and parent shares tips of how to develop affection in autistic children.
Where most children will greet Daddy with a hug or a smile, many autistic children aren’t capable of the normal affectionate interactions that keep a family intact. As Dad walks in, his son is busy lining up his toys or engrossed in the spinning wheels of an overturned toy truck. Dad calls his name over and over in hopes of those bright eyes and wide mouth to come running to him with open arms, but to no avail. He even gets down on his knees in a desperate attempt for some eye contact, but his son turns away and even pushes off his father's touch with disturbing grunts.
Emerson B. Donnell III lived that experience every day, decided to do something about it, and his research and experience has delivered results that no one could ever have thought possible. Specific strategies designed to elicit proper emotion have blossomed back into true affection. Today, Donnell’s son will greet him at the door with hugs, kisses and an engaging smile. The strategies to bring their world together has also helped his son's speech increase exponentially.
Donnell, author of Dads And Autism, Learn How To Stay In The Game from Altruist Publishing (www.dadsandautism.com) said that without the proper tools, developing a loving connection can be a monumental if not seemingly impossible task. But getting that toe hold is the seed towards healing not only the child, but the family as a whole.
“One of the greatest disappointments about children with autism is their inability to connect with other people,” Donnell said. “This is especially heartbreaking for the parent child relationship. Parents yearn to reach their child who is right in front of them, yet they have no idea how to go about it. Parents confronted with autism experience grief and loneliness at their inability to connect with their child and it can tear a marriage apart at frightening speed. As a matter of fact it's probably the greatest contributing factor to why dads leave and the widely accepted 80% divorce rate.”
Donnell’s approach combines strategies and tactics from a variety of proven sources, meshed with his own personal experiences. The result is a systematic program that enables fathers (and mothers) to bond and develop affection in their autistic child with specific tactics and strategies that can be exercised in the comfort of their homes.
“The new therapy that I’ve applied is called Applied Affectionate Behavior Analysis (AABA),” he said. “I have also coined the term Discrete Affectionate Trials (DATs). These are specific exercises designed to elicit and develop proper emotion and affection in autistic children.”
- Dad's and Autism site
- Books About Autism : Autism: Heartfelt Thoughts From Fathers (Paperback)
- Is Autism Toughest on Dads? Your Opinion Requested
- The Dad's Corner - The Autism Life.Com
- Autism Blog: Concluding the Series on Creative Dads
Chewing Gum as a Treatment for Rumination in a Child with Autism
Center for Autism and Related Disorders' Research Study Finds Chewing Gum an Effective Treatment for Children with AutismAccording to new research conducted by the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD), the “Chewing Gum as a Treatment for Rumination in a Child with Autism” study reveals the challenging behavior of rumination can be treated effectively by using chewing gum as a replacement behavior. The study is published in the current issue of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
Rumination involves regurgitation of previously ingested food, re-chewing the food, and re-swallowing it. The study examined a child with autism who displayed chronic rumination for approximately one year, resulting in the decay and subsequent removal of several teeth. After several treatments failed, including thickened liquids and starch satiation, the child was taught to chew gum. His rumination decreased significantly when gum was made available.
[FULL ARTICLE]Related:
- “Chewing Gum as a Treatment for Rumination in a Child with Autism” study is published in the summer 2009 Edition of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, pages 381-385.
Methyl-B12 Lolipops
Absorbing vitamin MB12 in your body is not easy. Until now.
Developed by a father who recovered from symptoms of ADHD and Irritable Bowel and whose child recovered from autism, ReVitaPop offers a simple, convenient and easy way to effectively replenish your body with methylcobalamin (MB12). MB12 is the only neurologically active version of vitamin B12. MB12 is a very unique vitamin and deficiency can affect vision, intestinal function, the ability to protect against infections and toxins, nerve functioning, and DNA replication. This lollipop administration and its unique blend of ingredients are designed to provide a unique oral absorption. Most multivitamin pills do not contain M'B12 and oral absorption is often problematic.
{More ...}
Developed by a father who recovered from symptoms of ADHD and Irritable Bowel and whose child recovered from autism, ReVitaPop offers a simple, convenient and easy way to effectively replenish your body with methylcobalamin (MB12). MB12 is the only neurologically active version of vitamin B12. MB12 is a very unique vitamin and deficiency can affect vision, intestinal function, the ability to protect against infections and toxins, nerve functioning, and DNA replication. This lollipop administration and its unique blend of ingredients are designed to provide a unique oral absorption. Most multivitamin pills do not contain M'B12 and oral absorption is often problematic.
{More ...}
Medicare covers $8k Dynavox, not $300 iPhone
OK, let's see. Medicare will cover an $8,000 talking device, but not a $300, because you might play games on it. It sure seems like someone might be missing the point.
For voiceless, gadgets speak but insurers balk
THE NEW YORK TIMESSAN FRANCISCO — Kara Lynn has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which
has attacked the muscles around her mouth and throat, removing her
ability to speak. A couple of years ago, she spent more than $8,000 to
buy a computer, approved by Medicare, that turns typed words into
speech that her family, friends and doctors can hear.Under government insurance requirements, the maker of the PC,
which ran Microsoft Windows software, had to block any nonspeech
functions, such as sending e-mail or browsing the Web.Dismayed by the PC's limitations and clunky design, Lynn turned to
a $300 iPhone 3G from Apple running $150 text-to-speech software. Lynn,
who is 48 and lives in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., said it worked better and
let her "wear her voice" around her neck while snuggling with her
5-year-old son, Aiden, who has Down syndrome.Medicare and private health insurers decline to cover devices such
as iPhones and netbook PCs that can help people with speech
impairments, despite their usefulness and lower cost. Instead, public
and private insurers say that if Lynn and others like her want
insurance to pay, they must spend 10 to 20 times as much for dedicated,
proprietary devices that can do far less.The logic: Insurance is supposed to cover medical devices, and
smartphones and PCs can be used for nonmedical purposes, such as
playing video games or browsing the Web."We would not cover the iPhones and netbooks with
speech-generating software capabilities because they are useful in the
absence of an illness or injury," said Peter Ashkenaz, a spokesman for
the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Private insurers
tend to follow the government's lead.Two years ago, iPhones and netbooks barely existed, so it may not
[MORE]
be surprising that the industry has yet to consider their role as
medical devices.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Autism: The Masgutova Method
Mother inspired to raise awareness of autism treatment method
Kerrianne Bouchard felt hopeless when her son Daegan, now 6, was diagnosed in Feburary 2006 with autism.
“You are told, here is the diagnosis and about an early intervention therapy which we chose to do for 15 months, but beyond that you are left hopeless and you wondering what to do? And left wondering what services are out there?” Bouchard recalled.
She added that, “There are many mothers out there who are desperate and are searching for a solution for their child so I do feel there is a need in the community to help.”
“My son didn’t talk until he was four years old so that is very frustrating when a child can’t communicate but after seven months of using a new method he literally woke up one day and started speaking.”
Bouchard a mother of three from West Kelowna got lucky when her son’s physiotherapist happened to be studying the Masgutova Neurosensory Motor Reflex Intergration or MNRI method which helps children with autism.
[more]
Related:
- International Dr. Svetlana Masgutova Institute - Masgutova Method
- Masgutova Method
- Stimulating the autistic brain with motor patterning and childhood ...
Marijuana and Autism: The Ultimate HERBal Remedy?
Putting the "herb" back in herbal remedy ...
The ultimate herbal remedy: Can cannabis improve autism?
The debate over its risks has split political and scientific opinion in Britain. But American mother Marie Myung-Ok Lee says cannabis isn't only safe enough for her autistic son - it's dramatically improved his conditionMy son, J, has autism. He's also had two serious operations for a spinal cord tumour and has an inflammatory bowel condition, all of which may be causing him pain, if he could tell us. He can say words, but many of them - "duck in the water, duck in the water", for instance - don't convey what he means. For a time, anti-inflammatory medication seemed to control his pain. But in the last year, it stopped working. He began to bite and to smack the glasses off my face. If you were in that much pain, you'd probably want to hit someone, too.
J's school called my husband and me in for a meeting about J's tantrums, which were affecting his ability to learn. The teachers were wearing Tae Kwon Do arm pads to protect themselves against his biting. Their solution was to hand us a list of child psychiatrists. As autistic children can't exactly do talk therapy, this meant using sedating, antipsychotic drugs like Risperdal.
Last year, Risperdal was prescribed for more than 389,000 children in the US - 240,000 of them under the age of 12 - for bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism and other disorders. Yet the drug has never been tested for long-term safety in children and carries a severe warning of side-effects. From 2000 to 2004, Risperdal, or one of five other popular drugs also classified as "atypical antipsychotics", was the "primary suspect" in 45 paediatric deaths, according to a review of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data by USA Today. When I canvassed parents of autistic children who take Risperdal, I didn't hear a single story of an improvement that seemed worth the risks. A 2002 study on the use of Risperdal for autism, in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed moderate improvements in "autistic irritation" - but the study followed only 49 children over eight weeks, which limits the inferences that can be drawn from it.
We met with J's doctor, who'd read the studies and agreed: No Risperdal or its kin. The school called us in again. What were we going to do, they asked. As an occasional health writer and blogger, I was intrigued when a homeopath suggested medical marijuana. Cannabis has long-documented effects as an analgesic and an anxiety modulator. Best of all, it is safe. The homeopath referred me to a publication by the Autism Research Institute describing cases of reduced aggression, with no permanent side- effects. Rats given 40 times the psychoactive level merely fall sleep. Dr Lester Grinspoon, an emeritus professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School who has been researching cannabis for 40 years, says he has yet to encounter a case of marijuana causing a death, even from lung cancer.
A prescription drug called Marinol, which contains a synthetic cannabinoid, seemed mainstream enough to bring up with J's doctor. I cannot say that with a few little pills everything turned around. But after about a week of fiddling with the dosage, J began garnering a few glowing school reports: "J was a pleasure have in speech class," instead of "J had 300 aggressions today."
But J tends to build tolerance to synthetics, and in a few months we could see the aggressive behaviour coming back. One night, I went to the meeting of a medical marijuana patient advocacy group on the campus of the college where I teach. The patients told me that Marinol couldn't compare to marijuana, the plant, which has at least 60 cannabinoids to Marinol's one.
[FULL ARTICLE here. The Independent: The ultimate herbal remedy: Can cannabis improve autism?]
Related:
- Medical marijuana to treat autism?
- Autism and Medical Marijuana
- Can marijuana help autism? - Orange Punch - OCRegister.com
- Autism Spectrum Disorder: Treatments: Autism and Medical Marijuana
Friday, November 6, 2009
Dynavox - Mobile Activity Player
DynaVox Mayer-Johnson's New Mobile Activity Player Supports Learning in Class, After School, and at Home PITTSBURGH, Nov 05, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, the world's leading provider of communication and education products for individuals with significant speech, language and learning disabilities, announces the Mobile Activity Player. Using a small, portable touch screen computer with wireless connectivity, the Mobile Activity Player lets students experience interactive learning in virtually any environment.
The Mobile Activity Player provides a portable platform that allows students to access interactive educational activities created with Boardmaker Plus! This engaging new tool provides a fun experience for students and encourages their participation in the learning process. Educators, speech-language pathologists and parents can use the Mobile Activity Player to: -- Deliver individualized activities to each student or client regardless of whether staff is stationary, itinerant or mobile.
-- Download free interactive activities from AdaptedLearning.com.
-- Motivate students to demonstrate new skills by making learning fun.
-- Expose a learner's hidden potential.
-- Continue the learning process at home, during school breaks, or when a learner must be absent from the classroom.
-- Jump-start learning with the Curriculum Companions included with each purchase.
"With desktop computers, it's often difficult for staff to integrate technology into the daily activities," said Barbara Chwierut, speech-language pathologist and assistive technology coordinator at AERO Special Education Cooperative in Burbank, IL. "The Mobile Activity Player made it easy for staff to integrate technology across all areas of the curriculum. The students were highly motivated to work when given the Mobile Activity Player, and often demonstrated skills that were not previously recognized."Thousands of free interactive lessons and activities are available at AdaptedLearning.com, and a variety of ready-to-use curricular content is available for purchase at Mayer-Johnson's online store or through AdaptedLearning.com.
A fully-functioning Windows computer, the Mobile Activity Player can run any software compatible with the XP Home operating system. Its integrated keyboard also aids in literacy activities.
The Mobile Activity Player costs $749, and includes Boardmaker Plus Player and three titles from Mayer-Johnson's library of Curriculum Companions. Discounts are available for multiple unit purchases. Volume discounts on Curriculum Companions are also available when purchasing the Mobile Activity Player.
About DynaVox Mayer-JohnsonDynaVox Mayer-Johnson is the world's leading developer and provider of speech communication and education solutions designed to help children and adults challenged by significant speech, language and learning disabilities make meaningful connections and participate in the home, classroom and the community. The company's DynaVox line of speech communication devices gives a voice to the millions of people who are unable to use speech as their primary means of communication due to the effects of conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease), stroke, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, autism and intellectual disabilities. The Mayer-Johnson line of print-based and on-screen education products engage students in the learning process and support academic achievement. Driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture, the company develops technology-based products and offers an extensive customer support program to assist individuals as well as their families and support professionals. For more information about DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, visit www.dynavoxtech.com.
SOURCE DynaVox Mayer-Johnsonhttp://www.dynavoxtech.com
DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, the world's leading provider of communication and education products for individuals with significant speech, language and learning disabilities, announces the Mobile Activity Player. Using a small, portable touch screen computer with wireless connectivity, the Mobile Activity Player lets students experience interactive learning in virtually any environment.
The Mobile Activity Player provides a portable platform that allows students to access interactive educational activities created with Boardmaker Plus! This engaging new tool provides a fun experience for students and encourages their participation in the learning process. Educators, speech-language pathologists and parents can use the Mobile Activity Player to: -- Deliver individualized activities to each student or client regardless of whether staff is stationary, itinerant or mobile.
-- Download free interactive activities from AdaptedLearning.com.
Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East, January 20-22, 2010. Miami, FL.-- Motivate students to demonstrate new skills by making learning fun.
-- Expose a learner's hidden potential.
-- Continue the learning process at home, during school breaks, or when a learner must be absent from the classroom.
-- Jump-start learning with the Curriculum Companions included with each purchase.
"With desktop computers, it's often difficult for staff to integrate technology into the daily activities," said Barbara Chwierut, speech-language pathologist and assistive technology coordinator at AERO Special Education Cooperative in Burbank, IL. "The Mobile Activity Player made it easy for staff to integrate technology across all areas of the curriculum. The students were highly motivated to work when given the Mobile Activity Player, and often demonstrated skills that were not previously recognized."Thousands of free interactive lessons and activities are available at AdaptedLearning.com, and a variety of ready-to-use curricular content is available for purchase at Mayer-Johnson's online store or through AdaptedLearning.com.
A fully-functioning Windows computer, the Mobile Activity Player can run any software compatible with the XP Home operating system. Its integrated keyboard also aids in literacy activities.
The Mobile Activity Player costs $749, and includes Boardmaker Plus Player and three titles from Mayer-Johnson's library of Curriculum Companions. Discounts are available for multiple unit purchases. Volume discounts on Curriculum Companions are also available when purchasing the Mobile Activity Player.
About DynaVox Mayer-JohnsonDynaVox Mayer-Johnson is the world's leading developer and provider of speech communication and education solutions designed to help children and adults challenged by significant speech, language and learning disabilities make meaningful connections and participate in the home, classroom and the community. The company's DynaVox line of speech communication devices gives a voice to the millions of people who are unable to use speech as their primary means of communication due to the effects of conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease), stroke, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, autism and intellectual disabilities. The Mayer-Johnson line of print-based and on-screen education products engage students in the learning process and support academic achievement. Driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture, the company develops technology-based products and offers an extensive customer support program to assist individuals as well as their families and support professionals. For more information about DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, visit www.dynavoxtech.com.
SOURCE DynaVox Mayer-Johnsonhttp://www.dynavoxtech.com
Teaching Children with Autism to read!
Teaching Reading to Children with ASD. What’s The Best Way?
There is no one way to teach reading to children with ASD. Learning styles vary between children so a range of strategies should be tried. Some children find reading remarkably easy, and very quickly learn to read far beyond their ability to understand the words they are reading (this is called hyperlexia), while others find it much more difficult to learn to read.
One approach is to use phonics, which means learning the letter sounds and blending them together to decipher words. Another approach is to learn to read whole words, and to be able to recognize them on sight.
I have found that, on the whole, teaching phonics can be more difficult than is normally the case with typically developing children. Many young children with autism have little or no language, and may not be able to repeat the letter sounds accurately or at all. It is a task all in itself to get some children just to repeat something when directed to. For you to be able to teach them to not only repeat those sounds but to use them as a decoding strategy in reading can be a big task indeed.
Some children learn the letter sounds quite easily, but find it much more difficult to use their knowledge of these sounds to blend them into words when reading. However, strategies that you would use with other children may still be useful even though they may take a bit longer: such strategies might include developing an awareness of the initial letter sounds of words, and playing with rhyming and alliteration.
Many children have a learning style based on their visual strengths, and may find it easier (especially at first) to learn that words are meaningful, and are useful in getting their needs met. Such children may benefit from being taught to learn to read a core vocabulary of words by sight. Your child may already have noticed the print in the environment, especially in areas in which they have a particular interest.
Once a child has learnt that words are meaningful, you can then increase their sight vocabulary by including other words that are of less direct interest to the child, but are nonetheless important for them to learn.
Motivation is everything ... [More]
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Secret (Law of Attraction) and Autism Spectrum Disorders
I did say we would be covering treatments of all stripes.
Source: http://www.experiencefestival.com/forum/show-2560-3572.html
Main Category: Law of Attraction
Sub Categories: Autism , Ease , Law Of Attraction
More Related Videos: Autism , Ease , Law Of Attraction , Law of Attraction
Articles: Law of Attraction , Autism , Law Of Attraction
Forum Threads: Law of Attraction , Autism , Ease , Law Of Attraction
Learn how to use the Law of Attraction to overcome you personal challenges. It worked for me when I applied this Universal Law during my despair, after my child was diagnosed with Autism.
How I Used The Law of Attraction To End My Despair After My Child Was Diagnosed With Autism
Hi, my name is Jennifer Graham and for the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that I am embracing all aspects of my life! It wasnt always that way though. I went through a long, painful and lonely journey to get to where I am today. I am sharing my story because I hope that it will inspire you to not only over come your greatest challenges but to also see the gifts they bring. Learning to do this is the best thing that I ever did for myself and my family.
This portion of my spiritual awakening began to unfold shortly after my husband and I became parents. We were so proud to have this beautiful baby who was so full of life. By age of two, our baby could recite the presidents and point to and name the states on a map.
Then suddenly one day at the age of three, our beloved child could no longer utter the words Mommy or Daddy and started slurring other words. On top of that, we started getting calls from the pre-school telling us that our child was having behavioral problems. During that period, I was also noticing that our child was doing things that I didnt understand. Our pediatrician was sympathetic but told us that the school district does that type of testing. When we went to the school district we were told to go back to the pediatrician.
I was devastated and in so much pain not knowing what was wrong with my child or where to go for help. I didnt know of any other parents who were facing what I was going through. I felt so alone. The best way I can describe it is like having a major crisis but with no 911. Meanwhile, my childs behavior became more unpredictable in school.
We later went to a psychologist who told us that our child had ADHD. I resisted using medication for a long time, but I eventually gave in because the behavioral problems were only getting worse and I felt it became a safety issue. The medication wasnt effective so we tried another one then another and still no results. By this time, several teachers were telling me that my childs behavior was so bizarre that they thought my child had a much more serious problem than ADHD.
Further complicating matters, my job as a television news reporter was now more demanding than ever. I was now working about sixteen hours a day. All of this caused me a tremendous amount of stress. I wanted to quit my job but decided to stay because I was worried about money since my husband and I were accustomed to having two incomes.
I felt so trapped by my job situation. What bothered me most was that I had an overwhelming feeling that my life was completely in the hands of others. Someone else decided when I worked, how long I worked or if I could take a much needed day off. I finally reached a breaking point and had to let the job go.
The Turning Point
Fortunately, at this time, my childs behavior stabilized enough to ease everyones concerns. But now I was facing a crossroad with my career. I knew I wanted to continue working in television but I also knew that I didnt want to work for someone else again. I wasnt quite sure how to reconcile the two.
ThenI gradually began to realize that I am in control of what happens in my life.This brought me to the painful realization that I didnt value myself and was surrounding myself (unconsciously) at work with people who supported my beliefs (inner fears of unworthiness)about myself.
How I started Using The Law of Attraction In My Life
I began to take a close look at how I created (attracted) this situation although I was compeletly unaware that I was doing this at the time. I immediately started paying close attention to my thoughts and core beliefs.I also closely observed what (and who) I was attracting into my life. I was truly beginning to appreciate and understand the power of The Law of Attraction.
I began reading every book I could find on the subject. This led me to the movie The Secret and the book The Science of Getting Rich and The SGR Program.
These are the resources that taught me how really focus on and attract what I desire into my life. I learned how to get in touch with my higher self and was told that a great opportunity was coming my way. A few days later, a colleague invited me to join him in running a video production company.
Now I have even more opportunities than ever! I use the Law of Attraction to help bring in clients. My greatest success though with this program is in helping my child.
Shortly after I joined the production company, I started getting calls from the school again. I was being told that my child was behaving strangely, not interacting well with other students and maybe didnt belong in mainstream schooling. So again I began my search for someone who could help me help my child.
Learning Painful News About My Child
Finally, after years of going from doctor to doctor, I was told that my child has Aspergers Syndrome which is a form of autism. As devastating that news was, a part of me was relieved because I thought that maybe now I could get my child the proper treatment. Sadly, that wasnt the case and still no one could tell me how to deal with the behavioral issues.
Every time I picked up the phone to receive a call from the school, it was like playing Russian roulette. Sometimes they were calling with good news about the accomplishments of my other child. Other times they were calling with terrible news about my child with Aspbergers.
I started getting very depressed and knew I needed to do something because again, I was allowing something outside of myself to control my life. I figured if the Law of Attraction could work in business it can help my personal life too. By studying the SGR program I learned about other universal laws such as The Law of Polarity which basically says that if a situation can be viewed as very bad, then there has to be something very good about it. This actually allowed me to see love and beauty in my journey.
I noticed that although the principal and teachers had been telling me all these things over the years that were very hard to hear, I could tell from the looks on their faces and the tones of their voices that they genuinely care about my child and I openly expressed my gratitude to them. I took time to really sit with and contemplate all the positive energy I was receiving. In other words, I changed the way I SAW my circumstances and then my circumstances started changing.
Almost immediately, other caring people at the school whom I had never crossed paths with before came into my life and told me about programs especially for children like my child. I immediately started getting my child the necessary help and within months, my child was making major progress. Although the teachers were noticing that my child was behaving much better, the other students were still keeping their distance. During lunch, the classmates would talk among themselves but not include my child. Thats when I decided to teach my child how to use the law of attraction.
My Childs Amazing Results After Using The Law of Attraction For The Very First Time
That night, right before bed time, I had my child visualize what it would look like and feel like to be surrounded by other children with everyone laughing and talking and having a good time. I talked my child through the entire visualization and I could see my childs enthusiasm. Now, mind you I did this WITHOUT telling my child about The Law of Attraction or why we were doing the visualization because I figured wed have to do this for many nights before we saw any results and I didnt want my child to be disappointed. After all, the students had kept their distance from my child for quite some time because they just didnt understand the behavior.I figured it might take quite some time to reverse this situation.
Well, the next day when my child got home from school, I casually asked how lunch went. To my surprise, my childs eyes lit up as my child said It was Great! My best friend saved a seat for me at the lunch table and I got to sit with all my other friends! I asked what friends and my child said that since the class behaved so well that day, the teacher said that they could eat lunch with ANY class in their grade. So the kids that invited my child to sit with them were friends and classmates from previous years and were either unaware of or didnt remember my childs behavioral issues. So to them, my child was still cool!
We tried the visualization exercise other nights with similar results the next day! Only in these instanceschildren who had previously ignored my child were now reaching out to my child!
My Life Today
My child just completed summer school and the teachers are telling me that there have NOT been any behavioral problems during this session. My child is even making new friends and is extremely helpful around the classroom.
[MORE]
Source: http://www.experiencefestival.com/forum/show-2560-3572.html
Main Category: Law of Attraction
Sub Categories: Autism , Ease , Law Of Attraction
More Related Videos: Autism , Ease , Law Of Attraction , Law of Attraction
Articles: Law of Attraction , Autism , Law Of Attraction
Forum Threads: Law of Attraction , Autism , Ease , Law Of Attraction
Learn how to use the Law of Attraction to overcome you personal challenges. It worked for me when I applied this Universal Law during my despair, after my child was diagnosed with Autism.
How I Used The Law of Attraction To End My Despair After My Child Was Diagnosed With Autism
Hi, my name is Jennifer Graham and for the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that I am embracing all aspects of my life! It wasnt always that way though. I went through a long, painful and lonely journey to get to where I am today. I am sharing my story because I hope that it will inspire you to not only over come your greatest challenges but to also see the gifts they bring. Learning to do this is the best thing that I ever did for myself and my family.
This portion of my spiritual awakening began to unfold shortly after my husband and I became parents. We were so proud to have this beautiful baby who was so full of life. By age of two, our baby could recite the presidents and point to and name the states on a map.
Then suddenly one day at the age of three, our beloved child could no longer utter the words Mommy or Daddy and started slurring other words. On top of that, we started getting calls from the pre-school telling us that our child was having behavioral problems. During that period, I was also noticing that our child was doing things that I didnt understand. Our pediatrician was sympathetic but told us that the school district does that type of testing. When we went to the school district we were told to go back to the pediatrician.
I was devastated and in so much pain not knowing what was wrong with my child or where to go for help. I didnt know of any other parents who were facing what I was going through. I felt so alone. The best way I can describe it is like having a major crisis but with no 911. Meanwhile, my childs behavior became more unpredictable in school.
We later went to a psychologist who told us that our child had ADHD. I resisted using medication for a long time, but I eventually gave in because the behavioral problems were only getting worse and I felt it became a safety issue. The medication wasnt effective so we tried another one then another and still no results. By this time, several teachers were telling me that my childs behavior was so bizarre that they thought my child had a much more serious problem than ADHD.
Further complicating matters, my job as a television news reporter was now more demanding than ever. I was now working about sixteen hours a day. All of this caused me a tremendous amount of stress. I wanted to quit my job but decided to stay because I was worried about money since my husband and I were accustomed to having two incomes.
I felt so trapped by my job situation. What bothered me most was that I had an overwhelming feeling that my life was completely in the hands of others. Someone else decided when I worked, how long I worked or if I could take a much needed day off. I finally reached a breaking point and had to let the job go.
The Turning Point
Fortunately, at this time, my childs behavior stabilized enough to ease everyones concerns. But now I was facing a crossroad with my career. I knew I wanted to continue working in television but I also knew that I didnt want to work for someone else again. I wasnt quite sure how to reconcile the two.
ThenI gradually began to realize that I am in control of what happens in my life.This brought me to the painful realization that I didnt value myself and was surrounding myself (unconsciously) at work with people who supported my beliefs (inner fears of unworthiness)about myself.
How I started Using The Law of Attraction In My Life
I began to take a close look at how I created (attracted) this situation although I was compeletly unaware that I was doing this at the time. I immediately started paying close attention to my thoughts and core beliefs.I also closely observed what (and who) I was attracting into my life. I was truly beginning to appreciate and understand the power of The Law of Attraction.
I began reading every book I could find on the subject. This led me to the movie The Secret and the book The Science of Getting Rich and The SGR Program.
These are the resources that taught me how really focus on and attract what I desire into my life. I learned how to get in touch with my higher self and was told that a great opportunity was coming my way. A few days later, a colleague invited me to join him in running a video production company.
Now I have even more opportunities than ever! I use the Law of Attraction to help bring in clients. My greatest success though with this program is in helping my child.
Shortly after I joined the production company, I started getting calls from the school again. I was being told that my child was behaving strangely, not interacting well with other students and maybe didnt belong in mainstream schooling. So again I began my search for someone who could help me help my child.
Learning Painful News About My Child
Finally, after years of going from doctor to doctor, I was told that my child has Aspergers Syndrome which is a form of autism. As devastating that news was, a part of me was relieved because I thought that maybe now I could get my child the proper treatment. Sadly, that wasnt the case and still no one could tell me how to deal with the behavioral issues.
Every time I picked up the phone to receive a call from the school, it was like playing Russian roulette. Sometimes they were calling with good news about the accomplishments of my other child. Other times they were calling with terrible news about my child with Aspbergers.
I started getting very depressed and knew I needed to do something because again, I was allowing something outside of myself to control my life. I figured if the Law of Attraction could work in business it can help my personal life too. By studying the SGR program I learned about other universal laws such as The Law of Polarity which basically says that if a situation can be viewed as very bad, then there has to be something very good about it. This actually allowed me to see love and beauty in my journey.
I noticed that although the principal and teachers had been telling me all these things over the years that were very hard to hear, I could tell from the looks on their faces and the tones of their voices that they genuinely care about my child and I openly expressed my gratitude to them. I took time to really sit with and contemplate all the positive energy I was receiving. In other words, I changed the way I SAW my circumstances and then my circumstances started changing.
Almost immediately, other caring people at the school whom I had never crossed paths with before came into my life and told me about programs especially for children like my child. I immediately started getting my child the necessary help and within months, my child was making major progress. Although the teachers were noticing that my child was behaving much better, the other students were still keeping their distance. During lunch, the classmates would talk among themselves but not include my child. Thats when I decided to teach my child how to use the law of attraction.
My Childs Amazing Results After Using The Law of Attraction For The Very First Time
That night, right before bed time, I had my child visualize what it would look like and feel like to be surrounded by other children with everyone laughing and talking and having a good time. I talked my child through the entire visualization and I could see my childs enthusiasm. Now, mind you I did this WITHOUT telling my child about The Law of Attraction or why we were doing the visualization because I figured wed have to do this for many nights before we saw any results and I didnt want my child to be disappointed. After all, the students had kept their distance from my child for quite some time because they just didnt understand the behavior.I figured it might take quite some time to reverse this situation.
Well, the next day when my child got home from school, I casually asked how lunch went. To my surprise, my childs eyes lit up as my child said It was Great! My best friend saved a seat for me at the lunch table and I got to sit with all my other friends! I asked what friends and my child said that since the class behaved so well that day, the teacher said that they could eat lunch with ANY class in their grade. So the kids that invited my child to sit with them were friends and classmates from previous years and were either unaware of or didnt remember my childs behavioral issues. So to them, my child was still cool!
We tried the visualization exercise other nights with similar results the next day! Only in these instanceschildren who had previously ignored my child were now reaching out to my child!
My Life Today
My child just completed summer school and the teachers are telling me that there have NOT been any behavioral problems during this session. My child is even making new friends and is extremely helpful around the classroom.
[MORE]
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Autism360
INCREDIBLE IDEA! Autism360.com
Autism360 is a unique tool which provides an accurate report that captures the details of your child's or your own individuality and offers treatment options that have worked for others with closely matching records.
HOW IT WORKS:
Autism360 is a unique tool which provides an accurate report that captures the details of your child's or your own individuality and offers treatment options that have worked for others with closely matching records.
HOW IT WORKS:
This website is a tool for you to easily build a profile, find treatment options from others like your child or yourself, track progress and get reports that you can share with physicians and care givers.
Start by building a profile of symptoms, life events and other details from which we will create for you a structured record. At your own pace, you will be able to see, edit, and update an accurate picture of the strengths and challenges of the person for whom you wish to find answers.
Create an ongoing record of the treatments you have tried and responses to these. We track your child's responses to each treatment using seven categories and then compare that to the responses given by the individuals in your child's cluster. This allows you to see in detail which treatments have been more effective for your group.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Autism and Medical Marijuana Revisited
Why not? It looks pretty tame compared to a lot of other treatments. Get the parents a prescription and it's a double winner! This for sure brings a new meaning to HERBal remedy.Why give my 9 year old pot:Related:
He has autism and a medical marijuana license.
By Marie Myung-Ok Lee | Double x
Question: why are we giving our nine-year-old a marijuana cookie?
Answer: because he can’t figure out how to use a bong.
My son J has autism. He’s also had two serious surgeries for a spinal cord tumor and has an inflammatory bowel condition, all of which may be causing him pain, if he could tell us. He can say words, but many of them—”duck in the water, duck in the water”—don’t convey what he means. For a time, anti-inflammatory medication seemed to control his pain. But in the last year, it stopped working. He began to bite and to smack the glasses off my face. If you were in that much pain, you’d probably want to hit someone, too.
J’s school called my husband and me in for a meeting about J’s tantrums, which were affecting his ability to learn. The teachers were wearing tae kwon do arm pads to protect themselves against his biting. Their solution was to hand us a list of child psychiatrists. Since autistic children like J can’t exactly do talk therapy, this meant sedating, antipsychotic drugs like Risperdal—Thorazine for kids.
Last year, Risperdal was prescribed for more than 389,000 children—240,000 of them under the age of 12—for bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism, and other disorders. Yet the drug has never been tested for long-term safety in children and carries a severe warning of side effects. From 2000 to 2004, 45 pediatric deaths were attributed to Risperdal and five other popular drugs also classified as “atypical antipsychotics,” according to a review of FDA data by USA Today. When I canvassed parents of autistic children who take Risperdal, I didn’t hear a single story of an improvement that seemed worth the risks. A 2002 study specifically looking at the use of Risperdal for autism, in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed moderate improvements in “autistic irritation”—but if you read more closely, the study followed only 49 children over eight weeks, which, researchers admitted, “limits inferences about adverse effects.”
We met with J’s doctor, who’d read the studies and agreed: No Risperdal or its kin.
The school called us in again. What were we going to do, they asked. As a sometimes health writer and blogger, I was intrigued when a homeopath suggested medical marijuana. Cannabis has long-documented effects as an analgesic and an anxiety modulator. Best of all, it is safe. The homeopath referred me to a publication by the Autism Research Institute describing cases of reduced aggression, with no permanent side effects. Rats given 40 times the psychoactive level merely fall sleep. Dr. Lester Grinspoon, an emeritus professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School who has been researching cannabis for 40 years, says he has yet to encounter a case of marijuana causing a death, even from lung cancer.
A prescription drug called Marinol, which contains a synthetic cannabinoid, seemed mainstream enough to bring up with J’s doctor. I cannot say that with a few little pills, everything turned around. But after about a week of playing around with the dosage, J began garnering a few glowing school reports: “J was a pleasure have in speech class,” instead of “J had 300 aggressions today.”
[FULL STORY]
- Autism and Medical Marijuana
- Medical Marijuana: A Valuable Treatment for Autism?
- How to Use Medical Marijuana To Treat Autism in a Child
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Autism: Neurofeedback 101: what is it?
Neurofeedback 101: what is it?
Posted using ShareThis
"Neurofeedback is direct training of brain function, by which the brain learns to function more efficiently. We observe the brain in action from moment to moment. We show that information back to the person. And we reward the brain for changing its own activity to more appropriate patterns. This is a gradual learning process. It applies to any aspect of brain function that we can measure. Neurofeedback is also called EEG Biofeedback, because it is based on electrical brain activity, the electroencephalogram, or EEG. Neurofeedback is training in self-regulation. It is simply biofeedback applied to the brain directly. Self-regulation is a necessary part of good brain function. Self-regulation training allows the system (the central nervous system) to function better." As defined by EEGinfo.com
[FULL ARTICLE]
Related:
Posted using ShareThis
"Neurofeedback is direct training of brain function, by which the brain learns to function more efficiently. We observe the brain in action from moment to moment. We show that information back to the person. And we reward the brain for changing its own activity to more appropriate patterns. This is a gradual learning process. It applies to any aspect of brain function that we can measure. Neurofeedback is also called EEG Biofeedback, because it is based on electrical brain activity, the electroencephalogram, or EEG. Neurofeedback is training in self-regulation. It is simply biofeedback applied to the brain directly. Self-regulation is a necessary part of good brain function. Self-regulation training allows the system (the central nervous system) to function better." As defined by EEGinfo.com
[FULL ARTICLE]
Related:
Biofeedback Solutions - Bellevue
Brian Neville, Ph. D. - Seattle, Woodinville
Seattle Neurofeedback and Counseling - Seattle
Quantum Neurocare - Seattle, Bellingham
Northwest Neurofeedback - Portland, Or
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Verbal Behavior Approach (Mary Barbera)
The Big Three Skills for Individuals with Autism
I’ve been consulting with children and a few adults with autism for seven years now and I had a revelation about two years ago soon after I published my book. I now believe that there are three main skills every child and adult with autism needs to be successful. These skills, I believe, are the most important skills regardless of the person’s age or level of functioning.The Big Three are:
1) Problem behaviors at or near 0
2) The ability to request wants and needs
3) Independent toileting
{more ... }
Related:
Mary Barbera's (author of the Verbal Behavior Approach blog) monthly radio show on the 2nd Friday of every month at 12 noon on Autism One Radio.
Archived Shows as of this posting ...
| Episode | Title | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Verbal Behavior Approach | 09/2007 | 32:50 |
| 02 | Adding ABA to your current biomedical treatment | 10/2007 | 29:54 |
| 03 | Reducing Problem Behaviors in Children with Autism | 11/2007 | 31:29 |
| 04 | Reinforcement and the Pairing Process | 12/2007 | 32:43 |
| 05 | Manding: Teaching your Child Requesting Skills | 01/2008 | 29:19 |
| 06 | Increasing Speech in Non-Vocal Children | 02/2008 | 32:37 |
| 07 | Errorless Teaching | 03/2008 | 28:56 |
| 08 | Non-Verbal Behavior | 04/2008 | 39:00 |
| 09 | Teaching the Verbal Operant | 06/2008 | 31:48 |
| 10 | Verbal Behavior: Putting it All Together | 09/2008 | 31:56 |
| 11 | Toilet Training | 10/2008 | 32:44 |
| 12 | Lessons Learned on My Autism Journey | 01/2009 | 31:46 |
| 13 | Getting Started on VB with Early Learners | 02/2009 | 26:47 |
| 14 | VB Programming for Intermediate Learners | 04/2009 | 33:39 |
Using Omega-3 for Individuals with Autism?
Many families choose to use complimentary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies with their children with autism. Most of the treatments are not yet scientifically proven to be effective. In an article recently publishing in the Journal for Autism and Developmental Disorders (Omega-3 Article – JADD August 2009) the authors systematically reviewed all the research around using Omega-3 supplements for people with autism. They found 6 studies which met the criteria for inclusion in the review. None of the studies scientifically proved the efficacy of this treatment option. Some of the studies indicated a benefit, but only one of the studies used a control group (use of a control group strengthens results by showing measures from an untreated group).
More ... FULL ARTICLE: Using Omega-3 for Individuals with Autism?Posted using ShareThis
Detecting Autism: Eye Movements May Help Detect Autism in Babies
Most parents will attest that infants convey their needs and interests in a variety of ways, many times without ever making a sound. For researchers in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, it is what babies communicate with their eyes that could be key to understanding the development of certain disabilities, including autism.
Dr. Noah Sasson, an assistant professor in the school, and his colleagues at the UT Dallas Center for Children and Families, are currently tracking and measuring the eye movements of infants. Eye tracking technology is nothing new to Sasson — he has used it in previous research to investigate how children and adults perceive social and non-social information.
“By tracking eye movements, we can infer information about an infant based on what he or she views and for how long,” said Sasson. “Although this information alone is not diagnostic, certain patterns of eye movements may signify an abnormality that could reflect potential developmental difficulties.”
[FULL]
New Diagnosis? How to Help a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Step 1
Take your child for a complete medical exam. Some behavioral problems associated with autism, like temper tantrums, can sometimes be reduced if physical problems common in children with autism, such as gastrointestinal issues and allergies, are alleviated.
Step 2
Put your child on a gluten-free, casein-free diet, which means no barley, rye, oats, wheat, or dairy. Many families of children with autism have had good results – but only if the diet is followed to the letter, no exceptions.
Step 3
Get your child started on speech therapy as soon as possible. If your child is nonverbal, try PECS, which stands for Picture Exchange Communication System. This technique, which uses picture cards, may encourage them to speak.
Step 4
Get your child sensory-integration therapy, which has been proven effective in helping children with autism become less sensitive to light, sound, and touch.
Step 5
Hire an occupational therapist to help them with skills they’ll need for an independent life. Depending on the child, this can be anything from physical coordination to anger management.
Step 6
Use applied behavioral analysis, or ABA, the only intervention approved by the Surgeon General’s Office. ABA is a one-on-one approach to teaching children how to react appropriately to everyday social situations with the help of rewards. Parents can either hire an ABA-trained therapist or learn the technique themselves.
Step 7
Try other therapies. Most children with autism benefit from a combination of treatments.
Step 8
Consider verbal behavior intervention, which is designed to develop language skills through motivation and reinforcement.
Step 9
Test the TEACCH approach, which customizes an education program to the child’s strengths and weaknesses. Because children with autism tend to be visual learners, the program is structured around visual clues.
Step 10
Consider becoming trained in Relationship Development Intervention, or RDI, which suggests everyday things parents can do at home to help their child adapt to changes and be more open to interacting with others.
Step 11
Enroll your child in school when they turn three. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that states provide special education services to children with disabilities, beginning at this age.
Step 12
Stay up-to-date on autism research; new therapies are being tested and developed all the time.
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