AutimsInfo

They say ignorance is bliss, but I beg to differ. They say what you don't know cannot kill you, but I insist that what people do not know is killing thousands of human beings all over the world today. Ignorance about autism disorder is surely not bliss and can cause more harm than good. There isn't that much in fact that is known about autism today, except that we don't know precisely what causes the developmental disorder, or how it can be cured. But we do know that the disease itself is not characteristically a killer disease. Except for Rett's syndrome, a kind of low functioning pervasive developmental disorder on the autism spectrum, which sometimes kills the female patients suffering from it...

Autism is not like cancer, where there are fewer controversies surrounding whether one should select embryos who will never suffer from cancer. That is because autism is not a disease, and need not lead to suffering, and with enough accommodation by society, people with autism can be free of suffering. Autism is thought by the scientific community to be of genetic origin. Autism is a profound developmental disability that can severely impair a child's abilities. Students with autism have unique abilities and needs which require special considerations in designing, implementing and evaluating their educational programs. Autism is diagnosed on the basis of abnormalities in the areas of social...

-> Autism rates are huge and they are growing, unfortunately, research is not keeping up and now many families close to Autism are calling it an epidemic. Why? Because 1:150 children in the US now have Autism and you can see why families of Autistic children are so concerned, they often ask such things as; "Autism is a Big Issue - Why Don't People Care?" You see, it's not that people do not care, they really do, in fact once you have a talk with them you can see the concern on their face, many will say; - "I never knew that," - "I didn't know," or - "I had no idea." So, it's up to us, you the reader, me the writer and those in the Autistic Community to make personal contacts, to get the dialogue...

y"> Is your child autistic? It has been said that autism is characterised by an abnormal absorption with the self; marked by communication disorders and short attention span and inability to treat others as people. Did you know that autism has increased in the USA from 1992 to 2002 by 1700%? The Daily Mail (July 9th 2007) a UK newspaper reported that one in fifty eight children now have autism. It has been said by some that this explosive rate of autism is time-related to the increased numbers of vaccinations: There has been much debate centred on the assertions made that autism is linked to vaccines. Doctors, scientists and parents of autistic children have voiced concerns. The way I see it, the...

Stereotypes unfortunately are a major part of our society. Whether based on race, gender or worse disability they are prevalent in all areas of society. Worse yet is the fact that even those who are meant to be support structures to those with autism often fall for the stereotypes for a lack of education or understanding. Stereotyping can have a very negative effect on an autistic child as their world already has enough confusion and frustration without the hatred, embarrassment and painful situations that may arise as a result of stereotypes. It is vital to remember that as any disorder or disability not all people with autism are the same. There are different levels of autism, not to mention...

Are you concerned that your child may have Asperger's Syndrome or be on the Autism Spectrum even though special education personnel in your school district say that they don't? Is your child struggling academically even though school personnel say everything is fine? This article is for you! I will be discussing the 6 steps to special education eligibility, and how you can prepare for each step to increase your chances that your child will be found eligible! The federal law that covers special education is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 or IDEA 2004; which all states must comply with. Step 1 is the Request for Evaluation. According to IDEA 2004 school districts must...

There are many medications for autism currently in use. Doctors attempt to make their selections from among the current medications for treating autism based on the symptoms the autistic person is showing and past successes and failures treating that particular person with other medications for treating autism. Caretakers of someone who has been diagnosed with autism will need to be particularly observant when medications for autism are changed. In some cases adverse reactions or undesired outcomes may result from the use of current medications for treating autism. This is why the autistic patient will generally be started on a very low dose of a medication and then slowly moved up until the...

Many people ask why autism seems to be so much prevalent today than it was years ago, but unfortunately while there are significant amounts of speculation to that question, there are no definitive answers. We know that today, approximately 1 out of every 160 children are affected with autism to varying degrees. Perhaps our measurement of what defines autism has grown more granular where even very mild cases of autism that were not counted years ago are now included in that figure. Many people believe that years ago, we spent too much time just assuming that the child was naturally withdraw or anti-social instead of recognizing those symptoms as being signs of autism. We know that boys are more...

Children with Autism usually display a severe socialisation deficit. This means that they lack social skills and the ability to interact appropriately with others on all social levels. Children with Autism usually fail to develop social empathy or Theory of Mind - that is they don't see anyone else's point of view and they can't guess what you might be thinking. E.g. if you kick your toe and start to cry, they won't understand why you're crying. At times they might appear rude because of their inability to use the more subtle aspects of social interaction. We must remember though that for children with Autism social interaction is a cognitive process, rather than being intuitive as it is for the...

The main symptoms of autism are of the social and communicative nature, even though there are many more unusual behaviors and associated symptoms related to this psychological condition. Sufferers of autism tend never to share their own enjoyment with others and never share in the enjoyment of others. Even in their infant stages, when people make gestures and smiles at them, they never respond with that communal smile like babies often do. For a specialist in the profession, this is enough for an initial diagnosis, although some people think it is inconclusive. Autistic children make poor eye contact if at all, and rarely ever imitate sounds made to them. And in addition to that, they do not make...

For decades, ABA Therapy has been the most effective form of treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders.  With many years of research having been conducted and showing time and again the effectiveness of the method, there is little doubt why it is the only treatment for Autism that most insurance companies will cover.  One of the things that make ABA Training so effective is the rigorous data collection that occurs at every step along the way. With ABA Therapy, data is collected after each section of teaching on a daily basis.  This data is charted and typically graphed over a certain period of time.  This helps parents, counselors, and teachers understand what areas of learning are progressing the...

Autism is a little understood brain disorder that affects approximately 4 out of every 10,000 people. But every mom with a little one that shows sign of autism feels very alone at times. There are well over 100,000 autistic individuals in the United States. Autism is usually diagnosed in early childhood (before the age of three) and is characterized by a marked unresponsiveness to other people and to the surrounding environment. Physically, autistic individuals do not appear different from others, but they exhibit marked differences in behavior from a very early age. While most babies love to be held and cuddled, autistic infants appear indifferent to love and affection. As they grow older, they...

Good hygiene is an essential life skill. But for an autistic individual it is often a neglected skill. An autistic individual may not recognise the need to up hygiene skills around puberty, the need for regular dental checks or tooth brushing etc. The individual with autism may not perceive their appearance or the social implications of neglecting their own personal hygiene. Addressing poor hygiene in an autistic individual can be aided using visual supports, patience and understanding. For many parents, teachers and other professionals knowing how to support an individual with autism can be difficult and at time stressful. However this need not be the case, with visual supports for autism parents...

I am yet to hear of a case of autism that went into complete remission as the patient with the condition grew older. There are instances in which the symptoms of autism in a sufferer lessen significantly as the patient gradually grows into adulthood; some may even become independent on their own to live by themselves and take up jobs and a simple career. However, there are several autistic adults who aren't able to live by themselves or take care of themselves in any manner. Such patients can either be committed to some home to be taken care of, or they can be taken care of by their friends or family members. The treatment and management of an autistic adult is by no means a walk in the park, and...

For most of us a visit to the dentist is a scary thought, with a large number of the population actually experiencing an un-rational fear of the drill noise, smells and even the dentist himself!   This fear of going to the dentist is picked up on by our children and the never ending cycle of dreading the 6 monthly check-up takes root.   However with autism, this fear and dread are not always picked up, autistic children and adults, don’t have the ability to “mind read” or read other peoples body language.   So what are the difficulties with a dental visit for your autistic child?   Well for a start there is the first hurdle, why do I need to see a dentist? This man or woman wearing a white...

Pervasive developmental disorders first began to appear in the early 1980's. Pervasive development disorders like autism are relatively new on the diagnostic scene. Professionals use the DSM IV as the primary diagnostic tool to classify these disorders. Autism research and other studies dedicated to these modern disorders are still in their early stages. Autism research has yet to make significant progress in uncovering the causes of the condition. Numerous professionals have spent countless hours, weeks, and even years in an effort to obtain significant results to expand our understanding of the disorder. One in every 175 children are said to be diagnosed with autism or related pervasive...

If your child has just been diagnosed with autism, do not feel sad or pity your child. Today, there are now several organizations and information about this disorder. These will help you understand and know more about autism. Autism should not be viewed like it is a disease or that your child is not normal. In fact, you should work harder to give your child a good future. You should feel blessed for having such a wonderful child and family. Buying a book on autism is a good investment because your child can still have a very bright future if he or she is treated right. Like any other disorder, early detection is very important so that the child can be treated immediately. The parents can also apply...

I've decided autism came to us for a reason. Firstly, it seems to run in my family, so I suppose it was my turn in the roll of the cosmic dice. More importantly, autism is in my life to teach me some very powerful lessons. Quite a few years ago, when it seemed that it was here to stay, I decided to create an attitudinal shift that allowed me to move toward seeing it as a gift rather than a hardship. Why not? Since we were spending a lot of time together, I decided I might as well learn what I could from living with my son, who happens to have autism. There are so many lessons to be learned by taking a glass half full stance to living with autism. The opportunities are all there if we take the time...

As the public has become increasingly aware of the incidences of ASDs, many parents are left wondering what causes this disorder. No Single Cause Researchers still do not know a lot about what causes ASDs, although they have learned a great deal about the symptoms these disorders cause. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, for most affected people, there is no single known cause, genetics and the environment are contributing factors. Genetics The CDC reports that, among identical twins, if one twin has autism, the other will be affected around 75% of the time. In non-identical twins, the rate at which the other child is affected drops to 3%. Siblings of a child with ASD...

There is a lot that is not yet known about the severe developmental disorder known as autism. Sure, all medical and mental health professionals, and even many laymen in the field acknowledge that it is a condition that disturbs victims' perceptions and relationships even in its mildest forms, and a syndrome that actually creates impairments in the psychological development of patients suffering from it. Autism affects your use of language and your communication skills; it affects your reaction to various stimuli, your interpretation of the world around you, and your formation of relationships in the most inhospitable ways. That much is known about autism, but not much more besides its prognosis. A...

Most Americans know very little about Autism, but they should no more, as it is one of the most serious issues our Nation now faces. What causes Autism you ask? Well, it turns out that is 6.4 Billion Dollar question, the reality is that we don't quite know for sure. Yes, there are plenty of suspected culprits, such as the Mercury in vaccines, which you have probably heard about. Then there are questions of frequency pollution from such things like radars, cell phone towers and even pre-natal ultrasound use. Scientists suspect there is also a genetic component as well or at least issues with susceptibility from environmental affects, which also makes sense. Then there may be some correlation between...

ism Integrated 4 Part Therapy for Autism There seem to be hundreds of therapies for autism on the market today and “on the market” seems to be the reason — money. However, there is no real integration of any of these therapies and little information for the “poor” parents with an autistic child (and “poor” is often correct as autism is a “bankrupting disease”). There are four different basic problems with four different therapies needed to solve them and work towards any cure or improvements.  These are: Mercury and other heavy metal toxins Allergies and food sensitivities Digestive (gut) problems Inadequate nutrition Dealing with Heavy Metal toxicity. This is the major problem and...

Do you have a child with autism, or a learning disability that has suffered discrimination in school related to their disability? Have they been harassed, emotionally damaged, or physically hurt in school by another student or school staff that is disability related? Section 504 is a civil rights law that prohibits disability related to a persons disability in any program that receives federal funding. This article will be discussing 11 things about Section 504 that you can use to protect your child. 1. Disability harassment defined. In a letter from the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (that investigates Section 504 complaints) describes what is considered disability harassment...

Do you wonder about the most common mistakes that parents make in advocating for their child, receiving special education services? Would you like to be an effective advocate for your child with autism, and avoid these mistakes? This article will discuss 5 common mistakes that parents make in advocating for their child and how you can avoid them. Mistakes: 1. Letting emotions get the best of you! Many parents are unable to control their anger which gets in the way of their advocacy for their child. 2. Forgetting your inner voice! A lot of parents give too much weight to what some special education personnel say, rather than following their instincts. 3. Accepting lies from some special education...

h some medical scientists agreed upon the new features discovered and explained by Kanner, others didn't accept his ideas, claiming that autism couldn't be separated from other neurological disorders. Many medical scientists disagreed with Kanner and completely refused to see autism as a distinctive syndrome. This was due to the fact that Kanner failed to clarify various aspects of autism, leaving serious gaps in his research. By contrast, scientists who accepted Kanner's ideas quickly began to apply his model of diagnosis in their psychiatric practice. However, considering the fact that Kanner's concept of autism was confusing, most medical scientists who adopted his theories applied the model of...

Is your child with autism or another disability showing signs of school refusal behavior? Are you at your wits end and do not know what to do? Would you like to learn about treatment and educational strategies for school refusal behavior that could benefit your child in special education? This article will be discussing school refusal behavior, treatments and educational services and strategies that could help your child in this area. Successful treatment in this area depends on why the child is experiencing this difficulty. Could be due to many reasons but I will discuss a few: 1. Inappropriate treatment by special education personnel. This could be due to the staffs attitudes or perceived negative...

  Sand and Water Tablesare widely praised for their educational value amongst small children. There are however other people who people whom would benefit greatly from a Sand and Water Table experience, these are children with special needs. Studies have clearly shown that children with autism retain information better while their sense of touch is being stimulated. Sand and Water Tables are a perfect catalyst for this form off education. Sand and Water Tables promote growth in motor skills, social skills, spatial relations, natural science, and can offer people with special needs a small world that they feel in control of. A Sand and Water Table can offer a sample of the outdoors experience for...

Autism must have been around for a very long time, but no one had a clue about its existence until early in the last century. It wasn't even until later -- in the 1940s -- that American psychiatrist Leo Kanner first described its specific symptoms, leading to the classification of the disorder amongst about four other related diseases. Before this time, autism had been mistaken for a whole number of other diseases, and even as a symptom of some of them. It's important to acquaint yourself with these symptoms and diseases that are not autism or autistic disorder, but that were close enough to fool medical professionals and scientists for centuries before our time. You never know, you may run into...

Mental Retardation is not as much a disease as it is a symptom of a variety of psychological conditions. It is a disorder in its own right, though, characterized by intellectual functioning that is well below average. Often the patient has an IQ of around 70 or less. Patients of autistic disorder are not necessarily retarded; they just may appear so because of the 'withdrawal symptoms' that they depict with respect to communication and socializing. Down syndrome has patients suffering from serious language difficulties and a few cognitive ones. However, they do not often have the social withdrawal symptoms that are so heavily characteristic of classic autism. Quite on the contrary, sufferers of Down...

Autism is a severe disorder that prevails right from the birth. Seizure disorders, mental illness, mental retardation and gastrointestinal issues are found in people suffering from autism. They might be normal in looks and appearance but there are certain strange behaviors exhibited that seem to be completely different from typical children. They are either hyper sensitive or hypo sensitive. This sensitivity is exhibited towards light, crowds and sound. Autism is identified in people through the way they communicate to others. In their mode of communication few signs like unusual and delayed speech patterns, flat intonation, high pitched intonation, lack of proper slang, kid’s way of speaking...

Symptoms of Asperger's can include the following: Children with the disorder,will tend to focus on one or two very narrow concepts and can be obsessed with a particular concept such as statistics,schedules,and even particular animals.As an example,your child may show a fascination with sports statistics and have little or no understanding in the sport itself. A child with Asperger's may exhibit trouble with interacting and communicating with others in a social setting. The child may lack the ability to evaluate the reaction of others to their communication attempts. During social interactions the child may not appear to understand the other person or even be unresponsive. The child may not show the...

At present, there are as many as 1 in 100 to 150 children may be autistic. April 2nd of 2008 is the first " World Autism Awareness Day" designated by the United Nations General Assembly. The parents should always keep a weather eye on your child for an extended period of time. Early intervention is critical for the best outcome in children with autism, so early diagnosis is very improtant, too. However, is it possible to reliably diagnose autism before 2 years old? The answer is yes. Actually, autism can be diagnosed while the baby is one and a half years old. Autism is a complex developmental disorder. We don't know what causes autism for sure yet. Autism doesn't have a "cure" right now, the best...