| Autism 
Understanding autism is not easy. Even the "experts" don't understand it. Autism is a very complex disorder. The needs of the individuals very greatly. Autism typically appears during the first 30 months of life. 15 to 20 children out of 10,000 portray behavior's that are autistic. Autism is 4 times more likely to effect boys than girls. The definition of autism is this: 1. Autism is a spectrum disorder. It ranges from people mildly effected to severely effected. 2. Autism is a developmental diagnosis (i.e. with "normal" children, they may bloom late, but they will bloom) 3. Autism is a retrospective diagnosis. The diagnosis cannot be made without taking careful developmental history from the parents or the people raising them. 4. Autism may co-exist with any other condition that any other person may have. These are some of the characteristic's of autism. Many infants with autism may appear to be different at birth. They tend to arch their backs away from whomever is trying to hold them , to avoid physical contact. As infants, they are either described as passive or overly agitated. About 1/3 of these kids will develop normally until 18 months -3yrs old, then some symptoms typical of autism may emerge. Dysfunctional behavior's may also start, like hand flapping, rocking, insensitivity to pain, hyper/hypo activity. Children with autism may insist on routines. For example, insist on eating only "burger king" fries, or wearing the same shirt for days at a time. Insist that you drive the same route to the store, or to grandmas. These children also develop speech at varied times. There is no set range for autistic's to speak. Some children may not develop speech until adolesence. But you must learn the difference between meaningful language and just "repeating" what is said. Communication is very important in autistic's. If they are non-verbal, then you must teach them sign language or something else, so they can communicate their needs to you. Children with autism have trouble initiating and sustaining relationships with other children their age. The desire to communicate and interact is critical to development. It is not that they DON'T want to socialize with others, they just don't know how. They must be taught, where the average person has the instinct in them. It is very important that they get exposure to peers with appropriate language and social skills. Their play might be just spinning something around, or holding on for dare life to a toothbrush, or another "non-toy". To the children with autism, change is difficult. It takes alot of patience and knowledge on how to cue them, to get them redirected to the next activity.Insistance on sameness is very important to them.( i.e. only burger king fries) They also usually insist that there "special" stuff be only touched by them, and put in a certain order or position when done with it. Autistic kids may also have problems with sensory issues. One or more of the senses may be over/under reactive. (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, or balance). What happens is that they can't eat certain food textures, or wear certain materials for clothes...If the childs sensory system is impaired, it may lead to self-imposed isolation. These are the stereotypical behavior's in autistic's: 1) Visual - staring at lights, repetitive blinking, moving fingers in front of eyes, and hand flapping. 2) Auditory - Tapping, loud noises bother them. 3)Tactile - placing things in their mouth, licking objects, the constant "need" to have certain things in their hands at all times. 4) Smell - smelling objects, sniffing people. There are many theories as to why they do this. One specific theory states that these behaviors release beta-endorphins in the body.Another is said to calm a person. The enviroment is to stimulating and he is in sensory overload. As a result, he needs to block out the over stimulating environment by focusing his attention inward. There are a few ways to reduce over stimulating these kids. Exercise as well as providing the child with alternative and more appropriate forms of stimulation. (chew on a rubber hose instead of electrical wires) What can we do to help our kids? 1.EDUCATE OURSELVES! and anyone else who will be a big part of the childs life. 2. FIND A SUPPORT GROUP - Talking to other parents is so important. Nobody understands our child like a parent of another autistic child. You will find out that you are NOT alone, that most of your kids quirks, aren't just your kids, most of them do the same stuff. 3. LOVE YOUR CHILD - The more that you treat your child like a "normal" kid, the better they do. It may take a child with autism a little bit longer to catch on, but they usually do. 4. ASK QUESTIONS - Ask a million questions if you need to of the "professionals". I do, and I won't ever stop until I get all the answers that I need. So PLEASE keep the environment predictable and familiar. Prepare the child ahead of time, if at all possible when things are going to change. Provide a structured home life. To Teach them better communication: a) Give them clear directions b) Encourage your child to take the inititive. c) Encourage choice making d) Don't use sarcasm, double meanings, nicknames e) Give choices that you know that you can follow through with. f) Give plenty of warning before it's time to change activity. g) Allow transition objects if at all possible. h) Allow choices in the transition. Parents of a child who is autistic must constantly educate themselves about new treatments. There is MORE MISINFORMATION about autism than any other disorder. We will be bombarded by people who claim to have the "cure" for autism, but there is none. Yet there is one treatment that stands the test of time. Thats structured educational programs geared to the development level of such child. Other treatments may be helpful at different points in their life. You should always keep an open mind and educate yourself about different treatments available. However, the majority of these treatments are not scientifically proven to work. It is very important that you educate yourself before making treatment decisions. Also remember, what is right for one child, might not work for another. Treatment decisions should be made after the proper assessment, and based on your childs needs. Remember, that YOU are the expert on your child. And you should make the decision on what treatment program should be best for you and him or her. - Remember that the goal of treatment is to help them become a fully functioning member of society. - Beware of any program that is called "effective" for every person with autism. These are some questions to ask: - Will the treatment result in harm? - Has the treatment been scientifically validated? - How will the treatment be intergrated into the child's educational program? Page 2 | 
