Saturday, 10 October 2009
What Causes Autism? A Controversial New Theory
It is known that people exposed to methyl mercury, which is found in thermometers and polluted environments, have incurred damage due to contact. A mercury spill in Japan, for example, tainted fish in the area and caused those who ate the poisoned fish to develop Minimata disease. Another clue pointing to the dangerous effects of mercury exposure comes from an incident that occurred 100 years ago in the United States. Pink Disease (Acrodynia) was a mysterious illness that seemed to appear out of nowhere. The symptoms included social withdrawal and a deficiency of language skills. At the time, a particular type of teething powder that contained mercury was on the market – once it was taken off the market, this strange disease suddenly disappeared.
Those who believe in a link between mercury and autism cite the above as a few cases that may lend credence to the theory. Those studying the connection say that a combination of genetic susceptibility and exposure to mercury are most likely the two main factors that result in a child developing autistic disorder. For instance, it is not mercury exposure alone that causes problems, but rather, a minimum amount of exposure coupled with the child’s decreased ability to excrete mercury properly.
Of course, this theory is a contentious one because childhood vaccines are being targeted as the main source of mercury exposure. A few years ago, most infant vaccines contained a preservative called thimerasol, which included ethyl mercury, although it is now being phased out of use. Although ethyl mercury is different than methyl mercury, in large amounts it can damage the nervous system. The hypothesis is, as children began receiving more and more vaccines over the years, they also received more mercury.
As with every controversial idea, not everyone agrees with this conjecture. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created two reports on the issue, both of which dismissed thimerasol as one of the causes of autism. And of course, many scientists and pediatricians are concerned fear will cause parents to avoid vaccinating their children.
In the end, no one really understands the root causes of autism, leaving many parents frustrated and without a valid explanation for the behavioral problems their autistic children experience every day. Hopefully, as more research is conducted, scientists will come closer to solving one of the world’s most puzzling medical mysteries.
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Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development books. Download FREE e-books from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.plrbestsellers.com or http://www.universalpublishingltd.com ...You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth. You'll also discover FREE Premium content at http://www.ibestof.com/ and Manual Submission Directory at: http://www.webdirectorybank.com
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Thursday, 8 October 2009
Common Autism Treatments Reviewed
Biomedical
While there is no special drug to cure the symptoms, professionals, as well as parents, have found that some drugs that are often used for other disorders will help to alleviate some of the behavioral symptoms of autism.
For example, Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors have been used to help treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety. Through research it is found that there are elevated levels of serotonin in as many as one-third of those diagnosed with autism. Drugs such as Anafranil, Lenox, and Prozac may be able to reverse some of the symptoms of having high levels of serotonin, such as repetitive behaviors, irritability, and aggressive behavior. Some researchers found that autistic children may show increased eye contact and may become more responsive to others when taking these drugs.
Your child’s physician may recommend other drugs, such as Ritalin, to help treat your child’s symptoms. The main issue in treating the symptoms of autism with drugs is the side effects that may come along with certain medications. As with any medication being taken, you want to fully inform your child’s physician about any side effects you may notice. It should also be stated that because children with autism may have a higher sensitivity to drugs, the dosages should be adjusted accordingly.
Vitamins
Many parents of autistic children and professionals feel that adjusting the child’s diet and adding vitamins will help to treat the symptoms associated with autism. Research has proven that taking an increased amount of Vitamin C will help reduce the severity of symptoms, while others have shown that vitamin B and magnesium will help with the behavioral problems, improve their eye contact, and improve the autistic child’s ability to pay attention. Professionals feel that due to malabsorption problems in those with autism, nutritional deficiencies may have an effect on how severe the symptoms are.
Before starting your child on a vitamin program, your child’s physician should do an assessment of nutrition. This will help them to find out what your child is missing in vitamins and minerals to help to determine what they need and how it may help them.
Dietary
Individuals that have been diagnosed with autism sometimes may have sensitivity to certain foods, as well. Some of these may also contribute to certain behaviors. There are times that when certain substances are taken from the child’s diet, it will alleviate some of these behaviors. One example of this is gluten. Researchers have found that if an autistic child has trouble breaking down the peptides of foods containing gluten and casein, found in diary products, wheat, oats, and rye, this may cause an upset of the biochemical and neurological processes of the brain. By removing these foods from the diet, it can reduce some of the autistic symptoms.
Behavioral
Due to the wide range of communication and behavioral symptoms that are associated with autism, there are a wide variety of behavioral treatments for individuals with autism. Many of these behavioral treatments for children with autism are based on the Applied Behavior Analysis. This theory focuses on rewarding good behavior.
The main thing to consider in choosing a behavioral treatment program for your autistic child is to understand their learning style. If your child is more visual, you may want to make sure the program is set up to assist your child in the way he or she learns best.
These are only a few of the treatments available for individuals diagnosed with autism. Because autism is unique in the sense that the symptoms vary according to the extent and severity, you and your child’s physician will need to find a treatment program that works best for them. There are a lot of programs available for your child however, one program may be wrong for one child and perfect for another. Before starting your child in any program, seek the advice from your physician. He or she can test and assess your child to find out which treatments may help to alleviate some of your child’s autism symptoms.
Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development books. Download FREE e-books from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.plrbestsellers.com or http://www.universalpublishingltd.com ...You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth. You'll also discover FREE Premium content at http://www.ibestof.com/ and Manual Submission Directory at: http://www.webdirectorybank.com
Facts About AUTISM
The statistics are alarming: Thirteen years ago only one in 10,000 children was diagnosed with autism; today it's one in 166, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. Despite these epidemic proportions, research shows that many parents of young children are generally unaware of autism.
While there is currently no cure, nor an effective means of prevention, early detection and intervention can result in critical improvements for many young children. The most important thing parents and caregivers can do is to learn the early signs of autism and understand the typical developmental milestones their child should be reaching at different ages. Research now suggests that children as young as 12 months old can exhibit signs of autism, some of which may include:
No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by 6 months or thereafter- No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by 9 months or thereafter
- No babbling by 12 months
- No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months
- No words by 16 months
- No two-word meaningful phrases by 24 months
- Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age.
The earlier a child is diagnosed with autism, the greater the chance for success in treatment. With appropriate early-intervention services, from ages 3-5, between 20 percent and 50 percent of children with autism will be able to attend mainstream kindergarten. Effective intervention programs focus on developing communication, social and cognitive skills, and include training for parents and teachers as well.
Many families are uninformed, confused and even fearful when a child exhibits signs of autism. They may be relieved to learn that there are ways to cope with it, reports Autism Speaks. For this reason the organization has made a commitment to raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families and society.
Short of a cure, awareness and early detection are our best weapons and are critical to improving the lives of individuals and families struggling with autism.
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Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development books. Download FREE e-books from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.plrbestsellers.com or http://www.universalpublishingltd.com ...You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth. You'll also discover FREE Premium content at http://www.ibestof.com/ and Manual Submission Directory at: http://www.webdirectorybank.com
The Signs Of The Unexplainable Autism Disease
Due to its inexplicable ticking, sometimes, the brain itself can be destructive to a person's life. One of the cases in which the brain causes intolerable pain to the person affected and to the individuals that surround him is the Asperger's Disorder or the Asperger's Syndrome.
Together with Autism, Rett's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Asperger's Syndrome is considered as one of the five Pervasive Development Disorders or PDDs. PDDs or the set of neurologically based disorders has been identified to show a distinctive range of delays in different developmental stages of an individual.
First described in 1940 by Hans Asperger, a Viennese pediatrician, the concept of Asperger's Syndrome stemmed from the autistic-like behaviors of boys that have normal intelligence. Since the symptoms are like those in autism, many experts considered it as a "milder form of autism."
Although they have almost the same characteristics, Asperger's Disorder is comparably the less severe form of autism. This severity in the symptoms is mainly highlighted by the absence of language delays because children who are suffering for the illness are slightly affected when it comes to their communication skills. More often than not, these kids do have good language and cognitive skills.
The disorder-that is also distinguished by the same kind of abnormalities of correlative social interaction like in autism-also embodies a restricted, conventional, incessant repertoire of activities and interests. But, unlike people who suffer from Autism, the people who are suffering from Asperger's Syndrome do not experience a delay in cognitive development or retardation in language. And unlike autism, most individuals are of normal general intelligence. But since they are suffering from a neurological disorder, they exude extreme clumsiness. Unlike autistic children that are perceived as indifferent, children with Asperger's are more than willing to fit and mingle-only, they just do not know how. Since they are clueless on how to interact with others, they are seen as socially awkward individuals that do not have the grasp of social norms. Due to absence of empathy, these people usually may have limited eye contact, seemingly not attentive in a conversation, and do not know how to use gestures.
One of the common symptoms of a child who has an Asperger's Syndrome is his or her unusual speech pattern. Since they have generally good language skills, it is quite noticeable how the child he or she uses language in various ways that usually lack inflection or doing it in some sort of a singsong. When it comes to inclination of interests, a child suffering from Asperger's Syndrome tends to be obsessive on a particular subject.
Although the case of Asperger's Syndrome is slightly mild compared to Autism and any other PDD, the threat might be a little underrated or underestimated. Most experts agree that there is indeed a strong inclination that the abnormalities will continue up the person's later stage of life like in adolescence and adult life. It is also possible that that as the person suffering from the disorder get older, he or she would represent individual characteristics and occasionally disturbing psychotic episodes.
Aside from the autistic-like behaviors, it can be said that the person suffering from Asperger's Syndrome is he or show symptoms of language impairment, social impairment marked by impaired social understanding, obvious peculiarities or behavioral "oddness" or mannerisms. Other symptoms of Asperger's Disorder are social delays with non-verbal communication problems, lack of spontaneity, clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements, limited interests and/or unusual preoccupations, repetitive routines or rituals and preoccupation in their own world with their own agenda
Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development books. Download FREE e-books from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.plrbestsellers.com or http://www.universalpublishingltd.com ...You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth. You'll also discover FREE Premium content at http://www.ibestof.com/ and Manual Submission Directory at: http://www.webdirectorybank.com
Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder
Some professionals estimate that 1 out of every 166 children in America are affected by autism on one level or another. The national health institute has a more conservative number of 1 in every 1000; either way autism is prevalent! A family that has born one autistic child has odds of 1 in 20 of another, which leads to heridatary assumptions.
There is a set list of psychiatric criteria and a series of standardized clinical tests that are used to diagnose autism. Although not always physiologically obvious, a complete physical and neurological evaluation will typically be ableo to determine whether an individual is affected by autism.
The clinical definition defines that 'autism must manifest delays in "social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic or imaginative play," with "onset prior to age 3 years", according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'. The symptoms of autism must manifest before the age of three years to be clinically recognized; this is stated in the ICD-10, which is a set of criteria for the proper diagnosis.
It is possible for children affected by autism to improve their social skills to a level where they can be fully integrated with mainstream events without any notice. Often times the case is that individuals affected by autism are un-willing to want to cure their condition because they see it as a part of who they are, and do not want to lose that.
Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development books. Download FREE e-books from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.plrbestsellers.com or http://www.universalpublishingltd.com ...You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth. You'll also discover FREE Premium content at http://www.ibestof.com/ and Manual Submission Directory at: http://www.webdirectorybank.com
Saturday, 3 October 2009
Autism: Educating the Child and the Parents
Education
They say that knowledge is power. This is one power that cannot be divested or taken away from you. It is also only through proper education and training that a person can get hold of knowledge.
A person equipped with the knowledge and enough drive to pursue a field or goal can easily fulfill his or her potential. You can climb the corporate ladder. You can influence people. You can gain enough respect and reputation.
If knowledge is really the key, what about the others whose conditions would not allow it? Take autism for example. Its cause up to now is still not definite but it has been perceived by many people as disabling.
Autism
Autism is actually a condition that involves nerve development. The discrepancy of the development manifests in the behavior of the kid: communication, social skills and repetitive mannerisms. Autistic children often fail to respond to the world around them. As such, they are regarded for having a world of their own.
However, this is not to be regarded as a disease or ailment that will render the person entirely incapable. Some families that have a child diagnosed with autism undergo depression, withdrawal or despair. Parents get too engrossed with the problem that they overlook the alternatives. The special conditions or the limitations of a child with the autistic syndrome may be addressed properly.
The worry over providing the proper care and education to an autistic child is one of the many obstacles that will have to be confronted. As such for any family dealing with the condition, it is important to provide early interventions so as to facilitate a faster progress.
Providing Education to Autistic Children
There are many teaching methods that have been developed to address the situation of autistic children. The method would of course depend on the needs and capabilities of the child, whether the autism is mild or not.
Primarily, the parents think it is best to send the child to a special education institution if the local school does not have a special program. Institutions focusing on autism will also help in providing autism-specific classrooms. In such instances, the teacher will focus to the needs of the autistic child. There would be no other disorders to be addressed. It is also best to keep the teacher from being stressed or overworked. The teacher must be emotionally and physically up and about.
Also, there are cases of autism that will still make it helpful to attend regular schools. Some school districts have provided support to make the teachers and student body more aware of such situations. Some parents of autistic kids also work together to ensure that the needs of the kids will be met within the school boundaries.
Finally, we should constantly remind ourselves that education starts at home. The parents must properly comprehend and grasp the situation of the child. They should also consider the aspects and effects of the autistic condition and how they can properly address the development of the child. These are some of the few things that must be aimed for: understanding the behavior, knowing the proper response, encouraging new ones, dealing with the social problems, working and playing together.
There should also be considerable cooperation between the parents and the teachers or professionals to ensure that the problems of the child will be addressed. Parents should know the learning styles of the child and keep themselves informed of the various strategies that would help the child succeed.
Getting the kid in the appropriate educational institution would be very helpful. Still it is the family that will reinforce and support the child to progress.
We are living in a very fast world. The world keeps getting smaller and smaller as technologies are improved and knowledge is progressed. It is very easy to amuse ourselves, to fulfill our needs and even get what we want. However, in this fast-paced life not everyone will be able to catch up. Some may be left behind, not because they choose to be, but because their conditions limit them.
We should not limit this world only to the able. We should also learn to embrace and enable those who are limited by their existence.
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Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development books. Download FREE e-books from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.plrbestsellers.com or http://www.universalpublishingltd.com ...You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth. You'll also discover FREE Premium content at http://www.ibestof.com/ and Manual Submission Directory at: http://www.webdirectorybank.com
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Autism and its Generated Behavioral and Mental Impairments
Egocentrism is a major behavioral characteristic of children with autism, who may even ignore the presence of their mothers or caretakers, avoiding any form of interaction with them. In early childhood, autistics develop repetitive, stereotype behaviors and become very upset if their routine is perturbed. In many cases, autistic children may also engage in self-harm activities such as head-banging.
The communication skills of autistic children are also impaired. While some children with autism may refuse to speak at all, others experience pronounced difficulties in expressing themselves. Autistics are generally withdrawn, passive, and low-responsive. In many cases, they even avoid making eye contact with other people.
Autism can be anywhere from mild to very pronounced. Children who suffer from milder forms of autism are usually very intelligent. For this category of children, the disorder only affects their emotional intelligence and their social interaction skills, leaving their judgment intact. Hence, while these children may have poor adaptation and social interaction skills, they may have a very good logic, excelling at math or in other similar areas. In many cases, autistics may even have remarkable talent for visual arts or music. At the opposite pole, children with severe autism also suffer from mental retardation. The development of mentally retarded autistic children is very slow and these children rarely make any progress.
Although the exact causes of autism haven’t yet been identified by medical science, it is believed that genetic factors have a very important role in the occurrence of the disorder. Autism involves abnormalities at the level of the central nervous system which are suspected to occur on the premises of genetic dysfunctions.
Considering the fact that there is no cure for autism, medical treatments available today can’t reverse the neurological damage caused by the disorder. However, what medical treatments can do is to minimize the undesirable effects of autism. If children with autism are prescribed an appropriate medical treatment, their development can be supported and their symptoms can be kept under control.
With the aid of medical treatments and the support of their families, autistic children can eventually be integrated into the society.
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Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development books. Download FREE e-books from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.plrbestsellers.com or http://www.universalpublishingltd.com ...You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth. You'll also discover FREE Premium content at http://www.ibestof.com/ and Manual Submission Directory at: http://www.webdirectorybank.com
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