Autism - Signs, Symptoms, Treatments, Resources, Support for Autism

You may have heard a lot about sensory integration therapy. That’s because some researchers estimate that eight out of 10 children with autism have problems processing sensory input. For example, they can’t filter out background noise. Other signs of processing issues include: Problems with balance Problems with body position in space Oversensitivity to touch and the feel of certain types of clothing, such as socks with seams With autism, social, behavioral, or attention problems can be partly a result of these sensory challenges. Although more research is needed, OT can help with sensory integration and some of the related behavioral problems. Research suggests sensory integration therapy is less helpful in improving academic performance. Examples of sensory integration therapy include: Being brushed or deeply touched and massaged Compressing elbows and knees Swinging Spinning on a scooter Wearing a weighted vest How can someone obtain OT services for autism? Y...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 88 kids has an autism spectrum disorder, but no one knows what causes them. Scientists think that there's a connection to genetics (something to do with a kid's genes) and the environment. Some kids might be more likely to get autism because it runs in their families. Other kids get it even if nobody in their family has these types of problems. The earlier a child starts getting help, the better. But figuring out if a kid has an autism spectrum disorder can be difficult at the beginning. A parent is usually the first to think that something could be wrong. Maybe the child is old enough to speak but doesn't. Or a kid doesn't seem interested in people, has a hard time playing with others, or acts in unusual ways. If you've recently learned that your child has or might have an autism spectrum disorder, you're probably wondering and worrying about what comes next. No parent is ever prepared ...

Autism is a spectrum of closely related disorders with a shared core of symptoms. Autism spectrum disorders appear in infancy and early childhood, causing delays in many basic areas of development such as learning to talk, play, and interact with others. The signs and symptoms of autism vary widely, as do its effects. Some autistic children have only mild impairments, while others have more obstacles to overcome. However, every child on the autism spectrum has problems, at least to some degree, in the following three areas: Communicating verbally and non-verbally Relating to others and the world around them Thinking and behaving flexibly There are different opinions among doctors, parents, and experts about what causes autism and how best to treat it, and much that we still don’t know. But on one fact, everyone agrees: early and intensive intervention helps. For children at risk and children who show early signs, it can make all the difference. As a...

Do you have an autistic child or know someone who has autism? Do you understand the special needs of an autistic person? Sometimes it is hard to understand that an autistic child is trapped within themselves without the ability to communicate or socially interact with others. While there is no cause or cure yet, autism can be treated and according to the level of severity, many adult autistic people can enjoy a rich, fulfilling life. To most people autism is a mystery. Over the past 20 years cases of autism has jumped an amazing 172%. Ninety people out of every ten thousand born this year will be diagnosed with autism. Where did this strange disorder come from and why is it affecting more and more of our children each year? Parents and doctors have pondered this question for decades and very few details are sorted out. How do you teach an autistic child? How do parents cope with a lifetime of caring and nurturing an autistic child? You can scan a thousand web...

There are many symptoms that an individual with autism may experience; however, one of the most frustrating and hard to understand is what has recently been named Theory of Mind. Within the last few decades, this problem has been more thoroughly discussed and studied, but it is still largely a mystery. Because of Theory of Mind problems, social interactions are even more strenuous for autistic individuals. Theory of Mind causes these social behavior difficulties in almost every aspect, from playgroups as children to the social world as adults. The concept behind Theory of Mind is that autistic people fail to recognize that other people in the world have different ways of looking at things. Although an autistic person may not be egocentric, he or she probably inherently assumes that everyone thinks, feels, and knows the same things he or she thinks, feels, and knows. Most autistic people have an inability to lie, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but is clearly unnatural. They don...

Autism is the common term for a range of disabilities medically classified as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). Autism/PDD is characterized by qualitative differences in the development of cognitive, language, social or motor skills, and these are usually apparent before age three. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) cover a wide range of behaviors and abilities. People who have ASDs, like all people, differ greatly in the way they act and what they can do. No two people with Autism will have the same symptoms. A symptom might be mild in one person and severe in another person. Some examples of the types of problems and behaviors a child or adult with an ASD might have follow. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by abnormal social interaction, communication ability, interest patterns, and behavior patterns. Autism is found to occur due to the vulnerability to environmental triggers displayed by the human genes. Seven major genes have been identified to be related ...

If you want to know what an autistic child looks like, look at your own child or grandchild. Look at the children who live next door to you and take a glimpse at every child you walk past on the street. These could very well be the faces of autism. There is no visible indication that a child is affected by this disturbing neurological disorder. Autism is the king of all tricksters. I know this to be true because whenever my husband and I take our son to the store or doctor’s office, the looks of disgust we receive in response to his unruly behavior never let up. Unless we inform someone, and we always have to, no one has a clue that he is autistic. When our ten requests for Darius to “settle down” won’t get through to him, when he is climbing on chairs or is having a screaming fit, people continue to stare through us with questions of, “Why won’t they do something about him?” or “If that were my child I’d really handle him.” From time to time, I find myself getting upset about the glar...

Autism is a developmental disability that affects both children and adults. The symptoms of autism are usually diagnosed within the first three years of the child’s life. These symptoms may be more pronounced in some than others and will often affect both the social and communication abilities of the individual. When diagnosed with autism, the individual can benefit from many of the different treatment programs and educational programs available. 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 r...

Autism is a complex neurological disorder that dramatically affects people’s behaviors and social interactions. The disorder can be revealed in early childhood, by the age of 3. Although the first signs of autism can sometimes be identified in infants, the disorder is usually discovered at a later stage of life. Autistic children present a wide range of behavioral abnormalities, and they can be easily identified among normal children. While normal young children long for the presence of their parents and love to play in the company of other kids, autistic children are very indifferent, showing no interest to the people around them. 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 s...