Autism Symptoms And Signs – Communication

A lack of adequate and effective communication skills accentuates the autistic child's social interactions. For the parent who suspects autism in his child, there are some specific communication impairments to watch for. 

 Children learn to talk at their own individual pace. Within a few months of birth, the average child begins babbling in imitation of the speech he hears around him. By the age of one, most children speak or obviously understand a number of words. However, for the autistic child, there is a dramatic lack of vocabulary building. Either there are only a few words they understand and respond to, or they simply do not acquire speech. In fact, about half of the people diagnosed with autism never learn to speak. 

 One of the more apparent clues to autism in a child is the misalignment of verbal cues and his response to them. For instance, if a parent points out a toy to the child, the child with autism will often look at the pointing hand and finger rather than the usually more fascinating toy. On the other hand, a child with autism won’t point out an interesting puppy to his parent in order to share the experience. Related to this is the child's impaired ability to make his wants and needs know and will point at something he wants rather than using a word to describe it. 

 The verbal impairment extends to imaginative play, wherein the ability to use a word for an object or idea is key to cooperative play with other children. 

 Even if the child with autism does manage to interact verbally with other people, he has a lot of difficulty in starting or maintaining a conversation with them. He lacks the intuitive ability to understand the use of humor, for example, and may react to it in its literal sense. Along with his lack of spontaneity and intuition, the child with autism often repeats phrases he has learned over and over again, perhaps as part of an internal ritual. This is parroting of others’ speech is known as echolalia. 

 Work on developing the autistic child's communication skills before the age of two prevents the skills atrophy. Caught early enough and with intensive therapy, many of the communication problems will decrease in time and the child may attain near-average competency. Without intervention before the age of two, many children with autism who lack communication skills are at risk of epilepsy and associated seizure disorders. 

 There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism

Autism Symptoms -- Social Interaction Checklist

Autism has an array of "classic" symptoms, with a profound impairment of social interaction skills perhaps being the most familiar to the layperson. Parents often notice something is not quite right with their child, often as early as infancy. In most cases, the signs are present within the first two to three years of life, whereupon a diagnosis of autism is made by medical professionals after a thorough assessment and evaluation using a checklist of items. 

 In infancy or during the toddler stage, the child doesn't make spontaneous eye contact, or actively avoids it. He shows a lack of response to his own name when it's spoken and intuitive reactions to social stimuli are lacking. For example, there is an impairment of exchanging nonverbal social action cues, like returning a smile or reacting to a frown. A "deadpan" expression is common, but not universal, among children with autism. 

 Another cue for parents is the child's not asking for what he wants or needs. He is more likely point or use a gesture to make his needs known. 

 The autistic child shows little spontaneous interest in the people around him and does not make an effort to point out things that they are talking about or enjoy. Related to this is a lack of empathy toward others, because he doesn't understand what makes others feel pain or sorrow. 

 Tantrums and a strong resistance to any change in his routine or environment are usually clues, too. The child may have a certain set of rituals of his own creation that mean nothing to others but have a high significance for him. 

 At times, the child may appear to be developing normally and then suddenly withdraws from social interaction. There is an inability or lesser ability to make friends with other children. Moreover, there's an impaired ability to strike up and sustain a conversation with other people. 

 As a follow-on, imaginative and socially cooperative play are lacking. The inability to establish and maintain social interactions tends to isolate the child; however, it would be a mistake to believe the child with autism prefers to remain alone. Personal attachments may be formed but in a limited way. Developing better social interaction for the autistic child often hinges on strategies to enhance his communications skills. 

 There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in Autism

Autism Causes - Genetics, Environmental, Virus, Pesticides?

The causes of autism are not yet known with certainty. Recent research suggests a link between genetic susceptibility and environmental agents. Indeed, there is evidence that no one factor causes autism and that perhaps there exists a synergy among several agents. This view is based upon the range of symptoms and severity among those who are diagnosed as autistic. 

 There has been an apparent rise in the occurrence of autism since about 1980, but the root cause has not been found. There is speculation that better diagnostic techniques have uncovered cases that would otherwise have gone unrecognized. 

 Research indicates tentatively that 90% of the autism cases have a genetic link. A specific gene of interest is the Engrailed 2 (EN2) gene, which may account for 40% of autism cases. It is significant in normal neural development. If the gene’s expression is disrupted in some way, it is believed that EN2 could impact significantly on normal brain development. However, autism may be causes by the interaction and malfunction of more than one gene. The research is on-going. 

 Additionally, in a study conducted in 2007, three common factors were found to be of interest: older maternal age, older paternal age, and birthplace of the mother outside Europe or North America. The higher parental age may suggest an issue with genetic material integrity. 

 Alternatively, some rare cases of autism appear to be related to environmental factors. In the past several years, there has been a great deal of controversy over the incidence of autism with relation to childhood immunizations. To-date, there is no strong statistical correlation to support this proposal. 

 The prenatal environment has come into focus as a possible origin, especially events taking place within the first eight weeks of gestation of the fetus. Although most infectious diseases appear not to be significant contributors to autism, the rubella virus may be a suspect. Exposure to pesticides may have some effect, but the research is inconclusive. 

 Maternal folic acid levels may have some bearing, as folic acid is directly involved in neural tube development in the fetus and has a direct effect on gene expression. Perhaps the most promising research finding recently has been the association of maternal infection early in pregnancy with the child's later autism. 

 The cause of autism is most likely over determined, meaning that more than one factor is involved. Given the range of symptoms and severity of autism, this could well be so. 

 There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in Autism.

Autism Symptoms – Play Activities

The impairment of social interaction and communication skills in children with autism symptoms becomes more apparent through play activities. While the lack of social interaction and speech can sometimes be missed in the home environment (not all children vocalize and interact at the same level at similar age), poor interaction with other children of a similar age is a significant indicator of potential autism. 

 Due to the lack of social awareness, the autistic child may appear to prefer playing alone. The tendency of the autistic to focus on an object, for example, may be apparent in a simple activity like playing with a toy truck. While it appears that the child is indeed playing with the truck, in reality he may be more interested in the turning of its wheels. 

 Indeed, the more or less typical ritualistic play of the autistic child does not allow for spontaneous interactive play, as a change in routine may trigger an inappropriate outburst. The lack of spontaneity also precludes any role-playing or "pretending" type of play involving other children. 

 Also, the child with autism who is prone to temper tantrums may find it very difficult to interact with other children, who may avoid him because of it. Additionally, the extra stimulation of having others about may overwhelm the child, who may be extra sensitive to noise. Inappropriate attachments to objects may also preclude sharing toys with other children. His inability or unwillingness to make eye contact with others may be disconcerting enough to cause other children to avoid him, as is the lack of the ability to smile spontaneously. 

 Lacking an interest in the activities of others' emotions and activities, the child with autism misses out on the feelings of joy derived from imaginative social play. Moreover, play is an important means of learning about the world around him and the autistic child misses out on these life lessons. 

 There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in Autism.

The Parenting Aspergers Resource Guide

What is Aspergers Syndrome?

According to Barbara L. Kirby (founder of OASIS website and Co-author of The OASIS Guide To Asperger Syndrome), Asperger Syndrome or (Asperger's Disorder) is a neurobiological disorder named for a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who in 1944 published a paper which described a pattern of behaviors in several young boys who had normal intelligence and language development, but who also exhibited autistic-like behaviors and marked deficiencies in social and communication skills. In spite of the publication of his paper in the 1940's, it wasn't until 1994 that Asperger Syndrome was added to the DSM IV and only in the past few years has AS been recognized by professionals and parents.

Individuals with AS can exhibit a variety of characteristics and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see. It's important to remember that the person with AS perceives the world very differently. Therefore, many behaviors that seem odd or unusual are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behavior, and most certainly not the result of "improper parenting".

By definition, those with AS have a normal IQ and many individuals (although not all), exhibit exceptional skill or talent in a specific area. Because of their high degree of functionality and their naiveté, those with AS are often viewed as eccentric or odd and can easily become victims of teasing and bullying. While language development seems, on the surface, normal, individuals with AS often have deficits in pragmatics and prosody. Vocabularies may be extraordinarily rich and some children sound like "little professors." However, persons with AS can be extremely literal and have difficulty using language in a social context. 

Do You Ever Feel Tired, Frustrated or Overwhelmed As The Parent Of An Aspergers Child?

Let’s face it being a parent to a child with Aspergers Syndrome can be tough. 

 One of the worst problems is that you can never really understand what is going on inside your child’s head. This makes it so difficult for you to understand their behaviour.. . .let alone be able to control it. 

 This can leave you feeling emotionally beat up and completely useless as a parent. You have to cope with crisis on a daily, hourly or even minute by minute basis. 

 You experience problems when you are at home….. …..your child may hit out at you and other family members, kick them, shout, scream, throw huge tantrums and break half the furniture. 

 And most of the time you have no idea why they are doing it. And at the same time you are worried sick about what affect this is having on your other children. 

 Also when you take your Aspergers child out into the local community no matter where you go………. ………you feel on a constant knife’s edge waiting for the next crisis to explode. Because most people don’t understand that when your child describes them as being “fat” or having a “funny looking face” they are just stating what they see as facts, not trying to being rude or smart. 

 But you have to diffuse the situation before it escalates into shouting, screaming or physical violence where someone gets hurt. This daily routine of feeling embarrassed in public, coping with explosive situations and worrying endlessly about your child and the rest of the family can put an unbearable strain on you……… ……there are times that you think that you can just no longer carry on as a parent. 

 And that’s without even mentioning the major headaches and problems that arise when your Aspergers child attends school……. 

 BUT don’t give up yet, there is hope. There are some simple, easy-to-use practical tips and techniques that can save you ALL that stress, worry, physical pain and embarrassment... 

 "The Parenting Aspergers Resource Guide" reveals to you evetrything you need to know o help your child with Aspergers through any situation that arises... 

 Based on interviewed with 107 families to find out what their biggest problems were, Dave Angel (Author of "The Parenting Aspergers Resource Guide") found that the main problem areas for families were:

 ....... Coping with their child's difficult and aggressive behaviors

 ....... Understanding what is really going on inside their child's head

 ....... How to help their child to cope better in the community and at school

 ....... How to keep the peace at home with the rest of the family

 ....... And understanding the real meaning and causes of Aspergers. 

 So he figured that what parents were looking for was complete and comprehensive guide packed with practical tips and explanations all about their Aspergers child And fhis guide is not some stuffy, old academic text book filled with long fancy sounding words that no-one actually understands or uses in the real world! 

 So that is what he has created with his colleagues and now you can read here at www.parentingaspergers.com

Autism: Everything Parents and Caregivers Should Know About the Disorder

Book review 

People tend to turn to the Internet when looking for any kind of information. This holds true for parents and caregivers searching for usable information about autism. Suffice it to say there has been a lot written on the subject. A search on Google produces 158 hits for "autism eBooks." Amazon.com lists about 50 books in hard back and paperback. For a disorder that is receiving more attention these days, there is a paucity of real information parents can use. 

Given the relative lack of good sources, what follows is an admittedly cursory and non-representative survey of the current eBooks available. The selection process was admittedly subjective but done logically and rationally. Those eBooks of a "feel good" nature have been excluded, as have those profiling the trials and tribulations of being the parent of a child with autism. Those autism eBooks providing nuts-and-bolts advice and tips made the list. 

"Autism: Everything Parents and Caregivers Should Know About the Disorder" provides a comprehensive look at current research into the search for the causes of autism, the signs of autism, age of onset, strategies for nurturing communication and social skills, and treatment options. The information set forth is clear, actionable, and devoid of the "Care Bears" approach to autism. 

"How to Live with Autism and Asperger Syndrome" is a title that ranks near the top on several search engines, and with good reason. In an easy-to-read format, the book presents useful everyday tips on what autism symptoms to look for, consulting with the child"s teachers on schoolroom behavior, how to mitigate behavior problems, and so forth. Most striking, perhaps, is the advice on identifying older children who may have escaped earlier detection and are now exhibiting the hallmarks of autism. 

"Reaching and Teaching the Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder" presents some of the more recent research on learning theory with regard to autism and its near relatives. The author emphasizes the point that not all people with autism are the same; thus, different strategies need to be used in teaching the individual. 

 There are, for course, many other online resources available. Scholarly journals on topics as diverse as computer science and psychiatry often contain fascinating articles with autism as the topic. However, entire eBooks devoted solely to autism are disturbingly absent.

Andraldri