Autism is a neurological condition that affects the developmental abilities of children. Such children find it difficult to communicate and interact with others, show odd patterns of behavior, interest and activities.
While these characteristics differ from individual to individual, the autistic child is in his own world of imagination and dream. He may act violently at time and certain other cases, the same child can adjust, adapt and accommodate according to the social environment.
Early treatment offers the best result for the autistic child. The moment the child exhibits unusual and odd patterns of behavior, delay in growth development for his age, and disability in communicating and interacting with others, autism should be diagnosed and treated.
Some treatments include dieting, physiotherapy, counseling, medication and working with language skills. As results are different for every child discussion is on regarding which treatment gives the desired result. In Applied Behavioral Analysis a person is employed to work on one with the individual for 40 hours a week which is costly.
There is Intensive Behavioral Intervention in one on one or in small groups. Parents should fully examine the results of these options before choosing a particular method. Parents are encouraged to believe in their instincts and proceed thoughtfully by the Autism society of America. In cases of severe autism parent cannot choose easily and quickly as this may lead to dramatic changes in the life of the child.
In treating autism no single idea can cover all bases. All parents and caregivers are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their children. They will adapt many ideas to create a special program of their own. It needs always tremendous determination to stay focused, with persistent. Much patience is needed as results will come slowly and surely. Added to the educational and behavioral remedies, some indirect medical options are now available to reduce the impact of autism. In certain cases dieting, inclusion of minerals and vitamins has helped.
As there are no proven treatments to cure autism today, parents can choose their own means and follow any reasonable option medically sound. They can share their success with others. Children with autism progress greatly with focused individualized attention in a proper manner.
As a parent of an autistic child you have certain basic rights and you are expected to know what they are. American constitution protects every one of its citizens and there are special laws to protect autistic persons and those with other disabilities. There special laws protect you and you can live and enjoy better opportunities irrespective of your disability, race, gender and ethnicity. This is the first step towards creating a more tolerant world.
The first law you should be acquainted with is IDEA or The Individuals with Disabilities Act. This act covers children of age 3 to 21 and provides them special educational programs they require. I.D.E.A entitles the parents to involve themselves with education decisions about their children made by the school. I.D.E.A assesses the child in the best way through a private professional. The child, finally, has the lawful right of free education according to his/her skill level. If your school has no such program it should be found or created for you at no cost to you.
Be familiar with the American Disabilities Act which prohibits discrimination under disability in the workforce and with stat and local government, public accommodations, the United States Congress, Public Transportation, and telecommunications. In other words, if you are autistic but posses the skills to do a particular job, you cannot be refused simply because you are autistic.
Other laws for autism provide people with constitutional equality to others. One law allows them the right to vote and insists on the provision of accommodation for them. Another law prohibits people to deny housing on the basis of autism. There are other laws that provide equal rights in all other aspects of life and you should know all about these if your autistic child is in a health care institution.
Knowledge of the laws and its application for you and the autistic child ensures the upholding of justice. Any of your questions should be answered by the local law officials and supply material to answer your own questions. Don’t forget that ignorance of the law is not a valid excuse for any one and you have to advocate your own cause and that of the autistic person o that mistreatment is avoided.
The effects of autism are different for different children and it is extremely difficult to find the specific treatment the child needs to cope with the symptoms. Visual perception affects a few autistic children. Some standard methods can be used to assist improvement in visual perception and the child will be able to see the world clearly. Learning and comprehension care become easier and control some behavioral problems.
The main problem with autistic children is sensory overloading and distortion though the same problems affect people who are not autistic. As a result of this many treatment options are now available. For autistic children, the sensory overload of the world due to light, colors, contrast shapes and patterns is too much to handle that result in a shut down in general. At times it can be a genetic problem augmented by autism. If the parents have a problem in reading are treated for visual problems, the child surely requires help.
In Irene Method, an effective means, to treat visual perception disorders, color is employed to create a more harmonized world. You would have been familiar to this method of any one had suggested to. Use a color filter over the page to read better and quickly. This method is proven to be effective and you can test it with your autistic child and see if there is a difference in speed and understanding using color filters. The benefit for the child is throughout the day, not just in reading. Special glasses using color lenses have been made to solve this problem. Every child responds differently to every color. Only by trial and error we have to find out which color blocks the harmful light. Colored light bulbs can be used at home to help the autistic children with usual perception problems.
The four areas where this method mainly helps children are depth perception, social interaction, learning and physical health. The child can decide how far it is from an object and the world becomes more three dimensional facilitating depth perceptions. Social interaction increases as the child feels that it is in a calmer world and can see and more clearly interpret facial expressions. The color helps the child to learn while reading and over all it feels better with reduced headaches and dizziness. By testing or trying this technique for visual perception problems. The child can be helped to cope with autism and the world in a much better way.
A person’s life from school to work is one of the most major transitions. They are protected in high school or college and helped and looked after financially and otherwise by their parents. After school these ties are cut and the person has to bend for himself. For any one this transition is scary and especially for an autistic individual school life is spent with peers in a controlled environment. For autistic people the work force is a difficult concept as they have to confront new situations daily contrary to the comfort of a set of fixed living condition.
Autistic graduates, mainly, should learn how to deal with people in business world proper grooming which may have been a simple thing in high school or college. Proper grooming like brushing your teeth, wearing proper dress, using deodorant and combing your hair comes naturally to people while an autistic person is really in need of help as he does not realize what is appropriate or inappropriate. By this time or stage in life many autistic persons, after schooling, are mature and can be the assigned task without problems and avoid out bursts in many situations. A few persons are highly skilled in maths and music, learning a new job in the work force is not a problem. The problem is to relate others in a social situation.
People take advantage of autistic persons because of relationship problems. Autistic persons believe that all people are inherently good like themselves. Companies and business people, sadly, do not follow ethnical practices. Autistic people are shocked at this and do not know how to handle the situation. Others in the work force may not be capable of dealing with autism leading to bad relationships among employees. Employees should not only teach the autistic person their new job but properly direct others who work with them. Autistic individuals should be prepared for intolerance in the work force which is common.
In short autistic people should realize that there is going to be a major transition and transformation between school and college life and life in the work force. It will be very helpful for them to seek help in the transition from therapists, family members or mentors. Going from school to work is not easy but hard work and motivation will bring success to any one autistic or not.
To plan a family vacation with children is not an easy thing at the end it can be a rewarding experience and it cannot be any different with the autistic child. The only thing is that you must be prepared for what ever life throws your way. Vacation, to an autistic child can either scary or confusing or a great educational experience with traces of wonderful memories the entire family can enjoy.
At the outset select a location according to the needs of the autistic child. If the child is sensitive to sound don’t go to the amusement park which is not the best for the child. Small beaches and camping make for quieter vacations. The location you chose should be enjoyable for all plans out your days once you are there. You may want to see attractions very early or late in the day to avoid crowd or you may want to go on vacation in the off season so as not to disrupt children’s school work. The autistic child is more comfortable in these situations as it will not be nervous, as in crowded places and you will have peace of mind. The distance of the chosen location from home, the mode of transport and if an airport is involved the security for the child have to be considered in advance.
While the location should be enjoyable for all, it should offer learning and social interaction chances for the autistic child. For example a child that dislikes touch sensations may enjoy the soft sands of the beach and the waves can give a different kind of feeling for him. The beach is great outside place for the child to yell without disturbing others. Non response children may benefit from a museum where they can ask questions and you too can.
People on vacation at your selected spot would not have dealt with autism before. Understand their ignorance but at the same time do not allow your child to be treated unfairly. Understand the child’s constitutional laws and compromise with them for example if a restaurant refuses to serve food offer the autistic child created a scene the previous night, explain the situation and ask if you can take food to go. Don’t be rude to people. Ignore all staring, snide comments, mean looks and concentrate on having a nice time with your family.
Child’s teenage years are the most trying and nightmarish for parents in their life. Puberty brings in drastic and sudden changes in these young adults and parents lose their hold on them totally. Puberty in an autistic child is no exception. Though it does not occur in the changes take place on the body leading to severe good or bad consequences based on the child’s reactions to the new hormonal levels.
The most shocking and scariest of side effects affecting the autistic child is seizures which he/she suffers from birth to adulthood. Even if the child is free during that period, the advent of puberty is a sure of the onset of seizures and many continue afterwards because of the levels of new hormones.
Violent shaking seizures that go a quarter of autistic children experience seizures that go undetected because they are not according to the textbook standards. You can try to help the child when you find seizure on it but the doctor can treat the child better. But, the pity is that you cannot detect the seizure when it is subconscious. The child too cannot recognize it. These small hidden seizures and in a devastating loss of function of the child is getting better before puberty. There must be regular check ups during puberty which is very important.
The consequent changes in the child after puberty need not be viewed as bad or unwanted. The changes in the body and the new hormonal levels may assist the child in developing and succeeding in fields in which he or he is not interested or had no skill. According to parents the children’s behavior had improved and their learning in social settings was not much difficult.
Parents, significantly, should monitor the changes in the child during puberty and after. They should keenly observe the child and ask the doctor many questions. Puberty is a very difficult experience for any young adult and more so for an autistic child. Understanding and patience should be the hallmark of the parent in looking after the teenager. He should ensure that the transition from child to adult is carried out as smoothly as possible.
Leaky gut syndrome and autism go hand in hand and still researchers are under way to understand it better and how the syndrome starts, why it is present in autistic children and how to treat it. Leaky gut syndrome is characterized by the inability of the intestinal wall to keep out large unwanted molecules. This syndrome indicates that the intestinal wall is altered to become permeable. This leaky gut syndrome may happen on account of increased sensitivity or allergies.
Leaky gut syndrome creates health problems as it allows molecules and substances like proteins which are normally filtered out of the intestinal tract into the intestines. As these molecules are not generally allowed inside the gut, the body misreads these non harmful substances as a virus or infection and produces antibodies to attack them. This in turn makes the body recognize certain foods and any of the body’s regular molecules like these foods as harmful that causes an auto immune disease in which the body attacks itself.
These are the two only results with leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome transports bacteria found normally in the intestinal tract to enter into the blood stream causing infection any where in the body and weakening lever making more toxins circulate all over the body leading to many medical problems.
The cause for leaky gut syndrome is not yet fully understood in spite of continuous research. The causes as per the latest diagnosis are a high alcoholic or caffeine diet drugs like ibuprofen and antacids, or a high carbohydrate diet which reduces the thickness of the intestinal wall, and others.
These are only a few reasons. The treatment for leaky guts is as uncertain as the reason for it. As the leaky gut syndrome renders the digestive system sensitive parents of autistic children want to put them gluten and casein free diets. Both gluten and casein being proteins, they may irritate and inflame a leaky gut syndrome though it is still under study. The treatment for leaky gut syndrome is to avoid alcohol, caffeine, ibuprofen, or spicy foods which cause irritation in the intestines.
Comprehending leaky gut syndrome is an on going process for doctors, researchers, parents of autistic children. It does not mean, however, that nothing can be done to treat it or cope with it. If you are simply aware leaky gut syndrome in your autistic child, you will understand it better and improve his or her life.
It is very important to understand how autistic children learn; it is the key to teach them with the same intensity as you teach other children. Autistic children’s learning is totally different and without a proper understanding of autism it is impossible to teach them. Education in autism will help teachers to deal with autistic children effectively including adults, in and out of class room and bring in a more understanding world for everyone.
Autistic children being visual thinkers, instruction through speech will not be effective and pictures and words have to be combined for the autistic child to fully understand the lesson. To teach about the animals you should have a flash card with the work “ mouse“, say the word slowly and clearly, and show the child a picture of a mouse. You can even bring a live mouse in for show. Nouns are easier to teach than verbs which require action and demonstration. To teach words like ‘sit’ or ‘stand’ you have to do the action yourself for the autistic child. As autistic children focus on the visual, they cannot follow long sentences and decipher the sequence. They become confused. So writing instructions will be very helpful when conducting texts and quizzes.
If the child with visual thought fixes upon a particular object include that picture or object into lesson plans. If the child likes plans to use them for visuals where ever possible. While teaching math’s creating word problems about planes to interest the autistic child. These children are likely to be artistic or musical and produce highly original drawings that indicate above average abilities with instruments or voice. Encourage them by setting aside time in the day for arts and allow them to enjoy.
Writing in difficult for the autistic child with disability in hands and movement let the child use the computer to avoid frustration both for itself and the teacher. Let the key board and the monitor be close together as the child cannot remember what it has typed recently.
By being a teacher for the autistic child to the best of your ability you offer the best chance in life and at the same time become a role model to other children in the class. Let not the autistic children ruin the learning experience of others. On other hand include the child’s oddities into your lessons as much as possible. Your best gift for the autistic child will be the creation of a prejudice free class room.
In modern times, when, unfortunately many marriages and in separation or divorce, the presence of an autistic child increases the statistics to a great extent. With all the love and affection showered on the child by the couple. Autism is a very difficult matter and a severe strain on the marriage. You can avoid divorce and other marital problems by developing a positive attitude to the situation and trying to keep your marriage healthy. It is not impossible to survive the most trying times of raising an autistic child.
Introspect and ask yourself why you entered into wedlock. Focus on the good things of your marriage. No doubt raising an autistic child is a terrible stress and at the smallest misstep you may snap at the other person. Without focusing on the bad qualities reflect and enjoy the way you did at the beginning of your relationship like spending sometime apart from your children. When you realize that your child is autistic take strength from the fact that you are not the only two people with whom your child will respond. A grand parent aunt or uncle, mature sibling or many are good people to be present intimately in your child’s life . it is only in this way you can spend time with your spouse.
Don’t be quarrel some and fight with your spouse. You may have different ideas about what to do and how to act in different situations. Compromise with your spouse and always seek professional consultations in advance of taking any medical decision. Your cooperation and working together is the best opportunity for the child. Fix a particular time every week to spend together as a family especially if one parent is the primary care giver.
Don’t to hesitate to eek help when in need. Any successful marriage requires time to focus on individual needs. The same thing is true with life spent with an autistic child. If you find that it is impossible to be happy unless you both are alone, it is time for reevaluating the situation. The intervention of a family or a marriage counselor can help you both come back to a happy life together. It will be intensely helpful to meet and interact with other couples raising autistic children. Though you are not alone, managing an autistic child is never easy. With an incessant effort to keep your marriage happy even under the stress of raising an autistic child, you are saved from the inevitable messy end of divorce and separation.
It was only in 1940 s that the medical community came to know autism. In that early period, strangely, the medical professionals unfortunately threw much of the onus on parents of autistic children. It was thought that the cold behavior of parents was responsible for the withdrawal of children.
It was really devastating for the parents to bear the additional guilt along with the heart breaking illness of the child. Slowly and surely this stigma over the parents died away. Research continued and it was only in 1990 s that the factors for autism became more defined. In spite of constant research much about this complex disorder remains a mystery and an enigma for researchers, doctors and scientists.
This is because autism encompasses a wide range of developmental disabilities. Zeroing on in some specific cause or sequence of events as the cause of autism is impossible and difficult. As autism affects kids under the age of three it is called a developmental disorder. It inhibits the progress of the basic skills that the child should develop, throughout its life.
A research group on National Institute of Health, in 1995, concluded that genetic susceptibility has a role in autism along with several genes. At present, they consider as many as ten genes on different degrees. Thus there is a wide range of possibilities linked to each individual case.
Autism is confirmed before its birth. If the expectant mother is infected with rubella virus early in pregnancy, certain birth defects will ensure and cause autism. Of late there is a debate regarding the link between autism and vaccine given to children. This has become a strong emotional issue on both sides. Continuing research is sure to settle the problem definitely. Concerned parents should examine all data and come to a decision.
While at one hand a number of unanswered questions persist, innumerable parents have the challenging task of rearing autistic children. It is fortunate that there are many federal agencies, organizations and support groups that are doing excellent and exemplary work to understand autism and help the autistic child to achieve its best capacity in leading a wholesome and productive life.
