autism strategies

Doctors and Diagnosing Autism

When a doctor first suggests that your child has autism, your immediate reaction might be disbelief and the urge to seek a second, third, or even fourth opinion. Because autism is so different in every child, it is a tricky disorder to diagnose. However, there are a few key ways in which doctors can efficiently identify autism in children, and if your infant or toddler is showing any of these signs of autism, you should visit your pediatrician immediately to express your concerns.

Autism occurs at a young age, rather than being a disorder an older child might develop. It is usually detected before the age of three, and many times much earlier. The first signs or autism are usually delays or regression in speech communication. Another early sign is abnormal behavior in group play situations and other social situations. The first step to diagnosing autism is a thorough physical examination as well as a review of family history by a specialist. Although your regular pediatrician will be able to spot unusual behavior, you’ll want your child to be examined by a professional who specializes in autism and other similar diseases to make sure your child is properly diagnosed.

The next step includes hearing tests. Sine language and social skill delays could be due to inadequate auditory sensations. There are two types of auditory tests, one of which records the tones a child can hear and the other of which requires sedation and measures the brain response to certain tones. Of course, the first method is preferred, since it does not require any use of a sedative. After auditory testing, your doctor may encourage testing your child for Fragile X syndrome, which often times goes hand in hand with autism. Metabolism can also be evaluated. To do this, your doctor will need a blood or urine sample to analyze DNA.

An MRI or CAT scan can also be helpful in diagnosing autism. The important thing is to work with doctors you trust. Second opinions can be very helpful, but when your child has been diagnosed, stick with one doctor so that treatment is uniform and so that your child will get used to this person. Autism is difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat, so remember that you should begin to learn as much as possible about the disorder as soon as your doctor identifies it. If you have yet to speak with your doctor about abnormal behavior in your child, do so immediately. By detecting autism early, you give your child a better chance at becoming a high-functioning individual with much more opportunities in life.

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A Background on Communication Disorders Associated with Autism

One of the three major areas greatly affected in the development of autism is the verbal and non-verbal communication. Along with this comes the deficient ability of a child for imaginative play and social interaction.

By the age of three these symptoms will start to manifest. Children with autism develop normally prior to the onset of symptoms so parents don’t usually find some faulty areas until they become prevalent.

Ironically, the development of speech and language facilities begins intensively during the first three years of life. This is when the child learns to copy sounds from the environment, which he will later use as foundations for his talking abilities. This likely occurrence is best explained with the rapid development of the brain and the influence of his environment with his exposure to the speaking world. Many experts add that there is an innate desire for a child to communicate and to convey what his system tells him to do. These are earlier seen with his coo sounds, crying and facial expressions.

This may be or may not be the case for children with autism. Some learns to develop speech and the basics of language but in time, regress into “forgetting” what they have first learned. Others, on the other hand, totally fail to learn how to express themselves through properly structured sounds and syllables.

Gradually, children will learn to form new combinations of sounds until they advance into more complicated words that form sentences and until he adopts himself to the rules of language. They do not only learn this technique but will also learn to associate things, actions, objects and symbols until they engage themselves into representational activities like pretend play.

Medical science is still not certain with the problems that cause people with autistic features to have deficiency in communication. Many experts believe though that there must have been something wrong during, after and before the birth that have created adverse but gradual effects in the brain of the child. Such developmental hindrances impede the child from giving interpretations, both symbolic and non-symbolic to what the world around him wants to convey. This also aggravates his impaired capacity to imagine another persons’ state of mind.

The effects of these are best seen when a child with autism fails to give interest on what a person is telling him and in his obsession to details. Additionally, this is also manifested through showing no interests for pretend plays that usually characterize normal children.

Communication disorders among children with autism varies in intensity and in form. These depend largely on the social development of the child and his intellectual capacities. It is but likely to observe that there are autistic children who cannot articulate simple words while there are those who have rich vocabularies and are able to go into in-depth discussion on their field of interests which often lead people to misjudge them as intelligent.

Another significant communication disorder in children with autism is echolalia. This is characterized with repetitive saying of words that may or may not have meanings at all.

There are other communication disorders associated with autism like delayed or advance learning of words with combined ability to interpret or provide proper meaning with them. Others have exceptional talents in music or awesome abilities such as mental solving of complex mathematical problems of memorization of difficult terms.

There is practically no treatment available for communication disorders in autism. The only best thing to do is to start early in straightening what’s wrong with your child through promoting social skills and improving what’s left to be improved.

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Activities You can do for Your Child with Autism

Special attention and extra patience are some of the most important things you must have to raise a healthy child, even if he is suffering from autism. And since autistic child has certain deficiencies in terms of learning, you should give extra attention the specific points he has to improve. In view of this, there are particular activities you can adapt to develop skills that are lacking on your child.

There activities are the following:

1. Physical activities


a. Walking and simple aerobics

Most children with autism find it difficult to take the first step or make each part of the body move as one. This is because autism affects the visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli that impair child to normally have motor skills. On several cases, autistic child possesses a low level of physical fitness since they could not move normally and would prefer to stay on his comfort zone. Providing physical activities to your child will let them develop this skill and minimize the effects of lack of body coordination as he grows up.

Of course, physical activities would provide healthy benefits to your child as well. The regular movements of the body will increase the level of correct responding, increase the attention span, and improve the behavior of your child including discipline.

b. Body movements

Simple clapping of hands and movement of the feet are enough to start your child to improve his motor skills. This is especially important if your child is between 10 months and 2 years. This is because his arms and limbs should move normally to avoid any deficiencies as he grows old.

c. Swimming

Swimming is considered a total body workout and is therefore give several benefits on your child with autism. It enhances the physical capability of the body to improve movement and develop the best motor skills among all types of physical activities.

2. Mental activities

a. Puzzle games

Puzzle games improve the imagination of your child especially on the stage of early development. These games will also improve their intellectual capacity to explore and to learn. Aside from this, puzzle games are fun and exciting for child with autism.

b. Computer games

There are several games that are especially made for children with autism. These games can be found online and can be played for free. It is both enjoyable and educational for your child.

3. Emotional activities

a. Story telling

Although some autistic children have attention deficiency, taking time to read them stories can bring several benefits. This is because the child feels that he is cared. Aside from this, the connection you make through these activities is worth the time you spend telling stories to them.

b. Walk in the park moments

If you let your child stay inside the house most of the time in his early stage of development, them maybe he could not be able to see how the outside world appears. If would then create fear to face other people that would prove to be very difficult as he grows up. For he would eventually face the world on his own, he needs to see what the world looks like. A walk in the park would introduce him to the world without the feeling of shame.

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Factors to Consider when Teaching a Child with Autism

Teaching a child with autism is a challenge for most people, especially for parents who have not yet accepted the condition of their child or have not been informed on the things that need to be done in order to ensure the good education of their special child…

Autism is a mental disability that attacks the ability of the child to move, communicate, think, and feel normally. Knowing these would enable parents as well as other people involved in teaching the child with the right guidelines on the proper way on how to educate autistic child.

Here are the factors to consider when teaching a child with autism:

Instructional Formats or Curriculum – There is no single and general effect of autism. Different children suffering from the same disorder happen to have different conditions. Each requires a special instructional format or curriculum to be applied. Thus, the way of teaching is not based on autism itself but the effects it has brought to the child.

However, there are general instructional formats or curricula that can be given to every autistic child. The difference is only on the approach of teaching.

Communication concerns – The way instructions are given to children with autism should not be the same with the normal students. Since autistic children have difficulties on understanding things verbally and could not communicate well verbally, instructions should be given in a different way. The classroom should then be equipped with things that would enable children to learn even without verbal instructions. Visual activities are better ways to communicate with special children. Instructions and rules, outside the curriculum that need to learn and understand should be given in the way the children could understand most. The main point is to communicate properly and effectively.

Age – Autistic children may have the same physical age may have different mental age. Knowing the mental age of the child is would provide easier learning process for both the child and the teacher or parents.

For young autistic children, parents must apply the early intervention program that would enable the child to be guided correctly in terms of discipline, motor skills, and communication. This must be done as soon as you discovered that your child is suffering from autism.

Meanwhile, instruction for elementary students may include ways on how to integrate with other people or making friends. In other words, autistic children should be trained to be sociable in this period of learning.
Autistic children in their high school years must learn how to integrate not only with other people but also with the whole community. How to work, live, participle and recreate with other people is very important to learn in this stage.

Behavioral factors – Autistic children need to be guided with how they behave to themselves and to other people. This is because they are especially passive or have developed destructive or excessive behaviors. If before, the approach to change this behavior is by punishment, today, the approach given is by positive behavior support or the PBS. This approach treats the children with dignity and respect that would not only improve their self-worth but also improve their behavior dramatically without using cruelty. Special children need affection and care. This approach can answer these needs.

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Signs of Child Autism or Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Child autism or autistic spectrum disorder is a syndrome that results from the combination of certain traits in a child. There are a lot of ways that you can spot child autism or autistic spectrum disorder:

1) Social impairment – this is a child’s inability to interact normally with other individuals. We all know how man is naturally a social person. An impairment of the social abilities of a child can hamper a lot of his abilities. This sign of child autism or autistic spectrum disorder can be observed through the following symptoms:

a) No desire to make friends- children are naturally very friendly individuals. When a child shows no inclination for friendship, it could very well point to child autism or autistic spectrum disorder. However, you shouldn’t be alarmed if your child does not want to be friends with someone. After all, children have moods too.

b) Lack of eye contact – eye contact is an important part of social interaction. A child who does not make any eye contact during conversations may be showing signs of child autism or autistic spectrum disorder.

c) Gullibility – many people would realize that gullibility is a natural trait found in children. However, when coupled with other symptoms, this may point out to child autism or autistic spectrum disorder.

2) Language impairment – we communicate through a variety of ways. However, all methods of communication can be referred to as a language. A child’s inability to grasp the different idiosyncrasies of language can be a symptom of child autism or autistic spectrum disorder.

a) Monotonous speech – we use intonations and volume to convey our meaning together with words. A child suffering from child autism or autistic spectrum disorder often speaks in a monotonous manner.

b) Overly formal speech – as humans, we are entitled to make small mistakes on grammar. The term slang was invented for a reason. We often improvise words and change terminologies all the time. Someone with child autism or autistic spectrum disorder, however, will follow the proper form of language rigidly, not understanding the concept of colloquialism.

c) Taking phrases literally –those who suffer from child autism or autistic spectrum disorder will not be able to grasp metaphors and take words at face value. Be careful with what you say around them as they will take things literally.

d) Delayed response to questions – when being questioned, someone suffering from child autism or autistic spectrum disorder will take a long time to respond.

3) Impairment of imagination – imagination is a part of a human’s everyday activities. In cases of those with child autism or autistic spectrum disorder, the imagination is impaired and this means they are unable to take things beyond a literal level. It also limits their ability to improvise.

a) Poor understanding of symbolism – symbolic languages are integrated into our everyday lives. We may not be able to imagine just how it would be like to say things outright. A child with autism or autistic spectrum disorder may interpret things differently. For example, when he or she is asked what the color white means in the story “moby dick” he or she may associate it with vanilla ice cream instead of an emotion or mood of death.

b) Preference for routine – a child with autism or autistic spectrum disorder has limited improvisational skills. This means that they would rather stick to a good, solid, routine. They will be confused when presented with an option to do something new.

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Autism Strategies

This Blog, as you can guess, will be all about Autism. I hope to post to it every 3 weeks or so.

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