Diagnosing autism — its signs, symptoms, and treatments –becomes possible within the first three years of life.

The first symptoms parents usually notice often become apparent in infancy. The child fails to make spontaneous eye contact or actively avoids it. He does not respond to his name when it’s spoken aloud and reactions to social stimuli are absent. A prime example of this is not mirroring nonverbal cues like returning a smile when someone smiles at him. Many people with autism, but not all, exhibit a “deadpan” expression. Parents may also notice the child not asking verbally for something he wants. Instead he is more likely to point or use gestures to symbolize his wants.

This disconnection from the people around him leads the autistic child to show little interest in them. This, in turn, means he makes no effort to engage them by pointing out things they like or are interested in and doesn’t understand their emotional responses.

The child with autism displays a large amount of rigidity in his reaction to the world around him. He often has a set of rituals he has created in order to deal with his reality. Any deviation from the rituals or change in his environment can send him into a tantrum, a very strong indicator to parents that something is wrong with their child.

Diagnosing autism — its signs, symptons, and treatments — is not a simple case of “is-is not.” Symptoms vary widely, so diagnosing autism is often a challenge. The variability makes it necessary to custom-tailor a treatment plan for each patient. Treatments will need to be applied throughout the lifespan of the autistic person, becoming a part of his daily routine.

Occupational and physical therapy are often used in the treatment of autism with good results. Occupation therapy provides training in the activities of daily living like personal grooming and dressing. Physical therapy relaxes tense muscles, allowing the release of pent-up emotions.

Applied behavior analysis deals with the emotional outbursts and rigidity and thus aids in socialization.

Recently, there has been success in nutritional assessment and supplementation in the treatment of autism. The avoidance of casein and some grains, along with dietary supplementation of vitamins A, the B complex, and D show some promise in controlling symptoms.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism: Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder – [Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder]

There are many ways to teach autism social skills, and tips for improving the child’s social skills are a valuable starting point in the home environment. For example, using pictures to represent what he wants – a toy, his shoes, something he likes to eat – helps connect the external environment to his inner world. The picture represents a concrete object.

A good tip for improving a child’s social skills is teaching him how to understand emotions, perhaps the one of the most important areas. Being able to read and interpret facial expression and body language is one of the basic human social skills. These could be taught through the use of pictures previously mentioned, gradually building on this foundation with appropriate verbal cues.

The next most important tip in improving the child’s social skills would include developing his conversational skills as a follow-on from the more physical aspects just discussed. Awareness of personal space, listening skills, and staying on a particular topic are natural progressions. Being able to recognize a friend and knowing what is a friend is leads into group integrative play, and so forth.

There is one interesting caveat there, though. Children with autism often have the challenge of generalization to overcome when they are learning social and communication skills. This means, in essence, that the child may learn a social skill at home, but may not be able to make the connection between the skill and a different environment. Thus, a very important tip in improving a child’s social skills is to teach him the same skill in different environments, or at least show him that he can tie his shoes in two different situations.

This tip is a key in improving an autistic child’s social skills across the spectrum. By developing his skills in as many different places as possible, or helping him connect different people with different skills and surroundings, he builds significant connected concepts and steps “out of the box” of his mind.

Whatever the concept that is being taught, it should be done during a time of low stress. The child will be able to focus more successfully and will be less likely to have a meltdown over a secondary issue not associated with learning a social skill.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism: Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder – [Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder]

Autism and Aspergers syndrome both involve problems with mental processes. Children with either disorder tend to be inflexible with regard to daily routine, their likes and dislikes, the way things are done, etc. They share a similar impairment in decoding language and fail to grasp metaphoric speech, taking everything literally.

There are difference between autism and Aspergers syndrome, though. The two conditions appear to have some overlap.

Let’s start with autism. The ritualistic nature of many behaviors, as well as lack of most social interaction, makes the autistic child stand out as being different from quite an early age, usually by the age of three. Autism is regarded as being a lifelong condition, one that requires an intensive regimen of behavioral modification, dietary analysis, and sometimes drug therapy in the form of anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication.

Autism’s most striking symptom is an extreme lack of communication and social skills arising from rigid mental thought processes. This rigidity makes learning very difficult for most autistic people in general, but there are variations due to the complex genetics involved with the disorder.

Aspergers syndrome, on the other hand, usually is not as dramatic in its manifestations. Those children with Aspergers syndrome may appear to be merely very shy or slightly odd, lost in their own private little worlds. At the primary-school level, they may have some difficulties making friends, but they do make them. A diagnosis of Aspergers syndrome, therefore, may not be made until the child is quite a bit older and fails to mature socially in the same way as his peers. In essence, the Aspergers child fails to recognize important social cues.

Determining if the child has autism or Aspergers syndrome requires some travel though the gray areas of diagnosis. Aspergers is different from having a “more advanced” variety of autism. Autistic children are nearly lacking in social and communications skills in general. Aspergers children have the social and communication skills, but at an incomplete level.

While very similar in manifestation, a diagnosis of either autism or Aspergers syndrome requires professional assessment.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism:  – [Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder]

Scientific research has turned up conflicting data on the efficacy of the low-gluten, low-casein diet. Autistic children have abnormal intestinal motility and have a rate of nutrient absorption lower than the general population, according to a study done in New York in 2006. The study was conducted using a very small sample of 50 children. New research, using a much larger sample size, is due out shortly from the University of Rochester.

On the other hand, researchers in the United Kingdom and in Massachusetts have not found absorption problems to occur more often in children with autism.

There exist alternate hypotheses as to why the diet appears to work, too. Similarly, much of the research failed to control for the single variable, the diet, during the experimental design phase.

Treating autism on many fronts and with many different strategies muddies the picture further. Is the elimination of certain foods really what caused the improvement in behavior? Or was it the encouragement of regular toileting habits that improved the behavior?

One of the biggest concerns among research nutritionists is the removal of important sources of protein from the diets of growing children. Gluten, actually composed of two separate proteins, glutenin and gliadine, is ubiquitous in the Western diet. Wheat, rye, oats, soy sauce, bread, and many prepared foods contain significant amounts of this protein. Casein, a phosphoroprotein, is the major protein source in milk and dairy products.

Given the rigidity of thought processes and ritualistic behavior of children with autism, there is also concern among dietitians that the children’s finicky appetites could cause them to reject a diet that does not include some favorite childhood foods like yogurt, ice cream, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Switching an average child to a gluten-free, casein-free diet is difficult to initiate and maintain over long periods of time. Doing so with an autistic child would be even more so.

Parents will do just about anything to ensure the safety and well-being of their children. Before they attempt to reduce autism symptoms through diet, a consultation with their usual pediatrician is very advisable.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism:  – [Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder]

Anti-seizure drugs may also be prescribed to an Autistic patient to deal with certain behavioral issues as well, such as aggression, mood swings, and/or rages, and recently doctors have found that some anti-seizure medications can help with speech and language development which may be slowed due to Autism Disorder.

The most important information a parent or caregiver to understand is to be sure to administer the medication as directed and on time. Anti-seizure drug treatments usually last for a certain period of time (some up to four years) and basically work by “retraining” the brain to cease seizing.

The way the medicine works all depends on the type of anti-seizure drug one is prescribed. Some of the medications go straight to the problem, and inhibit activity in the grand mal part of the brain where seizures begin, while others are chemically based.

Common side effects across the range of these drugs are headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, and suicidal thoughts. The last of these is obviously the most serious problem, and therefore, parents and caregivers must pay close attention to the mood of their loved one/patient, being sure to keep an eye out for any signs of depression or self-injurious behaviors.

If the patient’s seizures or other Autism symptoms are lessened due to the use of anti-seizure drugs, there is no reason to stray away from them, however, be sure to follow all medical directions and to monitor the patient regularly.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism:  -  [Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder]

With about 58% of children who are diagnosed with Autism receiving some form of pharmaceutical treatment, antipsychotics are the highest prescribed medicinal treatment, as it is prescribed to about 66% of those taking medication to control Autism symptoms.

The most common atypical antipsychotic medication prescribed as an Autism medical treatment at present is risperidone, primarily because it is the only antipsychotic currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Nevertheless, the FDA only recommended it for children who were exhibiting severe behavioral issues, not for those who only showed signs of occasional mild aggression.

While Antipsychotics do not treat the central symptoms of Autism, such as social and developmental lags, it is unquestionably successful in treating the severe behavioral issues and aggression commonly associated with Autistic children.

Placebo controlled studies have shown that weight gain was the most noticeable side effect, however, it is well established that many patients discontinue antipsychotics as an Autism medical treatment because of the serious long term side effects including seizures and tardive dyskinesia. Tardive dyskinesia causes body parts to involuntarily spasm and is associated with irreparable central nerve damage. Basically, if one decides to augment other Autism treatments with medication, all other interventions should remain constant and unchanging so that any changes can easily be linked with the medication.

Additionally, because the nervous system of patients with Autism is extremely sensitive, it is important to gradually introduce the antipsychotics at the lowest possible dose at first. The timing of antipsychotic medications is also important for this particular treatment, and therefore, parents and/or caregivers must take care to administer the medication at the same time everyday. Furthermore, in order to gauge the efficacy of the antipsychotic medication, parents and/or caregivers should assess the child (or adult’s) symptoms before beginning treatment and keep a log of symptoms before, during, and after use.

Parents and caregivers along with health professionals (who are preferably experienced in working with Autistic patients) must work together to be sure the antipsychotic medication’s benefits are outweighing any side effects, and to decide if treatment should be continued and/or supplemented. Be sure to look into all possible side effects of both typical and atypical antipsychotics and ask your health professional whatever questions you may have before beginning this Autism medical treatment.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism:  – [Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder]

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.

Concerning the use of antidepressants in the control and/or improvement of Autism symptoms, it is important to note that these types of medications are mostly recommended for teenagers or adults rather than the younger demographic of Autistic patients. While an adult or teenager’s brain is fully formed, the brain of a young child is still developing making the risk much greater.

There are exceptions, however, where antidepressants would indeed be prescribed to a younger child, such as a young child who needed antidepressants to prevent severe self-injurious behaviors.

There are many categories of antidepressant medications, but the most commonly used are SSRI’s, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Celexa, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft are all common brand names that are often prescribed to treat depression and anxiety disorders which are both common Autism symptoms.

Most of the antidepressant drugs work by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain, which in turn, elevates the patient’s mood. These drugs are not meant as a “cure” for depression and/or anxiety, however, they are useful in addition to other treatments and therapies.

The most common side effects of antidepressant medications are nausea, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, dry mouth, and changes in sex drive/satisfaction. Despite these side effects, however, it is notable that very few patients end their treatment early due to side effects because of the potential and obvious benefits.

Similar to starting an Autism patient on any new medical treatment, antidepressants should be thoroughly researched and familiarized by parents and/or caregivers before the treatment begins. Parents, caregivers, and doctors should also work together to set a “baseline” of the patient’s Autism symptoms before beginning the medication to which they may later compare any improvements in symptoms and decide if the medication has been effective in alleviating certain behaviors or symptoms associated with Autism Disorder.

It is recommended that only one prescription medication be used at a time, however, if one’s doctor feels it would be beneficial to take two or more medications concurrently be sure to introduce them on at a time to insure that connections can be easily distinguished of which medication causes which improvements and/or side effects in the patient.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism: Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder – [Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder]

The leader :  Outgoing personality, enjoys and often takes the lead, from school projects to class discussions.  Always has done, ever since they were in kindergarten and took it upon themselves to reorganize the other children, the lego playsets or the Barbie doll house, when they were three.

The Thinker – Great ideas, but shy personality, so does not take the lead in projects, and then starts to pout when they see their idea was a lot better than everyone else’s,and they should have spoken up.

The Entrepreneur – Does not like homework unless it involves something that excites them, captures their imagination and gives them a chance to be innovative and share ideas.  Has already figured out how  the school could be run better and actually make a profit.  Started a scheme to buy toys or sweets to sell to his classmates and reinvesting his profits.

The Enigma : Finds attractive and enjoyable what might seem to others complicated, such as doing puzzles, fixing the transformer toy when dad could not figure it out  or finding the answer to that really tough question at school.

The Pop Star : Lots of energy and creativity.  Cannot sit still for even a minute and often shows off  their creative energy in any given area.  This could be expressed in any way they feel free and able to do so.  From the way they dance to the latest music video, do their hair, decorate their bedroom, present their work at school to how they make their first million, aged 10, with a new hit song.

The Mature Talker :  Constantly talking about what his friends and teachers said in school.  Reads widely and can tell you something about almost anything.  Have far more knowledge than their peers, they can enjoy conversations with older children and/or adults.  Never get into a debate or argument with them, as you know, they always win.

The Sophisticate: Likes learning and a challenge.  With the quiet confidence of a tiger on a hunt, readily finishes challenging homework, and ask for more, to the annoyance of his classmates. Can be five going on 15.

The Fidget :  Enjoys learning and challenges.  With the tail-wagging enthusiasm of a Jack Russell.  Finishes challenging homework, in a blink of an eye.  And if nothing new comes his way, starts pulling the tail of the cat for fun.   Can be 15 going on five.

The Entertainer :  Can get into the nerves of  their teachers because they can read the teacher’s mind, pre-empt their every word, and thus run rings round them every day (pity the teacher).  Likes strategy games, such as chess, and competitive sports.  Loves to win.  Rarely loses.

The Visionary :  Loves to stare out the window and daydream  Creates pictures with pencil and paper that end up looking like something done by Michelangelo or designs for everything and anything, from a rocket launcher to a robot.  Does all this in the time they have left in lessons when they finished their work earlier than the others and the teacher hasn’t yet noticed.

The Dazzler :  Constantly winning  the mathematics, science and  poetry writing contest at school.  Captains a sports team for the school and plays the piano very well.  Landed the lead part in the school play.  Can often be left out from the birthday party list of other kids afraid of losing their shine to them.

These signs and symptoms of individual ability are not exhaustive and they are not meant to be.  It is quite likely that each child will have a mixture of gifts, some of which are, and some of which are not to be found in these profiles.  All or any of these indicates not only that your child has individual gifts but that they may be exceptionally brilliant, or have the potential to be outstanding.

Whatever the talents or gifts that you think your child may be endowed.  It is a good idea to bring out the best in your child as early as possible.  It surprises many people than your baby can learn to read from 4-month old.  But reading to them from books will not help them quite as much a children development tool.  Based on right-brain stimulation, such a program flashes lessons for reading and math and should not take more than 5 minutes each time.

Your baby can learn to read and learn math at the same time with such an early learning tool. You can enhance your child’s intelligence and ability and help them achieve all that  they can be.  Spend some time with your child and you can discover the hidden talents within.

Give your child a headstart in life…

For more information on early childhood education and how to increase your child’s intelligence, you’ll probably want to take a look at the Genius Maker program. It’s an amazing program to teach your child not only to read, but learn mathematical skills and gain an encyclopedic knowledge. Well worth checking out!

You can visit the TeachMyBaby website by clicking on the link below:
[TEACH MY BABY]

Children have several forms of intelligence and an astonishing ability to learn new things to survive in this world. It is therefore important to nurture and nourish your child’s mental development with the right attitude.  The ability to read early and attain mathematical ability is important to any child’s mental growth and success in later life.

Most parents and children get nervous when the word ‘test’ is mentioned.  While tests may be useful in some ways to measure how well or not, a child is doing, it does have its drawbacks.  Too much emphasis on test results can place an artificial age barrier on children’s individual abilities.

The idea that a child’s ability to learn is age dependent is a relatively new one in human history.  If, for instance, we go back to the Middle Ages we see that age and ability were thought of differently at that time.  Elizabeth I, one of the most famous and successful queens in European history was an accomplished philosopher, historian, politician, and multi-lingual before her teens.  There is absolutely nothing in research to say that children are not s capable today.

Who then is best placed to say what a child is or is not capable of understanding or learning at any given age – us, armed with a bunch of education statistics, or them?  Any parent who has spent hours trying to sort out how the video recorder works  only to have their five-year fix it for them in under 10 seconds, knows exactly what I mean.  A child does not know that something is too complex for them until we tell them that it is.

If we pre-condition them into thinking their abilities are somehow determined by their age, then we are putting the brakes on them before they even got started.  We are presuming that we know the limits of what they are capable of, and when they will be able to achieve it.  Well-meaning or not, in a more scientific way this is exactly what ability tests do.  If they were not based on preset expectations and markers on ability, what is considered simple or complex, they would not function as tests at all.

One of the things to note is that IQ does not equate ability.  The specific role of IQ tests is to measure intelligence in some way.  People with high IQs are not necessarily the academic types.  They may or may not have a degree and they are found in all walks of life, including but certainly not only, academia.

There is certainly  more than one kind of intelligence.  In the 20th century, the research of Professor Howard Gardner, at the Harvard Graduate School of Education questioned the established idea that intelligence came in just one form that could be measured in an IQ test and that was that.  Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences suggests that there may be at least seven different kinds of intelligences in humans, ranging from mathematical/logical to kinaesthetic (finely-tuned motor control and co-ordination).

For example, a successful footballer might have kinaesthetic intelligence.  A successful entrepreneur might have mathematical/logical intelligence.   You may know or be aware of someone who is a successful entrepreneur and footballer all at the same time.  In which case, they would have to have both kinaesthetic as well as mathematical/logical intelligence.

Whatever kind of intelligence your child may be gifted in, it is always a good idea to start as soon as possible to train his young brain.  There are home-based training programs available to help busy parents take just minutes a day to bring out the best in their children.  The effects of which are cumulative and the benefits will last a lifetime.  You can teach your child to read or learn math from as little as 2 months old (yes, your baby can read).

Early child education is now more popular than ever and is gaining worldwide recognition.  The earlier your child starts learning, the better will be the effects of such early childhood development program, like learning math or reading  A child genius may be born, but who is to say you cannot develop your own child to be a genius?

For further reading …

For more information on early childhood education and how to increase your child’s intelligence, you’ll probably want to take a look at the Genius Maker program. It’s a well thought out program to teach your child not only to read, but learn mathematical skills and gain an encyclopedic knowledge. Well worth checking out!

You can visit the TeachMyBaby website by clicking on the link below:
[Teach My Baby - Genius Maker Link Here]