Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Support Group for Moms Tonight!
Los Angeles Asperger Syndrome Parents’ Support Group.
The Los Angeles Asperger’s Syndrome Parents’ Support Group – are a group of parents, relatives, guardians, and care-givers interested in helping our children, relatives, and others having Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), because of the way in which it affects our children and our own lives. They also talk about similar problems, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), high-functioning autism (HFA), Pervasive Development Disorder-NOS, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder, and Hyperlexia. [Despite constant, insistent, and unwelcome lobbying and nagging, the DSM honchos and honchas haven’t accepted the categories of “nerd,” “dweeb,” “wonk,” and “geek,” but they discuss them, too.]
They meet monthly to discuss these issues, either for general discussions or discussions with invited experts. It’s always on the second Wednesday of each month, always from 7 to 9 p.m., always at the Julia Ann Singer center.
Monthly Meeting
What: a regular, general meeting, with all sorts of good questions and answers from those in attendance.
Who: anyone who attends can ask questions and provide answers.
When: Wednesday, January 14th (2009!!!) from 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: the same old place.** The Community Room at the Julia Ann Singer Center, 3200 Motor Ave. (Los Angeles, 90034) between National and Pico, 1/2 block North of the Santa Monica (10) Freeway underpass. For directions, click the link: there are maps there.
Why: because we love you!
The Difference of Autism and Asperger's Disorder
History
Asperger's Disorder was first described in the 1940s by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger who observed autistic-like behaviors and difficulties with social and communication skills in boys who had normal intelligence and language development. Many professionals felt Asperger's Disorder was simply a milder form of autism and used the term "high-functioning autism" to describe these individuals. Professor Uta Frith, with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience of University College London and author of Autism and Asperger Syndrome, describes individuals with Asperger's Disorder as "having a dash of Autism." Asperger's Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Asperger's Disorder a less severe form of autism.
Characteristics
What distinguishes Asperger's Disorder from Autism Disorder is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. Children with Asperger's Disorder may be only mildly affected and frequently have good language and cognitive skills. To the untrained observer, a child with Asperger's Disorder may just seem like a normal child behaving differently.
Children with autism are frequently seen as aloof and uninterested in others. This is not the case with Asperger's Disorder. Individuals with Asperger's Disorder usually want to fit in and have interaction with others; they simply don't know how to do it. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules, or show a lack of empathy. They may have limited eye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of gestures.
Interests in a particular subject may border on the obsessive. Children with Asperger's Disorder frequently like to collect categories of things, such as rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient in knowing categories of information, such as baseball statistics or Latin names of flowers. While they may have good rote memory skills, they have difficulty with abstract concepts.
One of the major differences between Asperger's Disorder and autism is that, by definition, there is no speech delay in Asperger's. In fact, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have good language skills; they simply use language in different ways. Speech patterns may be unusual, lack inflection or have a rhythmic nature, or it may be formal, but too loud or high pitched. Children with Asperger's Disorder may not understand the subtleties of language, such as irony and humor, or they may not understand the give-and- take nature of a conversation.
Another distinction between Asperger's Disorder and autism concerns cognitive ability. While some individuals with autism experience mental retardation, by definition a person with Asperger's Disorder cannot possess a "clinically significant" cognitive delay and most possess average to above average intelligence.
While motor difficulties are not a specific criteria for Asperger's, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have motor skill delays and may appear clumsy or awkward.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Asperger's Disorder is on the increase, although it is unclear whether it is more prevalent or whether more professionals are detecting it. The symptoms for Asperger's Disorder are the same as those listed for autism in the DSM-IV; however, children with AS do not have delays in the area of communication and language. In fact, to be diagnosed with Asperger’s, a child must have normal language development as well as normal intelligence. The DSM-IV criteria for AS specifies that the individual must have "severe and sustained impairment in social interaction, and the development of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities that must cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning."
The first step to diagnosis is an assessment, including a developmental history and observation. This should be done by medical professionals experienced with autism and other PDDs. If Asperger's Disorder or high-functioning autism is suspected, the diagnosis of autism will generally be ruled out first. Early diagnosis is also important as children with Asperger's Disorder who are diagnosed and treated early in life have an increased chance of being successful in school and eventually living independently. To learn more, see Consulting with Professionals.
SOURCE: Autism Society of America
Asperger's Disorder was first described in the 1940s by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger who observed autistic-like behaviors and difficulties with social and communication skills in boys who had normal intelligence and language development. Many professionals felt Asperger's Disorder was simply a milder form of autism and used the term "high-functioning autism" to describe these individuals. Professor Uta Frith, with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience of University College London and author of Autism and Asperger Syndrome, describes individuals with Asperger's Disorder as "having a dash of Autism." Asperger's Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Asperger's Disorder a less severe form of autism.
Characteristics
What distinguishes Asperger's Disorder from Autism Disorder is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. Children with Asperger's Disorder may be only mildly affected and frequently have good language and cognitive skills. To the untrained observer, a child with Asperger's Disorder may just seem like a normal child behaving differently.
Children with autism are frequently seen as aloof and uninterested in others. This is not the case with Asperger's Disorder. Individuals with Asperger's Disorder usually want to fit in and have interaction with others; they simply don't know how to do it. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules, or show a lack of empathy. They may have limited eye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of gestures.
Interests in a particular subject may border on the obsessive. Children with Asperger's Disorder frequently like to collect categories of things, such as rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient in knowing categories of information, such as baseball statistics or Latin names of flowers. While they may have good rote memory skills, they have difficulty with abstract concepts.
One of the major differences between Asperger's Disorder and autism is that, by definition, there is no speech delay in Asperger's. In fact, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have good language skills; they simply use language in different ways. Speech patterns may be unusual, lack inflection or have a rhythmic nature, or it may be formal, but too loud or high pitched. Children with Asperger's Disorder may not understand the subtleties of language, such as irony and humor, or they may not understand the give-and- take nature of a conversation.
Another distinction between Asperger's Disorder and autism concerns cognitive ability. While some individuals with autism experience mental retardation, by definition a person with Asperger's Disorder cannot possess a "clinically significant" cognitive delay and most possess average to above average intelligence.
While motor difficulties are not a specific criteria for Asperger's, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have motor skill delays and may appear clumsy or awkward.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Asperger's Disorder is on the increase, although it is unclear whether it is more prevalent or whether more professionals are detecting it. The symptoms for Asperger's Disorder are the same as those listed for autism in the DSM-IV; however, children with AS do not have delays in the area of communication and language. In fact, to be diagnosed with Asperger’s, a child must have normal language development as well as normal intelligence. The DSM-IV criteria for AS specifies that the individual must have "severe and sustained impairment in social interaction, and the development of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities that must cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning."
The first step to diagnosis is an assessment, including a developmental history and observation. This should be done by medical professionals experienced with autism and other PDDs. If Asperger's Disorder or high-functioning autism is suspected, the diagnosis of autism will generally be ruled out first. Early diagnosis is also important as children with Asperger's Disorder who are diagnosed and treated early in life have an increased chance of being successful in school and eventually living independently. To learn more, see Consulting with Professionals.
SOURCE: Autism Society of America
More Evidence Autism Rates are Climbing...
Soaring Autism Rates in California Not an Artifact
Rise Is Not Because of Increased Detection, New Research Suggests
January 14, 2009
Climbing rates of autism in California cannot be chalked up to better screening alone, new research says.(ABC News/AP/Getty)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The increasing number of autism cases seen in California since the 1990s is in large part real, not simply the result of changes in diagnostic criteria or in how autism cases are counted, new research suggests.
This study is the first to assess whether the autism trends in California might be explained by changes in age at diagnosis or by inclusion of milder cases, Dr. Irva Hertz-Picciotto and Dr. Lora Delwiche, from the University of California, Davis, note.
Using data from the California Department of Development Services, the researchers found that autism rates among children aged 5 years or younger rose steadily from 0.8 per 10,000 children born in California in 1990 to 11.2 per 10,000 children born in 2006.
The cumulative incidence per 10,000 births climbed from 6.2 in 1990 to 42.5 in 2001.
The proportion of cases that were diagnosed by 5 years of age rose only slightly from 54 percent to 61 percent for 1990 to 1996 births, according to a report in the January issue of Epidemiology.
A change in the age at diagnosis could explain 12 percent of the increase in autism rates, while inclusion of milder cases could explain 56 percent.
"With evidence of a leveling off, the possibility of a true increase in (autism) incidence deserves serious consideration," the investigators emphasize.
"It's time to start looking for the environmental culprits responsible for the remarkable increase in the rate of autism in California," Hertz-Picciotto added in a statement.
SOURCE: Epidemiology, January 2009. ABCNews.com
Einstein Autistic?
Newton and Einstein may have been autistic. But is their genius an argument against a screening test?
Marcel Berlins
The Guardian, Wednesday 14 January 2009
The prospect of a screening test on a pregnant woman predicting her child's autism is not far away, and Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, leader of the Cambridge University research team that developed the test, has called for an ethical debate on its desirability. My first reaction was puzzlement. Why a debate? We have had the test for Down's syndrome for many years. It seems to be generally accepted without controversy. No expectant mothers are obliged to have it, and many, even those at some risk because of their age, choose not to. Those that do take it have the choice, if it proves positive for Down's, between terminating the pregnancy or bearing the child. It is, of course, an agonising decision, but I'm not sure it raises special ethical issues.
Why should the autism test be treated differently? It is a different kind of condition, says Professor Baron-Cohen, often linked with talent. "What would we lose if children with autistic spectrum disorder were eliminated from the population?" It is a philosophical question, which stakes the claim of society to be involved in the debate, and not just the parents of the unborn child.
I don't normally like to use the slippery-slope argument, but it is apposite for issues arising from the bewildering speed of medical advances. Screening for Down's syndrome has become commonplace; a test for autism is imminent. There is no doubt that more and more tests will be found for more and more conditions, many of them far less life-threatening or seriously affecting quality of life than the ones we now give priority to. Where would we stop in offering pregnant women tests?
Or are we prepared to accept, or even welcome, a less diverse society that has rid itself of autistic children and, in time, of sufferers from other conditions difficult to cope with by the sufferer, his or her immediate entourage, or the medical profession? It's a sustainable argument that losing the tiny proportion of the population made up of autistic children will not have much effect on diversity; but the slippery slope results in many other potentially sick children not being born.
What I can not accept is the argument put forward on behalf of autism alone, and no other condition - that among those autistic children not born, because their mothers had the test and decided to terminate, there might be brilliant autistic savants who would make an important contribution to society. It is being asserted - I have yet to see any supporting evidence - that Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton were autistic; their mothers, in modern circumstances, might not have had them. The logical corollary of that approach is to refuse to offer the test to all pregnant women, just in case they were in danger of bearing an autistic child who would be among the exceptionally gifted 1% or 2%.
If we take up Baron-Cohen's call for a debate, we will have to decide between three elements: the autistic person's predicted quality of life (though the test may not be that precise); the feelings of the parents who may suffer far more than their child; and the view of society as to its diminished diversity if we continue to prevent the birth of the imperfect. The last should be the least listened to.
SOURCE: The Guardian
Marcel Berlins
The Guardian, Wednesday 14 January 2009
The prospect of a screening test on a pregnant woman predicting her child's autism is not far away, and Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, leader of the Cambridge University research team that developed the test, has called for an ethical debate on its desirability. My first reaction was puzzlement. Why a debate? We have had the test for Down's syndrome for many years. It seems to be generally accepted without controversy. No expectant mothers are obliged to have it, and many, even those at some risk because of their age, choose not to. Those that do take it have the choice, if it proves positive for Down's, between terminating the pregnancy or bearing the child. It is, of course, an agonising decision, but I'm not sure it raises special ethical issues.
Why should the autism test be treated differently? It is a different kind of condition, says Professor Baron-Cohen, often linked with talent. "What would we lose if children with autistic spectrum disorder were eliminated from the population?" It is a philosophical question, which stakes the claim of society to be involved in the debate, and not just the parents of the unborn child.
I don't normally like to use the slippery-slope argument, but it is apposite for issues arising from the bewildering speed of medical advances. Screening for Down's syndrome has become commonplace; a test for autism is imminent. There is no doubt that more and more tests will be found for more and more conditions, many of them far less life-threatening or seriously affecting quality of life than the ones we now give priority to. Where would we stop in offering pregnant women tests?
Or are we prepared to accept, or even welcome, a less diverse society that has rid itself of autistic children and, in time, of sufferers from other conditions difficult to cope with by the sufferer, his or her immediate entourage, or the medical profession? It's a sustainable argument that losing the tiny proportion of the population made up of autistic children will not have much effect on diversity; but the slippery slope results in many other potentially sick children not being born.
What I can not accept is the argument put forward on behalf of autism alone, and no other condition - that among those autistic children not born, because their mothers had the test and decided to terminate, there might be brilliant autistic savants who would make an important contribution to society. It is being asserted - I have yet to see any supporting evidence - that Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton were autistic; their mothers, in modern circumstances, might not have had them. The logical corollary of that approach is to refuse to offer the test to all pregnant women, just in case they were in danger of bearing an autistic child who would be among the exceptionally gifted 1% or 2%.
If we take up Baron-Cohen's call for a debate, we will have to decide between three elements: the autistic person's predicted quality of life (though the test may not be that precise); the feelings of the parents who may suffer far more than their child; and the view of society as to its diminished diversity if we continue to prevent the birth of the imperfect. The last should be the least listened to.
SOURCE: The Guardian
Quick Facts on Autism
Quick Facts About Autism
-Autism occurs in 1 in every 500 births and in a rate of 5 boys to every girl.
-Autism currently affects over 400,000 people in the U.S.
-Autism is the third most common developmental disability following mental retardation and cerebral palsy.
-Autism is more common than multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis or childhood cancer.
-Autism receives as little as 5% of the research funding as other less common diseases.
-The annual per-person allocation for persons with autism is approximately $35. In contrast, multiple sclerosis receives roughly $158, diabetes $424, breast cancer $600, and AIDS $1,000. --Currently there is no medical detection, treatment or cure for autism.
-Many kids are making enormous strides and a significant number are now indistinguishable from their peers.
-Behavioral therapies, diet, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and medical interventions are some of the treatments effectively being used.
-Most of the above interventions are considered experimental and are not supported by the medical community.
-Autism is a condition whose treatments are specifically excluded by some insurance companies
SOURCE: CAN Foundation (Cure Autism Now)
-Autism occurs in 1 in every 500 births and in a rate of 5 boys to every girl.
-Autism currently affects over 400,000 people in the U.S.
-Autism is the third most common developmental disability following mental retardation and cerebral palsy.
-Autism is more common than multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis or childhood cancer.
-Autism receives as little as 5% of the research funding as other less common diseases.
-The annual per-person allocation for persons with autism is approximately $35. In contrast, multiple sclerosis receives roughly $158, diabetes $424, breast cancer $600, and AIDS $1,000. --Currently there is no medical detection, treatment or cure for autism.
-Many kids are making enormous strides and a significant number are now indistinguishable from their peers.
-Behavioral therapies, diet, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and medical interventions are some of the treatments effectively being used.
-Most of the above interventions are considered experimental and are not supported by the medical community.
-Autism is a condition whose treatments are specifically excluded by some insurance companies
SOURCE: CAN Foundation (Cure Autism Now)
Helpful diet suggestions ...
What on earth are gluten and casein? Can removing them from my child's diet really improve the symptoms of autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)?
Gluten and casein are getting a lot of attention in the autism community and from doctors in the "Defeat Autism Now!" biomedical movement. Some parents, doctors and researchers say that children have shown mild to dramatic improvements in speech and/or behavior after these substances were removed from their diet. Some also report that their children have experienced fewer bouts of diarrhea and loose stools since starting a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. Author and autism consultant Donna Williams, who has autism herself, says she has been helped by "nutritional supplements together with a dairy/gluten-free and low Salicylate diet." Some people report no benefits from the GFCF diet. (Salicylates are found in some fruits likes apples and other foods).
Gluten and gluten-like proteins are found in wheat and other grains, including oats, rye, barley, bulgar, durum, kamut and spelt, and foods made from those grains. They are also found in food starches, semolina, couscous, malt, some vinegars, soy sauce, flavorings, artificial colors and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins.
Casein is a protein found in milk and foods containing milk, such as cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, whey and even some brands of margarine. It also may be added to non-milk products such as soy cheese and hot dogs in the form of caseinate.
There is growing interest in the link between autism and gastrointestinal (GI) ailments. A study by the University of California Davis Health System found that children with autism born in the 1990s were more likely to have gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, diarrhea and vomiting, than autistic children who were born in the early 1980s. Some people use the GFCF diet mainly to ease gastrointestinal problems and food allergies or sensitivities.
According to one theory, some people with autism and PDD cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which form peptides, or substances that act like opiates in their bodies. The peptides then alter the person's behavior, perceptions, and responses to his environment. Some scientists now believe that peptides trigger an unusual immune system response in certain people. Research in the U.S. and Europe has found peptides in the urine of a significant number of children with autism. A doctor can order a urinary peptide test that can tell if proteins are not being digested properly.
Studies are currently underway to examine the effectiveness of the GFCF diet, which has not gained widespread acceptance in the U.S. medical community. One recent study found behavioral improvements in children on a GFCF diet, while another study found no significant effects from the diet.
Medical tests can determine if your child has a sensitivity or an allergy to gluten, casein and other foods such as eggs, nuts and soybeans. Any pediatrician or a physician from the DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) list can order these tests before you begin the diet.
Before you consider a change in your child's diet, consult with a physician and nutritionist to make sure you are providing an adequate diet and nutritional supplements, if necessary. Also, please read any of the books and web sites about the diet (listed below).
Some advocates of dietary intervention suggest removing one food from the diet at a time, so you will know which food was causing a problem. It also is helpful to ask people who do not know about the dietary change if they see any improvement after a few weeks.
It's often suggested to remove milk first because the body will clear itself of milk/casein the quickest. Gluten may be removed a month after the elimination of milk. It may take up to six months on a gluten-free diet for the body to rid itself of all gluten. That is why most advocates suggest giving the diet a trial of six months.
The diet can seem like a lot of work, at first. You must carefully read the ingredients on food packages. Beware of "hidden" casein and gluten in ingredient lists, such as curds, caseinate, lactose, bran, spices or certain types of vinegar. It may be hard to locate a substitute for the milk your child loves, although many children do adapt to the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) soy, potato, almond and rice milk substitutes available. (Companies listed below). Many of these substitutes are enriched with calcium and Vitamin D. In addition, many parents provide vitamin and calcium supplements to their children on the diet.
Many communities have health food stores or regular supermarkets that stock flour, bread, crackers, cookies, pretzels, waffles and pasta made of rice, potato or other gluten-free flours. There also are several online and mail-order businesses that sell GFCF foods and vitamins. Also, some web sites list commercially-available foods that are gluten-free and casein-free, such as Heinz ketchup, Bush's Baked Beans and Ore-Ida Golden Fries. Some prepared foods originally developed for people with Celiac Disease, another form of gluten intolerance, now come in casein-free varieties, too. For fun or to save money, some families choose to make their own GFCF foods using some of the cookbooks below.
Foods that CAN be eaten on a gluten-free, casein-free diet include rice, quinoa, amaranth, potato, buckwheat flour, soy, corn, fruits, vegetables, beans, tapioca, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, teff, nuts, eggs, and sorghum, among others.
Author Karyn Seroussi says her son now has no traces of autism, due in large part to a strict GFCF diet. Some parents report improved eye contact, less constipation or diarrhea, and better behavior. However, other parents do not notice a difference in their children.
Besides gluten and casein, some parents report that removing corn or soy led to equal or greater improvements in their children. Because soy protein is similar to gluten and casein, some diet proponents recommend removing it if the child seems sensitive.
Research into the GFCF diet continues. "Although the hypothesis may appear 'off the wall' in many respects, there are a number of pieces of evidence, which seem to support them. The ideas are compatible with virtually all the accepted biological data on autism and are therefore worthy of consideration. The dietary method must still be considered as experimental and no positive results can be promised or are claimed for every person," according to Paul Shattock and Dr. Paul Whiteley of the British Autism Research Unit at the University of Sunderland, which provides scientific information on the diet.
SOURCE: autismweb.org
Gluten and casein are getting a lot of attention in the autism community and from doctors in the "Defeat Autism Now!" biomedical movement. Some parents, doctors and researchers say that children have shown mild to dramatic improvements in speech and/or behavior after these substances were removed from their diet. Some also report that their children have experienced fewer bouts of diarrhea and loose stools since starting a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. Author and autism consultant Donna Williams, who has autism herself, says she has been helped by "nutritional supplements together with a dairy/gluten-free and low Salicylate diet." Some people report no benefits from the GFCF diet. (Salicylates are found in some fruits likes apples and other foods).
Gluten and gluten-like proteins are found in wheat and other grains, including oats, rye, barley, bulgar, durum, kamut and spelt, and foods made from those grains. They are also found in food starches, semolina, couscous, malt, some vinegars, soy sauce, flavorings, artificial colors and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins.
Casein is a protein found in milk and foods containing milk, such as cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, whey and even some brands of margarine. It also may be added to non-milk products such as soy cheese and hot dogs in the form of caseinate.
There is growing interest in the link between autism and gastrointestinal (GI) ailments. A study by the University of California Davis Health System found that children with autism born in the 1990s were more likely to have gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, diarrhea and vomiting, than autistic children who were born in the early 1980s. Some people use the GFCF diet mainly to ease gastrointestinal problems and food allergies or sensitivities.
According to one theory, some people with autism and PDD cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which form peptides, or substances that act like opiates in their bodies. The peptides then alter the person's behavior, perceptions, and responses to his environment. Some scientists now believe that peptides trigger an unusual immune system response in certain people. Research in the U.S. and Europe has found peptides in the urine of a significant number of children with autism. A doctor can order a urinary peptide test that can tell if proteins are not being digested properly.
Studies are currently underway to examine the effectiveness of the GFCF diet, which has not gained widespread acceptance in the U.S. medical community. One recent study found behavioral improvements in children on a GFCF diet, while another study found no significant effects from the diet.
Medical tests can determine if your child has a sensitivity or an allergy to gluten, casein and other foods such as eggs, nuts and soybeans. Any pediatrician or a physician from the DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) list can order these tests before you begin the diet.
Before you consider a change in your child's diet, consult with a physician and nutritionist to make sure you are providing an adequate diet and nutritional supplements, if necessary. Also, please read any of the books and web sites about the diet (listed below).
Some advocates of dietary intervention suggest removing one food from the diet at a time, so you will know which food was causing a problem. It also is helpful to ask people who do not know about the dietary change if they see any improvement after a few weeks.
It's often suggested to remove milk first because the body will clear itself of milk/casein the quickest. Gluten may be removed a month after the elimination of milk. It may take up to six months on a gluten-free diet for the body to rid itself of all gluten. That is why most advocates suggest giving the diet a trial of six months.
The diet can seem like a lot of work, at first. You must carefully read the ingredients on food packages. Beware of "hidden" casein and gluten in ingredient lists, such as curds, caseinate, lactose, bran, spices or certain types of vinegar. It may be hard to locate a substitute for the milk your child loves, although many children do adapt to the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) soy, potato, almond and rice milk substitutes available. (Companies listed below). Many of these substitutes are enriched with calcium and Vitamin D. In addition, many parents provide vitamin and calcium supplements to their children on the diet.
Many communities have health food stores or regular supermarkets that stock flour, bread, crackers, cookies, pretzels, waffles and pasta made of rice, potato or other gluten-free flours. There also are several online and mail-order businesses that sell GFCF foods and vitamins. Also, some web sites list commercially-available foods that are gluten-free and casein-free, such as Heinz ketchup, Bush's Baked Beans and Ore-Ida Golden Fries. Some prepared foods originally developed for people with Celiac Disease, another form of gluten intolerance, now come in casein-free varieties, too. For fun or to save money, some families choose to make their own GFCF foods using some of the cookbooks below.
Foods that CAN be eaten on a gluten-free, casein-free diet include rice, quinoa, amaranth, potato, buckwheat flour, soy, corn, fruits, vegetables, beans, tapioca, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, teff, nuts, eggs, and sorghum, among others.
Author Karyn Seroussi says her son now has no traces of autism, due in large part to a strict GFCF diet. Some parents report improved eye contact, less constipation or diarrhea, and better behavior. However, other parents do not notice a difference in their children.
Besides gluten and casein, some parents report that removing corn or soy led to equal or greater improvements in their children. Because soy protein is similar to gluten and casein, some diet proponents recommend removing it if the child seems sensitive.
Research into the GFCF diet continues. "Although the hypothesis may appear 'off the wall' in many respects, there are a number of pieces of evidence, which seem to support them. The ideas are compatible with virtually all the accepted biological data on autism and are therefore worthy of consideration. The dietary method must still be considered as experimental and no positive results can be promised or are claimed for every person," according to Paul Shattock and Dr. Paul Whiteley of the British Autism Research Unit at the University of Sunderland, which provides scientific information on the diet.
SOURCE: autismweb.org
Amazing Story
Clinic Reports Dramatic Results in Treating Children with Autism
By Arthur Harris III (Art Harris of CNN and the Washington Post)
LOS ANGELES, CA. – She was a mother without hope. Diagnosed with autism, her six year old son, EJ, bit other children, threw tantrums and chairs. “He had no future,” says Beatrice Tan, whose family stopped going to church--too risky to put EJ in the nursery.
Now, after several months of specialized Neurofeedback therapy at Drake Institute of Behavioral Medicine (www.drakeinstitute.com) in Los Angeles, EJ no longer bites: he hugs. He has friends, and “we have hope,” says Beatrice, now back in church with EJ and husband, Ronnie.“We see autistic children coming out of their social comas, it’s huge,” says Dr. David F. Velkoff, Drake’s medical director. “We’re excited whenever we can help jump start a child’s life.”
A physician who also holds a masters degree in psychology, Dr. Velkoff reports dramatic results for most of the 250+ autistic children like EJ Drake Institute has been treating over the last year at its four California clinics, with medical technology Drake first used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD), then modified for autism.
Over the last 27 years, Drake has treated more than 6,000 children for attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD), he says, then last year began focusing on children also diagnosed with high-functioning Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. In treating their ADD, Drake staff found their autism symptoms dramatically improved as well.
“Like a lot of accidental advances in medicine, we stumbled onto it, but it’s working,” he says of Drake’s medical mystery. “We think it helps these children rewire brain synapses, so life starts to make sense.”
To make sense of their surprising progress, Drake cranked up an initial clinical study of 18 patients, all children with autism disorders and poor social skills. After 20-40 neurofeedback sessions, parents reported children were not only responding to peers, but interacting with new awareness to the feelings of others, says Dr. Velkoff.
“EJ used to ask, ‘Mommy, why don’t I have friends?’” says Beatrice Tan in a videotaped interview on Drake’s website, www.drakeinstitute.com.
“I’d say, ‘You have to be nicer, talk to them, don’t take their toys, share!’ It’s no longer a problem. ”
“Unfortunately, we can’t help every child with autism, but we’ve seen big improvements in three out of four children we treat,” says Dr. Velkoff. “Parents tell us they keep getting better even after treatment ends. We hear, ‘it’s a different child’ all the time.’ Their lives begin to blossom.”
Dr. Velkoff isn’t talking about the stereotype of the autistic child stricken with severe mental retardation. But he says Drake has been successful in treating higher functioning kids with autism. “Autism doesn’t have to mean there’s no hope,” he says, citing a mother who recently called, elated her home-schooled daughter suddenly wants to attend high school for the first time after treatment.
“Drake has opened her up,” says Lori Malone of her 16 year old daughter, Jayne. “She is smiling more (and) came out of her shell.”
It all makes sense, says Dr. Velkoff. According to Drake’s study, autistic children were suddenly more “teachable” after Neurofeedback treatments, requiring less time to learn how to handle situations that once confused them. “They are happier children now; they have fewer meltdowns,” says Dr. Velkoff, praising anyone engaged in the fight against autism, especially patients and their “courageous parents.”
“It’s been a frightening road for a lot of these families, but they’re not alone in this fight,” he says, “We’ve been so encouraged by the progress we’ve seen at Drake. Fate has dealt these children a difficult hand. We just want to help improve the odds.”
SOURCE: Art Harris of CNN and the Washington Post
By Arthur Harris III (Art Harris of CNN and the Washington Post)
LOS ANGELES, CA. – She was a mother without hope. Diagnosed with autism, her six year old son, EJ, bit other children, threw tantrums and chairs. “He had no future,” says Beatrice Tan, whose family stopped going to church--too risky to put EJ in the nursery.
Now, after several months of specialized Neurofeedback therapy at Drake Institute of Behavioral Medicine (www.drakeinstitute.com) in Los Angeles, EJ no longer bites: he hugs. He has friends, and “we have hope,” says Beatrice, now back in church with EJ and husband, Ronnie.“We see autistic children coming out of their social comas, it’s huge,” says Dr. David F. Velkoff, Drake’s medical director. “We’re excited whenever we can help jump start a child’s life.”
A physician who also holds a masters degree in psychology, Dr. Velkoff reports dramatic results for most of the 250+ autistic children like EJ Drake Institute has been treating over the last year at its four California clinics, with medical technology Drake first used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD), then modified for autism.
Over the last 27 years, Drake has treated more than 6,000 children for attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD), he says, then last year began focusing on children also diagnosed with high-functioning Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. In treating their ADD, Drake staff found their autism symptoms dramatically improved as well.
“Like a lot of accidental advances in medicine, we stumbled onto it, but it’s working,” he says of Drake’s medical mystery. “We think it helps these children rewire brain synapses, so life starts to make sense.”
To make sense of their surprising progress, Drake cranked up an initial clinical study of 18 patients, all children with autism disorders and poor social skills. After 20-40 neurofeedback sessions, parents reported children were not only responding to peers, but interacting with new awareness to the feelings of others, says Dr. Velkoff.
“EJ used to ask, ‘Mommy, why don’t I have friends?’” says Beatrice Tan in a videotaped interview on Drake’s website, www.drakeinstitute.com.
“I’d say, ‘You have to be nicer, talk to them, don’t take their toys, share!’ It’s no longer a problem. ”
“Unfortunately, we can’t help every child with autism, but we’ve seen big improvements in three out of four children we treat,” says Dr. Velkoff. “Parents tell us they keep getting better even after treatment ends. We hear, ‘it’s a different child’ all the time.’ Their lives begin to blossom.”
Dr. Velkoff isn’t talking about the stereotype of the autistic child stricken with severe mental retardation. But he says Drake has been successful in treating higher functioning kids with autism. “Autism doesn’t have to mean there’s no hope,” he says, citing a mother who recently called, elated her home-schooled daughter suddenly wants to attend high school for the first time after treatment.
“Drake has opened her up,” says Lori Malone of her 16 year old daughter, Jayne. “She is smiling more (and) came out of her shell.”
It all makes sense, says Dr. Velkoff. According to Drake’s study, autistic children were suddenly more “teachable” after Neurofeedback treatments, requiring less time to learn how to handle situations that once confused them. “They are happier children now; they have fewer meltdowns,” says Dr. Velkoff, praising anyone engaged in the fight against autism, especially patients and their “courageous parents.”
“It’s been a frightening road for a lot of these families, but they’re not alone in this fight,” he says, “We’ve been so encouraged by the progress we’ve seen at Drake. Fate has dealt these children a difficult hand. We just want to help improve the odds.”
SOURCE: Art Harris of CNN and the Washington Post
Autism Climbing in Cali
Soaring autism rates in California not an artifact
Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:52pm IST
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The increasing number of autism cases seen in California since the 1990s is in large part real, not simply the result of changes in diagnostic criteria or in how autism cases are counted, new research suggests.
This study is the first to assess whether the autism trends in California might be explained by changes in age at diagnosis or by inclusion of milder cases, Dr. Irva Hertz-Picciotto and Dr. Lora Delwiche, from the University of California, Davis, note.
Using data from the California Department of Development Services, the researchers found that autism rates among children aged 5 years or younger rose steadily from 0.8 per 10,000 children born in California in 1990 to 11.2 per 10,000 children born in 2006.
The cumulative incidence per 10,000 births climbed from 6.2 in 1990 to 42.5 in 2001.
The proportion of cases that were diagnosed by 5 years of age rose only slightly from 54 percent to 61 percent for 1990 to 1996 births, according to a report in the January issue of Epidemiology.
A change in the age at diagnosis could explain 12 percent of the increase in autism rates, while inclusion of milder cases could explain 56 percent.
"With evidence of a leveling off, the possibility of a true increase in (autism) incidence deserves serious consideration," the investigators emphasize.
"It's time to start looking for the environmental culprits responsible for the remarkable increase in the rate of autism in California," Hertz-Picciotto added in a statement.
SOURCE: Epidemiology, January 2009.
Laws you might not know about...
Laws
Since the 1960s, there has been a virtual avalanche of federal legislation that relates directly or indirectly to individuals with disabilities, particularly children and youth. Awareness of the laws that ensure equal opportunities to individuals with disabilities is vitally important for the following reasons:
Knowledge of the language and intention of the laws empowers families to advocate more effectively for their children and strengthens their ability to participate fully as partners in their children's educational teams.
As independence and self-sufficiency for individuals become increasingly important outcomes of special education, it is important that individuals with disabilities understand the laws and their implications for making decisions.
Knowledge of the laws can assist professionals in understanding the entire service delivery system, ensure protection of civil rights, and improve collaboration with other agencies and families.
Knowledge of the laws can help parents and professionals work together on behalf of children to make the equal education opportunity guaranteed by law a reality.
Use the links below to explore several of the most influential laws. These form the core of current protection against discrimination and current guarantees of equal educational opportunity that individuals with disabilities have in our nation. Because these laws are so important to ensuring the rights of those with disabilities, you should become familiar with both the laws and their regulations.
IDEA—the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA, the Individual with Disabilities Education Act, is our nation's special education law. The IDEA guides how states, school districts, and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.
NCLB—No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, Public Law (PL) 107-110, is the nation's latest general education law. It amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and is bringing sweeping changes to our educational systems. What does the law require, what does it change about education, how are states responding, and what does the law mean for children with disabilities?
Other Related Education/Disability Laws
There are several related education/disability laws—beyond IDEA and NCLB—that support individuals with disabilities and their families. Ever heard of FERPA or FOIA? Find out what's behind these acronyms here.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and ADA
Before there was IDEA, there was the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Section 504 of this Act continues to play an important role in education and served as a foundation for the development of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Teens Help Parent Too
Check out this most recent article from The News & Observer...
Teen helps ‘parent' younger, autistic siblings
By GAIL ROSENBLUM - Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
MINNEAPOLIS -- As a freshman in high school seeking volunteer hours, Abbey Davison applied to work one night a week with Lucy and Jacob Schneider, two Brooklyn Park, Minn., siblings with autism. She was prepared for tough questions, and tough questions she got: What did she know about autism? "Not much, but let's give it a try!" she said. What activities might she do with Lucy and Jacob, then 2 and 3? "Play outside when we could," she answered. "Color, work on social skills." Most important, why did Davison want to work with Lucy and Jacob? "I love kids!" she said.
She got the job. What she wasn't prepared for was the griller himself: Lucy and Jacob's older brother, Luke, then age 9.
"Luke had a questionnaire for me," Davison recalled with admiration. "He watches out for them, supports them, plays with them. They depend on him." Now 21 and studying occupational therapy at the College of St. Catherine, Davison remains close to the Schneider family, still going to the house weekly to help out. Her respect for Luke, who will be 15 in two weeks, has only grown. "It's different for a 14-year-old to be like that."
It's a new year so here's a new idea: a household without sibling rivalry. Luke Schneider simply doesn't have time for it.
Luke was 8 years old in 2002 when 2-year-old Jacob had tubes placed in his ears because he wasn't responding to the world around him. His parents, Mary and Steve, feared he was deaf. Instead, he was diagnosed with severe autism which was later changed to moderate. Mary recalls "so many people" encircling the family in their living room to explain the diagnosis. All she wanted to know was, "Will he ever say, 'I love you'? Will he graduate from high school?" Seven months later, 1-year-old Lucy also was diagnosed with autism. Luke remembers his parents telling him that "life was going to be different from now on," he said. "Their brains are a little different and they can't always understand what you're saying."
That helped Luke understand why his little brother didn't interact "normally" with him, running away, avoiding eye contact, not knowing that when someone says "Hi" to you, you say "Hi" back. But even early on there were victories. "I was so happy when he learned to play hide-and-seek with me," Luke said of Jacob. He learned how to help Lucy, too, finding her blanket, pouring her orange juice and making her peanut butter sandwiches. "They're like a couple of old people," Luke said. "You have to repeat yourself a lot."
ONLINE SCHOOL OFFERS FLEXIBILITY
Luke is a bit of an old soul himself. He is smart, polite, soft-spoken, a self-professed computer geek. He didn't care much for the "distractions" of a typical high school, which led him to enroll full time this year at Insight School of Minnesota, a fully accredited online high school administered by the Brooklyn Center School District. Luke attends school at the computer in his bedroom from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., pulling A's and B's in classes such as English Literature, Algebra One and World History.
His teachers describe him as responsible, disciplined and curious, a perfect candidate for online high school. Science teacher Angela Tingey advises the NASA club and said that Luke "knew the names of all the Mars rovers. He knew which one Phoenix was and that Phoenix had 'died,' or at least that they had lost contact. He knew everything about it. I said that he should be teaching the class."
The online option also allows him to help his parents when life doesn't go as planned, which happens more than occasionally.
Mary works days as an inventory specialist for the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview Riverside campus. Steve works a third shift in medical printing, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., sleeping most of the day. Although Lucy and Jacob attend Weaver Lake Elementary School (Jacob is partially mainstreamed; Lucy is assisted in the classroom by a full-time paraprofessional), Lucy has social and anxiety issues, which mean "bad days where she just can't face going to school," Mary said. On those days, Luke postpones his studies and steps in to comfort and feed Lucy, and help her with her reading, writing and computer skills, "so I can go to work and Steve can sleep," Mary said.
Online high school also makes it easier for the family to take vacations - such as to Disney World or camping - at off-peak times. They drive, Mary said, because they are worried about how Jacob, with his many meltdowns, would react to flying. He also has trouble with long lines and too much sun. Because the two younger children attend school year-round, Mary said, they "don't have a problem pulling them out."
ALONE TIME FOR LUKE
Stacy Ness, 30, of Albertville, Minn., observed Luke when she was Lucy's and Jacob's teacher. "Luke is just phenomenal," said Ness, now special education building coordinator for Osseo Area Schools. She recalled that, at 9, he organized a backyard carnival, raising more than $500 for children with autism. "He's just like another dad for them. He understands their disabilities and doesn't tease them or pick on them. I'm sure it's hard on him when they're upset, but he just works it through with them."
Luke admits that, yes, sometimes Lucy and Jacob drive him nuts. When that happens, "I try to get as much alone time as I can." Most of the time, though, "it's fun to be around them," said Luke, who hopes to go into IT work or teaching one day.
Still, Mary and Steve wisely figured out early on that Luke's young life must be defined by more than his extraordinary caregiving skills. That's largely why they brought in Davison, and many others, to help with the younger two. "Abbey came in so that we could take Luke bowling, to movies, the Science Museum," Mary said. But even she acknowledges that he's irreplaceable.
Two weeks ago, Lucy had to have dental work done under general anesthesia. Luke came along to comfort her. And when Jacob has a meltdown in Target, his mom says it's Luke who has the best success at calming him.
"You just don't get a better brother than Luke," Ness said. "Kids with autism have so many struggles. Jacob and Lucy are so lucky to have him."
SOURCE: News & Observer
Teen helps ‘parent' younger, autistic siblings
By GAIL ROSENBLUM - Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
MINNEAPOLIS -- As a freshman in high school seeking volunteer hours, Abbey Davison applied to work one night a week with Lucy and Jacob Schneider, two Brooklyn Park, Minn., siblings with autism. She was prepared for tough questions, and tough questions she got: What did she know about autism? "Not much, but let's give it a try!" she said. What activities might she do with Lucy and Jacob, then 2 and 3? "Play outside when we could," she answered. "Color, work on social skills." Most important, why did Davison want to work with Lucy and Jacob? "I love kids!" she said.
She got the job. What she wasn't prepared for was the griller himself: Lucy and Jacob's older brother, Luke, then age 9.
"Luke had a questionnaire for me," Davison recalled with admiration. "He watches out for them, supports them, plays with them. They depend on him." Now 21 and studying occupational therapy at the College of St. Catherine, Davison remains close to the Schneider family, still going to the house weekly to help out. Her respect for Luke, who will be 15 in two weeks, has only grown. "It's different for a 14-year-old to be like that."
It's a new year so here's a new idea: a household without sibling rivalry. Luke Schneider simply doesn't have time for it.
Luke was 8 years old in 2002 when 2-year-old Jacob had tubes placed in his ears because he wasn't responding to the world around him. His parents, Mary and Steve, feared he was deaf. Instead, he was diagnosed with severe autism which was later changed to moderate. Mary recalls "so many people" encircling the family in their living room to explain the diagnosis. All she wanted to know was, "Will he ever say, 'I love you'? Will he graduate from high school?" Seven months later, 1-year-old Lucy also was diagnosed with autism. Luke remembers his parents telling him that "life was going to be different from now on," he said. "Their brains are a little different and they can't always understand what you're saying."
That helped Luke understand why his little brother didn't interact "normally" with him, running away, avoiding eye contact, not knowing that when someone says "Hi" to you, you say "Hi" back. But even early on there were victories. "I was so happy when he learned to play hide-and-seek with me," Luke said of Jacob. He learned how to help Lucy, too, finding her blanket, pouring her orange juice and making her peanut butter sandwiches. "They're like a couple of old people," Luke said. "You have to repeat yourself a lot."
ONLINE SCHOOL OFFERS FLEXIBILITY
Luke is a bit of an old soul himself. He is smart, polite, soft-spoken, a self-professed computer geek. He didn't care much for the "distractions" of a typical high school, which led him to enroll full time this year at Insight School of Minnesota, a fully accredited online high school administered by the Brooklyn Center School District. Luke attends school at the computer in his bedroom from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., pulling A's and B's in classes such as English Literature, Algebra One and World History.
His teachers describe him as responsible, disciplined and curious, a perfect candidate for online high school. Science teacher Angela Tingey advises the NASA club and said that Luke "knew the names of all the Mars rovers. He knew which one Phoenix was and that Phoenix had 'died,' or at least that they had lost contact. He knew everything about it. I said that he should be teaching the class."
The online option also allows him to help his parents when life doesn't go as planned, which happens more than occasionally.
Mary works days as an inventory specialist for the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview Riverside campus. Steve works a third shift in medical printing, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., sleeping most of the day. Although Lucy and Jacob attend Weaver Lake Elementary School (Jacob is partially mainstreamed; Lucy is assisted in the classroom by a full-time paraprofessional), Lucy has social and anxiety issues, which mean "bad days where she just can't face going to school," Mary said. On those days, Luke postpones his studies and steps in to comfort and feed Lucy, and help her with her reading, writing and computer skills, "so I can go to work and Steve can sleep," Mary said.
Online high school also makes it easier for the family to take vacations - such as to Disney World or camping - at off-peak times. They drive, Mary said, because they are worried about how Jacob, with his many meltdowns, would react to flying. He also has trouble with long lines and too much sun. Because the two younger children attend school year-round, Mary said, they "don't have a problem pulling them out."
ALONE TIME FOR LUKE
Stacy Ness, 30, of Albertville, Minn., observed Luke when she was Lucy's and Jacob's teacher. "Luke is just phenomenal," said Ness, now special education building coordinator for Osseo Area Schools. She recalled that, at 9, he organized a backyard carnival, raising more than $500 for children with autism. "He's just like another dad for them. He understands their disabilities and doesn't tease them or pick on them. I'm sure it's hard on him when they're upset, but he just works it through with them."
Luke admits that, yes, sometimes Lucy and Jacob drive him nuts. When that happens, "I try to get as much alone time as I can." Most of the time, though, "it's fun to be around them," said Luke, who hopes to go into IT work or teaching one day.
Still, Mary and Steve wisely figured out early on that Luke's young life must be defined by more than his extraordinary caregiving skills. That's largely why they brought in Davison, and many others, to help with the younger two. "Abbey came in so that we could take Luke bowling, to movies, the Science Museum," Mary said. But even she acknowledges that he's irreplaceable.
Two weeks ago, Lucy had to have dental work done under general anesthesia. Luke came along to comfort her. And when Jacob has a meltdown in Target, his mom says it's Luke who has the best success at calming him.
"You just don't get a better brother than Luke," Ness said. "Kids with autism have so many struggles. Jacob and Lucy are so lucky to have him."
SOURCE: News & Observer
What is Autism?
What is autism?
Autism (sometimes called “classical autism”) is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Other ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (usually referred to as PDD-NOS). Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females.
What are some common signs of autism?
There are three distinctive behaviors that characterize autism. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling.
The hallmark feature of autism is impaired social interaction. Parents are usually the first to notice symptoms of autism in their child. As early as infancy, a baby with autism may be unresponsive to people or focus intently on one item to the exclusion of others for long periods of time. A child with autism may appear to develop normally and then withdraw and become indifferent to social engagement.
Children with autism may fail to respond to their name and often avoid eye contact with other people. They have difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling because they can’t understand social cues, such as tone of voice or facial expressions, and don’t watch other people’s faces for clues about appropriate behavior. They lack empathy.
Many children with autism engage in repetitive movements such as rocking and twirling, or in self-abusive behavior such as biting or head-banging. They also tend to start speaking later than other children and may refer to themselves by name instead of “I” or “me.” Children with autism don’t know how to play interactively with other children. Some speak in a sing-song voice about a narrow range of favorite topics, with little regard for the interests of the person to whom they are speaking.
Many children with autism have a reduced sensitivity to pain, but are abnormally sensitive to sound, touch, or other sensory stimulation. These unusual reactions may contribute to behavioral symptoms such as a resistance to being cuddled or hugged.
Children with autism appear to have a higher than normal risk for certain co-existing conditions, including fragile X syndrome (which causes mental retardation), tuberous sclerosis (in which tumors grow on the brain), epileptic seizures, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder. For reasons that are still unclear, about 20 to 30 percent of children with autism develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood. While people with schizophrenia may show some autistic-like behavior, their symptoms usually do not appear until the late teens or early adulthood. Most people with schizophrenia also have hallucinations and delusions, which are not found in autism.
SOURCE: National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Autism (sometimes called “classical autism”) is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Other ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (usually referred to as PDD-NOS). Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females.
What are some common signs of autism?
There are three distinctive behaviors that characterize autism. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling.
The hallmark feature of autism is impaired social interaction. Parents are usually the first to notice symptoms of autism in their child. As early as infancy, a baby with autism may be unresponsive to people or focus intently on one item to the exclusion of others for long periods of time. A child with autism may appear to develop normally and then withdraw and become indifferent to social engagement.
Children with autism may fail to respond to their name and often avoid eye contact with other people. They have difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling because they can’t understand social cues, such as tone of voice or facial expressions, and don’t watch other people’s faces for clues about appropriate behavior. They lack empathy.
Many children with autism engage in repetitive movements such as rocking and twirling, or in self-abusive behavior such as biting or head-banging. They also tend to start speaking later than other children and may refer to themselves by name instead of “I” or “me.” Children with autism don’t know how to play interactively with other children. Some speak in a sing-song voice about a narrow range of favorite topics, with little regard for the interests of the person to whom they are speaking.
Many children with autism have a reduced sensitivity to pain, but are abnormally sensitive to sound, touch, or other sensory stimulation. These unusual reactions may contribute to behavioral symptoms such as a resistance to being cuddled or hugged.
Children with autism appear to have a higher than normal risk for certain co-existing conditions, including fragile X syndrome (which causes mental retardation), tuberous sclerosis (in which tumors grow on the brain), epileptic seizures, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder. For reasons that are still unclear, about 20 to 30 percent of children with autism develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood. While people with schizophrenia may show some autistic-like behavior, their symptoms usually do not appear until the late teens or early adulthood. Most people with schizophrenia also have hallucinations and delusions, which are not found in autism.
SOURCE: National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
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