What is Autism, and what does it do to children.?
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AUTISM IS NOT A FORM OF MENTAL RETARDATION!  I hate it when people do not know what they are talking about and answer anyway.\nAutism is a developmental disorder that causes very specific characteristics in areas of learning.  In order to qualify for and educational diagnosis of autism, you must present certain characteristics.  They range from social communication delays, to language deficits, to engaging in repetive or ritualistic behaviors.  Children with autism can also have sensory issues.  All of these characteristics affect their learning.  While some children with autism do present mental retardation, many are not cognitively impaired.  There are people with autism in college.  There are people with autism who have advanced degrees and are fully functional adults. No one knows what causes autism although there are a lot of theories and research out there.  The most current and promising reason is believed to be a combination of environmental and genetic factors.  Links in families have been found, such as siblings, cousins and twins having autism. It is now believed there are two types; one starting at birth, and the more common known type where there is a regression of skills around 24 months of age.\nWhat does autism do to children?  It makes it difficult for them to communicate with peers and adults since many have speech and language problems.  They also have difficulty with social skills and will avoid contact with people.  They have difficultly learning about the world around them since most information is presented auditorily and children with autism learn much information visually.  They can also get "wrapped up" in ritulistic or repetetive behaviors.  It is currently believed that these behaviors help autistic children cope with anxiety which is another common problem.  The anxiety be for many different reasons.  These children can learn.  The trick is using the child's strengths and building on them.\n\n\nVisit autismspeaks.org for more info or the Centers for Disease Control website.
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Asperger's is the high functioning autism.\nKanner's is the 'classic' or 'strict' autism.  These children are not only frequently non-verbal, but they many times don't respond to speech.  (My nephew was mistaken as deaf by some neighbors)\nThere are other types, but I'm most familiar with Kanner's since 18 mo. ago when my brother moved back into town & I started helping with his kids, two having Kanner's autism.\nAs of this time last year, neither spoke or were out of diapers.  But they were more affectionate than most kids with autism, just on their own terms.  The scariest thing has always been their absense of fear.  Autistic (Kanner's) kids have been known to run into traffic, jump into deep water, jump off high places, etc. \nThe 9 year old girl is now out of diapers, but only uses  one word 'sentences,' unless you count "pop corn" and Ice cream" as two words.  The biggest improvement is in how much more easily she will use those words.\nThe little boy's story is much more tragic.  (I've included the news link.)
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Be more specific.An otherwise normal person?People with autism are set off by loud noises,and there isnt much you can do about it.
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Asperger's is a very confusing experience, not just in adolescence.  It is a mild form of Autism, so everything is confusing and strange.  Can't be put into words.
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I have a 26 yr old son with Autism and ADD and he is the biggest blessing in my life.  Try to find support from other parents in your community.  Check out www.PHP.com (there are groups like PHP all over North America.\nAlso I love the books  "Laughing & Loving with Autism" by R. Wayne Gilpin.  Also read "Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew" by Ellen Notbohm.  I also used prayer to help us through the rough spots...there is light at the end of the tunnel..  Autistic kids are truly wonderful...write down what they do and say...we used sign language until our son could talk and it worked very well.
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I'm not sure, but I can recommend a very interesting book about the history of Autism, including, as I recall, some of the early diagnosed cases. \n\n"Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism" by Paul Collins.\n\nHope this helps you!
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Here are some tips and suggestions that I hope will help you! I wish you all the best. Please keep in mind, as I'm sure you do, that not all children with autism are alike, and will have different needs. These are just guidelines, please consult an education professional who knows your child for the most accurate and relevant information for your family.\n\n- Recognize your child's strengths and interests and use these as opportunities for education (for example, if your child is very interested in Star Wars, you can teach math problems about Star Wars, make cleaning up into a game about Jedi powers, etc.) You never know when an interest may turn into a possible career option for the future (I recently read a book written by a man with Asperger's who made his childhood interest in "The Wizard of Oz" into seveal job opportunities! ["Demystifying the Autistic Experience" by William Stillman"]) (Source #1)\n\n- People with autism/Asperger's are often visual learners and learn well with pictures, charts, step-by-step written instructions, etc. (Source #1)\n\n- Consider reading books by authors with Autism/Asperger's (while these are often geared towards adults, I think they offer valuable information) Authors to consider include Temple Grandin, Edgar R. Schneider, Jerry Newport, Stephen Shore, and William Stillman (Source #1)\n\n- To motivate a child to use language, you could, for example if you know she wants juice, don't just give it to her becuase you know that's what she wants. Have her say, "juice," or if she is not ready for that yet, just the first sound of the word before you give her any juice. Gradually, very slowly, require him to say additional words such as, "want juice," then "want juice please," then "I want juice please, etc." before you give her the juice. Start with him requesting with one word for most of the things he wants (and keep this up for a long while), before starting to require sentences for any items. If you feel your child is not ready for this, please consider using the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) as an early step before implementing the above procedure. (Source #1)\n\n- Make clear and objective descriptions of the behaviors that are concerning you. Then, make some notes whenever the behavior occurs. You could make a chart with three columns: (A) What happens before the behavior, (B) What the behavior was, and (C) What happened after or as a result of the behavior. You may find that it gets her attention from adults, or that it gets her a time-out (maybe she is overwhelmed in the situation and wants to be removed). If you see a pattern from the information you collect, you could teach her other ways to get attention or whatever she is gaining from doing these behaviors. These could include, tapping someone on the shoulder, asking for attention, handing someone a card that says, "attention please" or "all done" (to get permission to leave an area), etc. Also, make sure that you are giving her praise or a reinforcer (something she likes) when he is engaging in positive behavior. \n\n- "Many children with autism are good at drawing, art and computer programming. These talent areas should be encouraged. I think there needs to be much more emphasis on developing the child's talents. Talents can be turned into skills that can be used for future employment." (Source #2)\n\n- "Teaching generalization is often a problem for children with autism. To teach a child to generalize the principle of not running across the street, it must be taught in many different locations. If he is taught in only one location, the child will think that the rule only applies to one specific place." (Source #2)\n\n- "I interpret language literally. It's very confusing for me when you say, 'Hold your horses, cowboy!' when what you really mean is 'Please stop
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I recently joined a group on msn -\nhttp://groups.msn.com/Helpingoneanothertocope#\nthey have a great bunch of moms there who help you find everything you could ever want to know about autism. they have plenty of info at the site. give them a try. you have to sign up for a pass, and apply to the group, but as a new member, it was pretty simple. and good luck from a down syndrome mommy.
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Thanks for the information, I saved the link and will read thought it later. I have a 5 year old nephew who has been diagnosed as autistic, he also has vision problems. I have had my doubts about the diagnosis from the beginning, hope your paper helps bring some light to the situation. \nThanks.
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I have a son with Autism. He brought into my life a new dimension, a new and different meaning of 'special'. \nWhat I mean is, the beauty in his sole, the love for me in his heart and the way I view the importance of various things in my life (environment) is even more grounded and realistic than ever.\nNothing is superficial. Nothing is taken for granted. \nI feel that it's not so much my environment that tends to influence my views anymore, but being blessed with my son has influenced my views on my environment.\nDon't forget that people with disabilities, whether thay can successfully communicate with you or not, still have a sole, heart and 'feel' just like you and me. Unfortunaltely, some people by-pass them in the playground or elsewhere, because they can sometimes look different. But get to know their soul, see what's in their heart and you'll be touched by something 'special' too.\n:)
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"Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior."  So someone who has "autism" would be called "autistic."
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As autism is not technically a "disease," there is no medicine or cure specifically for autism. \n\nAs for your question about home programs, each person with autism is very different and has different needs, so I cannot recommend a specific program. I would suggest, however, that if the person with autism you are asking about is still in school, to be sure to contact his or her teacher(s) and make sure that what he or she is learning at school is being worked on and reinforced at home, to promote generalization of learning. \n\nHere are some recommendations for more information: \n\n"Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism" by Temple Grandin, Ph.D. - http://www.autism.org/temple/tips.html\n\nWebsite of Paula Kluth, Ph.D. - http://www.paulakluth.com/autism.html\n\n"Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" by Ellen Notbohm - http://www.southflorida.com/sfparenting/sfe-sfp-autism,0,6196233.story\n\nAutism Society of America - http://www.autism-society.org/ \n\n\n"Work to view my autism as a different ability rather than a disability. Look past what you may see as limitations and see the gifts autism has given me. I may not be good at eye contact or conversation, but have you noticed I don't lie, cheat at games, tattle on my classmates, or pass judgment on other people? ... With your support and guidance, the possibilities are broader than you might think. I promise you I'm worth it." - Quotes from 'Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew'
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At such a young age it is not the norm to isolate from all people, including family. It could be a form of attachment disorder, and it could be the blossoming of other disorders. A child that exibits such behaviors needs to be assessed for many things. A good child psychiatrist and therapist can test for autism spectrum disorders, but if the child has good verbal skills, that is unlikely. They can also be assessed for attachement disorders, and other types of disorders. Find a good children's center or hospital in your area.
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it takes some work, but its worth it. I explain to the kids that he was born different, and its hard for him to have a conversation, but he loves to play just like them. I keep my eye on the situation so if he or the other kids are getting frustrated I can step in and smooth things out. I have found that its better to let him play with kids just a little younger than him , they are usually closer to the same level. It helps to have them play with multiple use toys, like blocks, sandboxes, cars etc, rather than toys with specific uses that autistic kids may not want to do. Find a parent who is understanding too, kids pick up their attitudes to those different from themselves from their parents. IF you can find a support group you may find families with sibling without autism, and they will be used to socializing with autistic kids. Good luck.
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Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests in delays of "social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic or imaginative play," with "onset prior to age 3 years," according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The ICD-10 also requires symptoms to be "manifest before the age of three years." Autism is often not physiologically obvious, in that outward appearance may not indicate a disorder, and diagnosis typically comes from a complete physical and neurological evaluation.\n\nDown syndrome or trisomy 21 (British Down's syndrome) is a genetic condition resulting from the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. Down syndrome is characterized by a combination of major and minor abnormalities of body structure and function. Among features present in nearly all cases are impairment of learning and physical growth, and a recognizable facial appearance usually identified at birth.
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I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you are referring to Asperger's Syndrome.  This is a neurological disorder that is sometimes compared to Autism.  There are many, many listings on the web.  O.A.S.I.S. [http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger] is a parents' resource group you might find helpful.  If Asperger's is the diagnosis you should find a copy of the book "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400032717/sr=8-1/qid=1143526150/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-2335561-3963025?%5Fencoding=UTF8].  It's a wonderful, clever story and the hero happens to be a boy with Asperger's Syndrome.  It presents a very human picture of the boy and his approach to everyday life.
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Autism disorder is one of many disorders in a group called the Pervasive Development Disorders also known as the Autistism Spectrum Disorders.  Autism is the most severe of the disorders on the spectrum.\n\nThere are tons of books and information on the subject; here is a link to a good overview: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm