what do you think Introduction to Autism - Factors connected to It
Introduction
Introduction to Autism - Factors connected to It
Autism is a name given to a developmental disorder in children whereby their transportation and interactions are impaired, and though many are able to stay in the mainstream of society, there are others who lead very restricted lives. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females, and out of every thousand children, at least 3-6 are likely to be autistic. Autism is limiting and restrictive, often preventing autistic children and their families from leading general lives.
Autism can be by birth or manifest itself within the first two and a half years of a child's life. It is believed to be due to some prenatal abnormalities the causes of which have not yet been found. The bodily appearance of the child is normal, but behavior is separate and transportation and interaction rather puzzling. Many are able to speak normally, and this makes recognition of other symptoms all the more difficult. The condition prevents most children from having general educative learning though some can work towards joining mainstream educational activities.
Typically autistic children are self-absorbed, uncommunicative and cannot participate in creative activities. They are impaired in several areas of development. Autism is one of the 5 neurological disorders that fall under the type of Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and also the most common. There are no racial ethnic or economic boundaries for autism, the causes of which are yet unknown. It can afflict any child from any background, anywhere, and remains a lifelong problem.
Problems Created by Autistics
Autistic children do not misbehave intentionally as is often the case with general children. Some external factors trigger definite actions.
- It is difficult for them to sit for long periods of time.
- They take all literally;
- Matters that do not interest them will not hold their attentiveness at all.
- They do not make eye perceive and leave the other man wondering either they have been heard and understood.
- They are aloof and unsocial.
- Many perform repetitive tasks, and strange actions like hand flapping, blinking, biting, head-banging, fiddling with things, and clear spontaneous movements.
- They sometimes lack the potential to understand emotions but can display anger and quote their displeasure in violent ways. While many are able to express themselves with repetitive coaching, those who cannot talk resort to bodily expression of their unhappiness.
- They are likely to create some obsessive interests.
- Some are less sensitive to pain and can end up hurting themselves badly without realizing it.
- On the other hand they are hyper sensitive to touch, taste, hearing and smell.
These traits come to be difficult to deal with especially for those who spend the maximum time with them. Parents find themselves enduringly watching over them and trying to protect them outdoors. Caution cannot be forfeited at any cost with an autistic child. This can come to be a major encumbrance for the parent and attendant.
Causes of Autism
The exact cause or set of causes that lead to autism are unknown. It is a ask that torments parents of autistic children who often tend to blame themselves for the neurological disorder that leads to this condition. Full, investigate has led to multiple theories being presented about what leads to autism, though each has its set of critics trying to refute them.
- One set of scientists believes that clear vaccines given to the child especially, Mmr (Mumps-Measles-Rubella) cause intestinal problems, which can lead to autism.
- Some believe the culprit to be thimersol contained in clear vaccines.
- The genetic cause of autism is widely accepted, as it is inherent that autism has some genetic root, running in some families more than others. However, autism is not caused by a single gene, but is rather a consequence of several genetic differences as well as some form of environmental "insult".
- Some researchers are exploring the differences in a typical brain and autistic brain and are convinced that the autistic brain is wired in a separate manner, besides being larger in size.
Research is lasting and it is clear that autism cannot be attributed to a single cause, but is perhaps the outcome of a blend of unfavorable factors like food allergies, environmental toxins leading to adverse reactions in the child's body, and immune deficiencies.
How To identify Autism
Autistic children appear general in appearance and the first signs can manifest themselves colse to twelve months, but they come to be very conspicuous by the time the child is three years old. Many seem to have impaired speech, never look in the eye, exhibit strange behavior and movements, not wish to play with others, seem engrossed in one single thing or activity. It is not unusual for parents to shake off these early signs as those of an introvert or late learner. But pointers to an autistic condition include:
- The child does not point to things and objects at twelve months
- He child does not pick up even one word by 18 months
- He cannot make two word sentences at age two
- He does not respond to his own name
- He stays away from population and peers
- He does not make eye contact
- He may not laugh and smile and may not seem to hear
- He enduringly flaps arms, bites, bangs his head
- He is unable to shift focus from one object to another
Parents are the first to consideration some or most of these signs and must take immediate advice to be able to help the child and in case restorative measures can be taken in borderline cases, the sooner the better.
Educating an Autistic Child
The toughest part for parents is advent to terms with the autistic condition of their child. Once they are able to accept it, they come to be anxious to educate the child to make him suitable in the mainstream of society. This is the toughest part as their symptoms manifest themselves all the time.
- They are separate from other students, as they cannot quote to population and emotions, have some difficulty in comprehending what hey are being told.
- They are unable to identify differences in tone and speech, gauge facial expressions, or quote to reactions of peers.
- It becomes leading for the educator of autistic children to know about their condition.
- If the child is in a extra school with others like himself, he will benefit from specially created learning modules, which include visual schedules that autistic children find easier to follow.
- Working in pairs is immensely useful as well.
- In case the child studies in a quarterly school, his educator needs to know about his condition so that she can make the extra endeavor that may be required to by comparison clear things to him.
- In many schools an added aide is in case,granted to the educator to help such children.
- Autistic children resent being forced to do clear things, and would rather make choices as it gives them a sense of control.
- It is better to encourage interests that they seem to prefer, for instance, many have a flair for cooking. This can come to be a career in later years.
Treatment for Autism
Treating autism is not easy as no prescribed, standardized line of treatment has yet been found, despite millions of dollars being spent on investigate in this field. The only generalization that can be made is connected to helpful therapies like:
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Speech Language Therapy
However, before the child can be started on any of these, the following steps need to be followed:
- An early prognosis of autism an immediate intervention and treatment is imperative for the child. Parents must not ignore unusual behavioral traits that the child may exhibit in the second year of his life.
- The first step is to find good physicians and specialists who can guide parents about what is best for the child.
- Most treatment has to be behavioral and parents have to ensure that the child is not pressurized.
- This can be done by giving him clear instructions that are easy for him to follow.
- He must be prompted encouragingly to perform clear tasks, and praise and applause for actions well done.
- Parents must make a incompatibility in the middle of good and bad and slowly growth the complexity of instructions to encourage him to do better. Parents need schooling in behavioral techniques to perform this.
- Self help techniques have to be taught to the children so that they can ultimately come to be independent.
- However, there are assorted types of autism, and each child has definite needs. His treatment also has to be convention made for his requirements.
Treatment with medication is only for symptoms like seizures, extreme mood swings; sleep difficulty, tantrums or injurious behavior patterns. One set of doctors fell that added diet supplements like minerals and vitamins may be helpful, and also secretin infusion, but none of these treat the basic condition.
At present, Risperidone is the only drug that has been beloved for treating children in the 5-16 age group for aggression and irritability due to autism. Finally, the present treatment prescribed by healing specialists includes a gluten-free and casein-free diet. Gluten is contained in wheat, barley and rye, and casein in milk and dairy products.
Improving Autism Communication
Communication and public interaction are the biggest problems connected with autism. The autistic child struggles in the fields of language and being able to express him. transportation is crucial as it helps the child understand population colse to him, comprehend environment cues, ensue directions and instructions, perform organizational tasks and also express himself. transportation is much more involved than mere speech, requiring multiple skills like attention, intelligent information, interpreting that facts and finally formulating an suitable response.
A lot of investigate is being done in this field, and some drugs have been industrialized that improve transportation behavior and increasing attentiveness spans. Mineral and vitamin supplements, psychotherapy and medication connected to it have all been tried, but there is no documented evidence of principal improvements.
Autistic children understand better when facts is in case,granted to them verbally as well as visually. Studies conducted on children who were instructed verbally and with sign language, revealed that they responded with greater vocalization, mastered signs and used them appropriately, and were able to quote better with their peers. visual tools include body movements, use of pictures, objects and environment cues. Step-by-step instructions are also important. Autistic children quote best to models, objects, signs and boards explaining the verbal communication.
While no standardized treatment has yet been industrialized to improve transportation abilities of autistic children, some whole of success has been achieved by learning individual requirements. Treatments first necessitate an in-depth prognosis of needs and then seeking therapy from speech-language pathologists, from occupational and bodily therapists to modify unacceptable public behavior.
Another investigate reveals that participation of the father in teaching the child showed a marked revision in the child's potential to communicate. This was especially true in verbal communications with the child's usage of vocabulary revealing a 50% increase.
Structured behavior modification programs like Applied Behavior prognosis are useful for some, while others benefit from informal coaching in a customary home environment. Music therapy and sensory integration therapy endeavor to improve the child's potential to respond to facts using his sense organs. public stories narrated to children time and again have also helped many improve their public skills.
Yet another devotee has found that early intervention with peer directed interaction helps autistic children quote better. Less adult directed transportation and greater participation from trained peers in an informal, natural setting helped in maximizing the results of transportation improvement.
The Pivotal Response treatment (Prt) has been rated as one of the best innovative treatments for handling transportation issues of autistic children. Based on 20 years of investigate by Robert and Lynn Koegel, this has helped progress children's transportation abilities, look after friendships and public interactions and improves school execution besides controlling disruptive behavior. Prt works with every child's natural motivation promotes functional learning and helps him create skills that can be used in the world outside. Rote learning is discouraged and the child's cognitive abilities are enhanced. Prompting him to respond gives him the impetus to do so.
Treatments have to be personalized but starting sooner will yield far better results than delays in taking performance by the parents.
How to get Autistic Children suitable by other Children
Autistic children do have transportation and behavioral issues which are often unacceptable to others. They are therefore the target of criticism, made fun of, teased, ignored and neglected. But all autistic children are not retarded and with help and support can come to be part of mainstream society. The role of the parent and the educator becomes leading in gaining public acceptance for their child. They need support not pity, pity and a bit of care. It is leading for the school to reinforce its commitment to these children and explaining to others how they can reach out to these extra children. They need to be told that autism does not by comparison the whole character of the child-it is only one aspect and the child in ask is blessed with other far more suitable traits. He can think too, get hurt and upset and he struggles with things he cannot do. Acute hearing, sight and smell compensate for his language limitations. Children can be made to see the good in the child, what he can do and with that focus, help him. Often if one child comes transmit to help the extra child, others ensue suit and the ensue is that he gains friends from whom he is able to learn much more than parental training.
How do I help in Emotional Circumstances
Children with autism are often highly emotional, getting hurt and upset about small things. Unfortunately, it takes them longer to overcome them and it is intelligent for parents to help him cope. In an emotional state, the child first needs to be calmed, and this can be closed by helping him take a few deep breaths. This must be practiced with him before and becomes useful while stressful times. It is best to take off him from the scene where he has got upset and talking slowly in a manner that he comprehends, is helpful. The child needs encouragement, reinforcement of affection and loving reassurance. If the child can talk, hearing him out also helps. Many of them are overly sensitive to others' emotions, looking another child cry, makes them cry as well. They need to be taught that another person's feelings must not be mixed up with their own.
A few steps that can help the child include, first understanding his emotional needs, speaking in a language that he understands, he must also get the facts correct, and not have any false notions. It is leading to look for warning signs that quote an emotionally disturbed state like facial expression, nervous tics, speech variations, sweating, avoidance and irritability. public stories narrated to children may help them feel they are not alone in feeling in a single manner, and others are like them too. The lowest line is holding the child calm and secure.
The Child's Future
A child being diagnosed as autistic is one of the worst nightmares for any parent. The first thoughts after the why's and how's is the anxiety about his future. His future is largely determined by the type of autism he has, and his brain level, which may help him to convention some career and even be gainfully occupied. Many are able to lead near general lives and come to be responsible, independent individuals. Others with more serious problems may never be able to lead a general life and be independent. In such cases the future of the child is largely determined by the parents, how they plan for times ahead. They need to make the child functional and ensure that adequate resources are put aside to support him. Researchers believe that parents need to be responsible for providing them with a public world in which they can build meaningful relationships. Those alone can support them, despite the fact that the child may never go to work, earn, and do other adult things. extra schooling can help him do better than lack of any education. It may suffice to have him occupied and happy rather than stressed and agitated, in case,granted for and having someone.
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