What is autism? It is something that can affect the lives of the child and the family that cares for them. A person with autism may have difficulty doing simple tasks like brushing teeth or bathing, even going to bed can be difficult. The repetitive behavior can also cause complications.

There are many who call autism a condition, but it is not a condition, but a disorder that has been scientifically proven to affect children from a very young age. If you care for someone that may be autistic, you will want to find out as many facts and information regarding autism. There are many sources, make sure you are going to reputable sources.

Many of us relate autism to the movie “Rainman” with Dustin Hoffman. This was a great depiction of some of the difficulties a high functioning autistic person faces daily, but there are also some myths surrounded by autism.

What is autism and how is it manifested?

There is a complex criteria to diagnose an autistic child, but the general symptoms will be:

• Abnormal reaction to touch or other sensations
• Delays in their speech and language abilities, but have normal associative thinking
• Unable to relate to others normally as well as objects and events

There will still be those that believe the myth that autism is stemmed from bad parenting. You may feel very confused and overwhelmed as you learn about autism and the treatments. But the sad part of autism is the lack of knowledge and understanding shown by the public and the schools.

What is autism and is it curable? Sadly, autism is not curable, at least not yet. But there are ways that will help you to cope with this mysterious disorder. There may be some therapies introduced that will help, and hopefully, through the research and legislative bill, a cure will be found.

What is Autism? is a post from: Causes Of Autism

If you think your child may suffer from one of these types of autism spectrum disorders, he can be tested. And once diagnosed, you can be assured that it will not progress into something worse, as autism is not a progressive disease.

There are 5 different types of Autism spectrum disorders:

Autism – these symptoms are typically recognizable before the age of 3, however, it can be diagnosed later in their life. If your child has been diagnosed as being autistic, he may not give you any eye-to-eye contact. He will have problems interacting with others socially and can be overly absorbed with himself, withdrawn from others.

Asperger Syndrome – this is very similar to autism and can also be seen prior to age 3. This syndrome is a higher functioning disorder than autism. There will still be problems for your child in his social life, his speech and communication skills will still be a struggle, and his interests may be very defined. But there are resources, help and therapy that can enable your child to live very independently as an adult.

Rex syndrome – there are some doctors that claim Rex syndrome is not part of the autism spectrum disorder , but then there are other doctors that do. This is a syndrome that affects the females, whereas , autism affects mostly males. Your child with this syndrome will start showing an actual loss of skills starting around the age of 16 months to 18 months old. They may lose control over their h ands and feet. This syndrome has testing with 80% accuracy.

Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD). This will take place a little later in the child’s life. It is seen after he turns 2 up to 4 years, then he will start to show some degeneration in his physical, social, verbal and mental abilities. The difference between autism and CDD is the long period of normal development below age 2.

Pervasive disintegrative disorder – he will show dysfunction in his social interaction, they may have some stereotypical behavior and communication skills, but this disorder is only applicable if the the other 4 mentioned above are not associated.

Types of Autism is a post from: Causes Of Autism

Teaching children with autism how to read is going to be significantly harder than teaching the average child to read. You will need a lot of patience as an autistic child has very short attention spans. They have a difficult time with the rules of reading and grammar, as compared to children without autism.

Reading needs to be a fun learning activity for any child, but when you are trying to teach children with autism, you need to choose a method that will reach them inside. For autistic children that are musically inclined will greatly benefit by using music as a tool. There are quite a few programs that use music and singing for teaching things such as reading, math, manners and safety.

There are also games that can be used as a great method of interaction, helping them with their attention span, which you will find to be your biggest obstacle. It is important for you to remember that when teaching children with autism to read, that it will take creative thinking skills and autistic children struggle with this. So it will be best to focus on things that are reality based. Try to focus on stories that are based on real children doing normal daily things, try to avoid fantasy and fiction.

Remember to think visually as you read to an autistic child. They will be more likely to learn the words and letters through some visual stimulation. Take what they are interested in and integrate it into their learning, keeping their attention longer. Teaching children with autism can be a challenge but always very rewarding. My son finally grasped the concept of reading at the age of 18, but up to that point I had never given up. You can’t give up either.

Teaching Children With Autism is a post from: Causes Of Autism

A child that is high functioning autistic child is not able to read the reactions of others the way you and I do. They may not remember the social manners that we are all taught such as thank you and please. They have a difficult time expressing their emotions even though they are able to feel emotion. They feel deeply for things, but are not able to show it.

They are typically shy, they can appear to be dreamy at times. They don’t do well with too much stimulation, they may withdraw a bit. They are known to have higher IQ than the average person, and show this in their ability to focus on things such as electronics, or things that will take a very methodical mind. Things that would take an average person a great deal of focus and concentration.

They have a strong vocabulary but difficulty in expressing it verbally. They are not typically able to pick up on non verbal signals, so don’t count on them to read your emotions without telling them what you are thinking or feeling.

Their social interaction is a bit impaired, they will typically associate with those that are interested in the same intellectual topics as this is where their strengths lie.

High functioning autism is associated with someone who is quite gifted in the area of Science. They have a gift to focus on very detailed things with great intensity. You will find high functioning autism to be a sign of reliability, honesty, dependability.

They are hard workers and devoted to their job. They will give whatever they are focused on their best. High functioning autism is a sign of someone who is kind and empathetic. They are someone who is a gift to know and love, to have in your life.

High functioning autism is just another name for someone who is full of love and very gifted.

High Functioning Autism is a post from: Causes Of Autism

Autism is a syndrome that shows characteristics of impaired social behavior, language and communication. They crave to have things the same, a strict routine. They may have some sensory dysfunction as well as some abnormal movements.

Mercury has been associated with Autism as it is a very pure element but yet very toxic. This element can cause dysfunctions in the immune system, as well as the sensory, motor, behavioral and neurological aspects of those affected. This syndrome has been related to a preservative that is added to childhood vaccines, and this is called Thimerosal. This has been a major source of Hg given to our babies, and our toddlers. The FDA and the American Academy of Pediatricians claim that the amount that a child receives prior to the age of 2 are Hg levels that exceed the safety regulations which were established by the FDA.

The medical records show a high incidence rate of idiopathic autism manifesting when following an early exposure to Hg, which is right after they received their vaccines, and thus causing an unrecognized mercurial syndrome, known as Autism.

There is enough medical literature that shows identical characteristics between mercury poisoning (Hg P) and autism. Even though the FDA claim that this preservative exceeds the safety standards, the vaccines containing thimerosal, which is the preservative used, is 49.6% ethyl mercury in weight. The typical child under the age of 2 will receive 237.5 micro grams from the vaccinations. Most of this cannot be excreted, instead, it migrates to the child’s brain.

What I am trying to emphasize here is this, there is important data showing some very important implications of HgP and it’s affect on the population of individuals with autism. This information gives the families some answers for the unexplained disorders their children show. We believe this toxic preservative should be removed from our child’s vaccines immediately, thus preventing further spread of autism.

Autism – Important Information is a post from: Causes Of Autism

Early Signs of autism before age 2 may include;

Some of the symptoms will be their lack of eye contact with you. Typically baby’s will look you right in your eyes, but a baby with autism will avoid this, even at this early age. They don’t respond when you play games such as peek-a-boo, they do not do any cooing the typical baby noises they make. They aren’t smiling at the average as well, their response to you is very limited. They almost seem like a baby that is just content to sit there and observe the world.

As they become older, they will be slow in their speech. If you have noticed that they are not communicating with you, they may not be pointing at things, they don’t reach out and grab items. Also, notice if they respond to their name when you call them.

They are indifferent in their response to others. They seem to be in a world of their own, not really noticing those people around them. They will exhibit repetitive movements such as hand flapping or ‘stimming’, or rocking behavior. They can become hyper-focused on a certain object, as if to be in a daze, or completely fascinated by it’s action.

By the age of 2, they still may not be talking. There are children that have Autism Spectrum Disorder, may not be speaking and the stimming will become more intense and frequent. They become upset or frustrated when you break their routine or alter it in any way. They have safety in this routine, they know what to expect, when it is disrupted, they are not sure how to handle it.

Autism Spectrum Disorder has this name because of the many levels of autism. Because every child will be at his own level, the early signs of autism will also vary. There may a child that has symptoms of hand flapping, some that are non-verbal, some that are very excitable and jump around to express that excitement.

These are just a few of the early signs of autism, and remember, they can vary from child to child.

Early Signs of Autism is a post from: Causes Of Autism

The biggest challenge associated with autism is the broad range of disorders it covers. This is called ASD, autism spectrum disorder. There are symptoms of autism that are mild and those that are severe. They will all show disorders in social development skills, their communication, interests and their behavior.

The first 6 months of a child’s life he is smiling, cooing, hearing and recognizing voices of his parents and siblings. These are all key factors in a child’s development. As a child grows, he will continue to learn communication through an extensive vocabulary that grows with age and experience. An autistic child is not able to progress in these areas.

Autism Symptoms Include:

1. Not smiling by age 6 months
2. No babbling or cooing, or gesturing by 12 months
3. Minimal word usage; should be speaking single words by 16 months and two-word phrases by the age of 2
4. Regression in development, loss of language and social skills
5. Repetitive movement and ritualistic behaviors

Education on the symptoms of autism will provide parents the information they will need to recognize early signs and obtain help. They will be able to obtain a referral for a child psychiatrist by the child pediatrician. Tests will be done to identify autism and the severity of the disorder. There will be treatment options available for the severity of the disorder that need to be implemented immediately, and will help your child have a better life.

The key is to getting an early diagnosis in order to start treatment. This will improve the outcome for almost all autistic children. There will be children that are high-functioning autistic who will be able to get along well in society. There are some great organizations such as the Center for Autism and Related Diseases, and the Autism Society of America and the Autism Research Institute. All of these organizations will provide you a great deal of information and help with your treatment.

As a parent, observe your little ones, watch the different stages of development. If you notice they are abnormal, contact your pediatrician and share your observations.

Autism Symptoms is a post from: Causes Of Autism

Symptoms of autism ma;y not show up until a child reaches the age of 3, and may not even be observed until after that age by the parent or closest caregiver. If you are that parent, then you are feeling very concerned and even afraid of what to expect. How do you know if your child really is showing symptoms of autism?

If your child is showing mild symptoms of autism, the chances of him or her growing up and leading a normal life are good. They typically have average to above average IQ levels, with the latter being the norm. There are a few things that you can use to identify these symptoms, and I will list them here.

1. Initiating conversations will be difficult for them as well as making friends. Even in a case where they are able to initiate the conversation, they have a difficult time maintaining it.
2. Your child be become overly occupied with a certain toy while totally ignoring anyone or anything else around him. They may also stare at a particular object for a extended amount of time.
3. Your child may also exhibit some odd ways of communication such as talking a lot or bringing up totally unrelated subjects to the conversation.
4. There are some cases where a child may show some deep interest in something right up to the very details of something totally trivial. They may be able to name and count every part that goes into the making of your computer.
5. A child that is showing mild symptoms of autism will have a difficult time keeping eye to eye contact.
6. They may show some severe mood swings starting at a very early age. They may show a lack of concern or consider the feelings of others.
7. Another symptom that you may notice is their need for repetition. They may repeat a line from a certain book or a prior conversation.
8. There may be some serious problems trying to figure out body language of others and they may exhibit poor motor skills.

These children are those that are teased and made fun of at school. These children are the children that are even teased and made fun of by other family members. This is where education is so important, educating yourself, siblings and friends. Helping everyone to know and show patience and love for this child. With education, these children will have a chance of having a normal life, the best life that you can help them build.

Symptoms of Autism is a post from: Causes Of Autism

There are two types of therapies that can be used depending on the severity or degree of autism the child is showing. Autism statistics have shown the earlier therapy can begin, the more positive the outcome will be. If you can start treatment between the ages of two to three years of age, the results are the most positive and the best chance for success. If you wait, the chances may drop as much s 36%.

Autism statistics have shown an increase of children diagnosed with autism. They are steadily rising by an enormous rate of 600% since the 1980s. We can only hope that these children are getting help before they turn 3 years of age. Even after the age of 3, the chance of a total recovery is less than 40%.

Doctors believe that because the child’s nervous system is not set up correctly, that the early therapy will prevent any future damage and may repair the autism partially. Each year that therapy is delayed, the nervous system becomes more solidified and stable to its present condition, making it more difficult to repair.

Autism statistics show that less than 10% of the children diagnosed with autism that are recommended for therapy, and then only 3 to 4 % actually get the treatment. This is due to the high costs of therapy, which is more than most people can afford. Autism statistics clearly show is that the therapy needs to be a minimum of 25 hours per week if there is any hope for improvement. There are many parents who will try to do this training themselves, so they can implement it in their home. Until we can get the attention from the government and receive their help, this seems to be our only option.

Autism Statistics is a post from: Causes Of Autism

The passive way of using music therapy for children with autism, is by playing music on the radio, or by the therapist. If the child becomes accustomed to the music, he can make it a part of his daily life. The main characteristic of children with autism is their need to repeat things. They like repeating words, phrases and behaviors. Music used as this form of treatment, will affect their need and will be a great form of encouragement to use their gift of repetition to teach them how to use music.

To use music therapy actively is to have autistic children participate by playing instruments, singing along, and dancing. This is a great way for them to express themselves in music and movement where they are unable to with their words. They will find so much joy and delight in music. This is a sensory stimulation that is positive and felt within them. They may not be able to express words verbally, but they may be able to sing them.

Music may be a very effective way to assist children with autism in their language and expression. Music may be the very thing that is able to calm their emotions and enable them to express what they are feeling inside. You may find that music plays a very important role in the lives of children with autism.

Give them a way to express their frustrations, feel their joy, experience their excitement and feel their peace, all through the different types of music. You will be able to see their excitement as you play the music and dance along with them. They may feel a new release and a wonderful way to communicate with you, opening up a new world.

Children with autism are very special, and become very frustrated with their inability to communicate. They have normal thinking processes, but unable to communicate these thoughts into words or to express them in a suitable way. Music will open up new windows for them, touching a part of their brain that is ready to process the music and the way it makes them feel. Give your autistic child the gift of music.

Children with Autism is a post from: Causes Of Autism