- Have a plan for moving self help out of the house- going to the bathroom at public restrooms, serving self at a buffet restaurant, getting dressed in a different place.
- Don't baby your child. This I think is a syndrome. Parents feel sorry for their children so they think they will keep" helping them dress". But really you are not helping them, you are hindering their development.
- Self help training should be going on 24/7. Whether it is learning to walk side by side without holding some one's hand, or more direct potty training or dressing independently, you should always have an active target(s) in self help.
- Because self help has to be 24/7, your team cannot do this. Yes, your team can practice self help skills, but all of these are really time sensitive- you get dressed in the morning, you take a bath at night...whatever. Therapists are not there. The parent has to become consistent at having targets through out the day, then setting knew targets once mastery is achieved. Parents have to learn good prompting skills, knowing how to fade prompts and give their child independence.
- DON'T HELP (over prompt)! If a child has mastered a skill, don't help them. You can make them prompt dependent. Something as simple as always telling a child to hurry up in the bathroom can become a prompt. You have to fade that prompt as soon as possible.
- Observe typical children. Make a list of independent skills you see in children just observing them for 30 minutes. Note: I know this can be depressing but it can serve as a wake up call that more self help needs to be focused on, not that your child can't do it.
- Self help has to be consistent. Once a target is established, you can't target it half of the time. You have to target their independence every time they engage in that activity.
- Remember that just teaching beginning self help skills is not enough. You have to continue to add targets. E.G. Once your child can dress himself, can he dress himself with you out of the room?
Showing posts with label autism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label autism. Show all posts
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Tips on helping autistic child
How to help your autistic child? I think the below tips are useful.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Autistic children may have more health problems
1 in 152 school aged children are now being diagnosed with autism. This does not include those with less intense, yet still related disorders such as ADD, ADHD, PDD or Asperger's Syndrome.
Children with autism are very sick and in pain. They suffer from a number of digestive problems, chemical toxicity, metal toxicity, viral, bacterial and parasitic overloads, auto-immune problems, etc.
Many studies have implicated the role of vaccines in general, and certain vaccines such as the MMR, in particular as contributors to autism. Additionally, there has been a great deal of evidence that environmental toxins may be contributing in a large way to some children's autism.
Autism truly is a multi-factorial problem, not a mental disease. Dr. Andrew Wakefield, MD, described autism as "a primary gut disorder with secondary brain symptoms." This has been consistent with what we see as we have focused on many of the problems of the digestive tract with "our" kids. In other words, what happens in their gut affects their behaviors in many ways. Natural health and healing modalities have long focused on the health of the colon as paramount to good health.
Autism is a complex biomedical condition, not a psychiatric, psychological or developmental flaw. Homeopathy Center of Houston's homeopaths have combined many different homeopathic approaches to address the many physical and emotional issues behind autism and autistic spectrum disorders. We work with homeopathic remedies, and a very small number of herbal remedies, instead of drugs, for detoxification and healing of the symptoms of and causes behind autism. Our results are speaking for themselves.
Literally. Our children detoxify, eliminate, release, one layer at a time, as we work backward through their individual histories.
Autism; Treatment and Prognosis of Autistic Children
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 three distinctive behaviors. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, display problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and exhibit repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling. Autism varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected children or when more debilitating handicaps mask it. Scientists aren’t certain what causes autism, but it’s likely that both genetics and environment play a role.
Is there any treatment?
There is no cure for autism. Therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can bring about substantial improvement. The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that target the core symptoms of autism: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and obsessive or repetitive routines and interests. Most professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.
What is the prognosis?
For many children, autism symptoms improve with treatment and with age. Some children with autism grow up to lead normal or near-normal lives. Children whose language skills regress early in life, usually before the age of 3, appear to be at risk of developing epilepsy or seizure-like brain activity. During adolescence, some children with autism may become depressed or experience behavioral problems. Parents of these children should be ready to adjust treatment for their child as needed.
source: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm
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 three distinctive behaviors. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, display problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and exhibit repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling. Autism varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected children or when more debilitating handicaps mask it. Scientists aren’t certain what causes autism, but it’s likely that both genetics and environment play a role.
Is there any treatment?
There is no cure for autism. Therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can bring about substantial improvement. The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that target the core symptoms of autism: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and obsessive or repetitive routines and interests. Most professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.
What is the prognosis?
For many children, autism symptoms improve with treatment and with age. Some children with autism grow up to lead normal or near-normal lives. Children whose language skills regress early in life, usually before the age of 3, appear to be at risk of developing epilepsy or seizure-like brain activity. During adolescence, some children with autism may become depressed or experience behavioral problems. Parents of these children should be ready to adjust treatment for their child as needed.
source: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm
Possible Causes of Autism
Autism is a complex disorder with many contributing factors.
While there are many theories as to the cause of the increase, ARI (Autism Research Institute) believes environmental factors—including unprecedented exposure to toxic substances and over-vaccination of infants and young children—are the key factors triggering this devastating epidemic. Emerging research supports this fact, making it clear that autism is a whole-body illness triggering a biological brain disorder and ARI continues investigating various possible causal factors.
While we don't have all the answers yet, you can decrease the risk to younger siblings and future pregnancies by protecting your family from known dangers like environmental toxins.
source: http://www.autism.com/triggers/index.htm
While there are many theories as to the cause of the increase, ARI (Autism Research Institute) believes environmental factors—including unprecedented exposure to toxic substances and over-vaccination of infants and young children—are the key factors triggering this devastating epidemic. Emerging research supports this fact, making it clear that autism is a whole-body illness triggering a biological brain disorder and ARI continues investigating various possible causal factors.
While we don't have all the answers yet, you can decrease the risk to younger siblings and future pregnancies by protecting your family from known dangers like environmental toxins.
source: http://www.autism.com/triggers/index.htm
Definition & Symptoms of Autism
The word ‘autism’ comes from the Greek words – ‘aut’, which means ‘self’ and ‘ism’, which implies ‘orientation or state’. Autism is then the condition of somebody who is unusually absorbed in himself or herself. It is a life-long disability seemingly affecting areas of the brain that control understanding, emotion, speech and gesticulation, and the general ability to interact socially.
The signs or symptoms of autism generally appear during early childhood. Autistic children, if unattended, can become so withdrawn that they have difficulty in developing normal social and emotional relationships with the people around them, and in comprehending and being fully aware of their environment as a result of their mental deficiencies. Normal development of communication is inhibited and speech is delayed or developed abnormally.
As a result of this failure to cope with people and situations, the child is slow in play and social interaction. When the development of social skills is retarded, the autistic child appears to be odd in the areas of self-growth, family orientation and interaction in society.
source: http://lionsreach.net/autism.htm
The signs or symptoms of autism generally appear during early childhood. Autistic children, if unattended, can become so withdrawn that they have difficulty in developing normal social and emotional relationships with the people around them, and in comprehending and being fully aware of their environment as a result of their mental deficiencies. Normal development of communication is inhibited and speech is delayed or developed abnormally.
As a result of this failure to cope with people and situations, the child is slow in play and social interaction. When the development of social skills is retarded, the autistic child appears to be odd in the areas of self-growth, family orientation and interaction in society.
source: http://lionsreach.net/autism.htm
7 Facts about Autism
1 Features of autism usually appear during the first three years of life.
2 Autism affects 10 to 15 of every 10,000 births of all racial, ethnic and social backgrounds.
3 Autism is four to five times more common in males than females.
4 Approximately 75% of autistic children are mentally retarded.
5 Females with autism exhibit more severe mental retardation.
6 About a third of all individuals with autism develop seizures – it can also occur with other conditions such as deafness, Down Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome.
7 People with autism vary widely in abilities, intelligence levels and behavioural characteristics.
source: http://lionsreach.net/autism.htm
2 Autism affects 10 to 15 of every 10,000 births of all racial, ethnic and social backgrounds.
3 Autism is four to five times more common in males than females.
4 Approximately 75% of autistic children are mentally retarded.
5 Females with autism exhibit more severe mental retardation.
6 About a third of all individuals with autism develop seizures – it can also occur with other conditions such as deafness, Down Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome.
7 People with autism vary widely in abilities, intelligence levels and behavioural characteristics.
source: http://lionsreach.net/autism.htm
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