Lady Neptune's blog: "autism"

Autism Diagnosis Checklist Signs of Autism There are two major diagnostic classification systems in current use, the International Classification of Diseases, version 10 (ICD-10) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV ). They have similar symptom criteria for diagnosis based on three general impairments, with the following behaviours, which are out of line with their mental age: 1. Social Delayed or abnormal social development. 2. Language and communication Delayed or abnormal language and communication both verbal and non-verbal. 3. Thought and behavior Rigidity of thought and behavior and lack of imagination. Displays ritualistic behavior, reliance on routines, impairment of imaginative play. DSM-IV is diagnostic criteria used in the United States and many other parts of the world. ICD-10 is the most commonly used ASD classification system in the UK and Europe, although many research studies also use DSM-IV or other criteria. The diagnostic criteria for ASD continue to develop as more research is done and understanding improves, and they are likely to change with future revisions. Timing of Diagnosis In children under 2 years of age typical ASD symptoms may not be noticeable. However, absence of such behaviours should not totally rule out the possibility of diagnosis. However, regardless of the age of the child, if there is a suspicion of autistic tendencies then early referral can make a difference. Another form of diagnosis assessment is the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT ) which was designed to identify 18 month old children at risk of ASD. Here are some general guidelines derived from CHAT that can be used by parents as an informal way to assess a child General Developmental Warnings of Possible ASD in Pre-School children Delay or absence of spoken word Looks through people; not aware of others Not responsive to other’s facial expressions/ feelings Lack of pretend play; little or no imagination Does not show typical interest in peers or play near peers purposefully Lack of turn-taking in games Unable to share pleasure Non-verbal communication delays or impairment Does not point at an object to direct another person to look at it Lack of gaze monitoring Lack of initiation of activity or social play Unusual or repetitive hand and finger mannerisms Unusual reactions or lack of reaction to sensory stimuli Signs of Possible ASD in school-age Children Communication impairments Abnormalities in language development including muteness Odd or inappropriate prosody (the acoustic properties of speech) i.e. pitch/ tone Persistent echolalia Reference to self as “you”, “she” or “he” beyond three years Unusual vocabulary for child’s age/social group Limited use of language for communication and/or tendency to talk freely only about specific topics Social impairment Inability to join in play with other children or inappropriate attempts at joint play (may manifest as aggressive or disruptive behavior) Lack of awareness of classroom “norms” (criticising teachers, unwillingness to co-operate in classroom activities, inability to appreciate or follow current trends and fads and fit in with the crowd) Easily overwhelmed by social and other stimulation Failure to relate normally to adults (too intense/ no relationship) Showing extreme reaction to invasion of personal space and resistance to being hurried Impairments of interests, activities and/or behaviours Lack of flexible cooperative imaginative play/creativity Difficulty in organising self in relation to unstructured space (e.g. hugging the perimeter of playground, halls) Inability to cope with change or unstructured situations, even ones that other children enjoy (school trips, teachers being away etc) Other factors Any other evidence of odd behaviours including unusual responses to sensory stimuli Signs of Possible ASD in adolescents General Picture Long standing difficulties in social behaviours, communication and coping with change, which are more obvious at times of transition (e.g. change of school, leaving school) Significant discrepancy between academic ability and “social” intelligence, most difficulties in unstructured social situations, e.g. in school breaks Socially “naive”, lack common sense, not as independent as peers Language, non-verbal skills and social communication Problems with communication even if they have a wide vocabulary and normal use of grammar. May be unduly quiet, may talk at others rather than hold a “to and fro” conversation, or may provide excessive information on topics of their own interest. Unable to adapt their style of communication to social situations e.g. may sound like “a little professor” (overly formal), or be inappropriately familiar May have speech peculiarities including “flat”, unmodulated speech, repetitiveness May take things literally and fail to understand sarcasm or metaphor Unusual use and timing of non-verbal interaction (eg eye contact, gesture and facial expression) Social Problems Difficulty making and maintaining peer friendships though may find it easier with adults or younger children Can appear unaware or uninterested in peer group “norms”, may be alienated by behaviours which transgress “unwritten rules” May lack awareness of personal space, or be intolerant of intrusions on own space Rigidity in thinking and behavior Preference for highly specific, narrow interest or hobbies, or may enjoy collecting, numbering or listing Strong preference for familiar routines, may have repetitive behaviours or intrusive rituals Problems using imagination e.g. writing, future planning May have unusual reactions to sensory stimuli e.g. sounds, tastes, smell, touch, hot or cold.

What to Do After an Autism Diagnosis for Your Child Posted in August 27th, 2007 by admin in Treatments, Autism Resources, Diagnosis If you’re child has received an autism diagnosis, you may feel like all of the hopes and dreams you had for your child’s future have ended. These feelings of guilt, grief and fear are normal for parents when they first discover their child is autistic. However, you need to know that you’re not alone and there is help out there for both you and your child. To help you cope with the autism diagnosis, the following are 10 guidelines for you to take into consideration: 1. Don’t Panic – Feeling overwhelmed is natural at first, but this drowning feeling will pass. You need to remember autism - although a challenging condition - is not a life threatening illness. Autism isn’t the end of the world; take the time to calm down and rationally think things through. 2. Your child is still the same – An autism diagnosis doesn’t mean your child is any different than he/she was prior to your knowledge of his/her condition. A diagnosis has only provided you with the chance to better understand your child, so you can provide him/her with the support that will allow him/her to have the best life. The love you have for your child and all the good you see in him or her will remain their forever. No diagnosis can change that. 3. Educate yourself – Find out everything there is to know about autism. You can find information in books and articles in your local library, bookstore and online. The internet is a fantastic resource for autism. 4. Ask questions – don’t forget to address any questions or concerns you may have with your doctor. 5. Find out what your child needs – Depending on the type of autism diagnosis your child receives he/she may have many or few special needs. Carefully analyze your child’s behaviors and discuss them with your doctor to determine the best course of action for treating the issue. For instance, does your child have sensory problems? Speech delays? Social deficits? Etc. 6. Find out what is available – Just because you discover what your child needs, doesn’t mean you’ll have immediate access to the therapies required, or even know how to work them into your lifestyle if they are available. . You also need to find out if your medial insurance will cover any of the therapies your child will need. Once you have everything sorted out, you can begin to set up a program that can meet your needs. 7. Stick to basic therapies – When you research therapies, you will discover that there are numerous treatments. Instead of becoming overwhelmed, focus on the basic therapies that are readily available, appropriate to your child, and funded. The basics usually include speech therapy, physical therapy , and occupational therapy . There may also be therapies offered within schools. 8. Introduce treatment slowly – Remember, most therapies are a slow process that take weeks or even months until you begin to see a difference in your child. Therefore, try not to introduce too many therapies after the autism diagnosis. When you take it slow you are able to observe how your child responds to each, and determine what is successful and what isn’t. 9. Relax – The wellbeing of your child is important, but so is yours and the rest of your family. It’s imperative that you find ways to relieve your stress, take breaks, and enjoy your own life. You will be able to better care for your autistic child when you are well rested. 10. You’re not alone – There are many autism support groups you can join both locally and online after receiving an autism diagnosis. Talking to other parents with autistic children, and hearing and sharing your experiences can be very helpful and therapeutic to you and your child.

Can Children With Autism Have Other Difficulties?Posted in February 28th, 2008 by admin in Behaviours, ADHD, DiagnosisJust because a child has autism, it doesn’t mean that he or she is unable to suffer from other disorders and difficulties as well. However, it is often challenging for parents to know whether what they are seeing in their child is a symptom of autism, or if the autism has combined with another condition. It is not uncommon for children with autism to suffer from conditions like ADHD , dyslexia, attachment disorder, or schizophrenia among others. The difficult part can be getting an accurate diagnosis, as it is not uncommon for children to be initially misdiagnosed with their diagnosis changing over time. So, if another disorder is suspected, it is important that any concerns be raised with your child’s doctor. Educating yourself about the various symptoms of any suspected disorder is important so that they may be confirmed or ruled out. For example, here are the most common symptoms of ADHD, dyslexia, attachment disorder, and schizophrenia - disorders that may occur alongside autism: ADHD - Unable to speak or play quietly – disruptive to others in speech or actions - Struggle to wait his or her turn in a game or in a line - Takes on dangerous activities - Plays without thinking of the consequences or being cautious - Has extreme temper tantrums - Commonly disrupts, interrupts, and struggles when being soothed or held - Always active, never settling down, even during sleep - Appears not to be listening when directly spoken to - Uneven fine or overall motor skills - Does not pay attention to finer details and makes careless mistakes Dyslexia - Appears to be intelligent and bright, as well as articulate, but struggles to write, read, or spell at the appropriate age level. - Is labeled as being careless, immature, dumb, lazy, or simply not trying hard enough - Has a high IQ but does not fare well in academic testing - Isn’t far “enough” behind to require special attention at school - Has poor self esteem, feels as though he or she is dumb, makes efforts to cover-up weaknesses, becomes easily frustrated and emotional about grades and testing - More prone to excelling in drama, music, art, sports, telling stories, mechanics, business, sales, design, engineering, building - Appears to lose track of time, daydream, or zone-out frequently - Learns better through demonstrations, hands-on activities, experimentation, observation, and visual aids. Attachment Disorder - Superficially engaging and charming, especially around strangers and other people they feel they will be able to manipulate - Are indiscriminately affectionate, even to strangers, but not on the terms of the parent - Struggle to make eye contact, especially when being dishonest or angry - Strong desire to control everyone and everything - Hyper-vigilant - Hyperactive overall but lazy when it comes to accomplishing tasks and goals - Argumentative, frequently over insignificant issues - Prone to rage and tantrums, frequently over insignificant issues - Demanding - Poor impulse control - Struggle to understand cause and effect - Low levels of values, morals, and spiritual faith - Little to no empathy - Dishonesty for no clear reason - Potentially cruel to animals - Falsely allege abuse - Steal - Chattering constantly, asking silly questions - Destructive to self or property - Abnormal speech patterns - Learning delays - Fascination with blood, gore, fire, weapons, and evil, and when presented the options, will make a bad choice - Food issues; refusing to eat or hoarding - Focusing on details but not the overall issue - Few long term friends, or none at all - Self-entitled or self-important attitude - Sneaks things even if he or she could have taken it simply by asking Schizophrenia - Oversleeping or insomnia - Hostility or suspiciousness - Decrease in personal hygiene - Social withdrawal - Expressionless gaze - Inability to express joy or sorrow - Inappropriate laughter or tears - Depression - Odd or nonsensical statements - Struggle to concentrate, forgetful - React strongly to criticism - Use of words in strange ways - Delusions - Hallucinations Once symptoms of a suspected additional disorder are understood, parents may better watch for them in their children. This can be challenging, as many symptoms can cross over between both autism and other conditions. It is important to try to watch for symptoms that divert from those of autism, and to determine what is causing certain reactions. Should a diagnosis be made for additional condition present alongside autism it is possible to begin treatment for the additional disorder in conjunction with any current autism treatment.

if youre a parent of a autistic child, or suspect your child has a autism spectrum disorder [ASD] then I hope this info helps you. Firstly Autism… Autism is a spectrum disorder - which basically means that the signs and the severity of symptoms can vary significantly in each person. It usually begins at an early age (before 3) and causes delays to the normal development of skills. The main areas in which autism symptoms can be seen are: Communication - both verbal and non-verbal, such as eye contact, facial expressions and body language. Social Behaviors - people with autism struggle with expressing emotions, relating to other peoples emotions and holding conversations. They have a tendency to withdraw from social interaction and can over-react to what we would consider a normal situation. General Behaviors- repetition of actions, phrases and routines are common as are following strict organization patterns. Autistics can also display abnormal sensory perception. For example, a normal volume noise may seem extremely loud and even painful to an autistic. Physical interaction can also cause problems for an autistic child, they may dislike the feeling of being touched or will only allow themselves to be hugged in a certain way. Autistic children also tend to favor rigid objects and toys such as metal cars rather than soft toys like teddy bears, some even show pain from touching a stuffed animal. Smells may also cause problems with scents that are pleasant to you and I causing those with autism to gag. It is not true that all autistics show retardation. Aspergers People with Asperger’s Syndrome display autistic characteristics like obsessive behaviors or lack of social and communication skills. And like autism, the level and severity of these signs will vary from person to person. They do not show delayed skills. In fact, one of the symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome is having a normal IQ. As a result, those with Asperger’s are sometimes called “higher-functioning” autistics. Aspergers is also usually noticed at a later age, with social and communication problems less severe than with autism. Verbal IQ tends to be higher than physical IQ and clumsiness is more common. People with Asperger’s Syndrome usually have good language skills - However, their use of language can be awkward and speech patterns can be unusual, without inflection or changes in pitch or tone. The subtleties of language, such as irony and humor can be lost on someone with Asperger’s and they may struggle to understand how a conversation should flow. It is hard to generalize ASD ’s, but two main differences between Autism and Asperger’s seem to be: 1. People with Aspergers tend to have a normal or sometimes a high IQ. 2. There is no speech delay in people with Asperger’s. I hope that this helps with understanding the difference between these two ASD’s

My youngest son Danny is autistic. Granted I had a difficult birth and delivery, He was still normal. He was developing normal and he was alert and talking. After he went and had his 3 month old shots, he seemed to become a blank wall. He stopped saying any words, stopped having eye contact, completely in his own world. After months of fighting with doctors and being told I was over reacting, my son was diagnosed at age 2 1/2 with autism. So I did everything as a mother I could do find out what is Autism and how he could have become this way. I discovered 119 cases back then of parents who found the same changes in their children after receiving the MMR vaccination. Apparently theres a few parents who are suing the company who makes the MMR vaccine and the company claims that the vaccine isnt that cause of autism, that its in the family genes. I dont F***ing think so. Noone on either side of my family has ever had a learning disabily or any form of autism so that right there is B.S. All I can do is applaud those families going after that company, and wish I could fight right there along side them, but I have my son who needs me to be strong for him, and his older brother too. As a parent, and a teacher, I hope this blog has opened a few eyes, and maybe helped someone else out there who's child may be autistic. Have strength, and be blessed.