With the incidents of autism up 172% since the 1990s, parents are anxious to find out if their baby has a chance to acquire autism. Seven out of every ten thousand infants will develop autism within the first three years of life. The sad thing about the diagnosis of autism is that the symptoms are subtle to about one and half years of age and most doctors and even parents are hard pressed to find what symptoms they should worry about and what symptoms they should ignore. Since the baby is developing so fast, the symptoms do not usually manifest themselves until you see the baby regressing from the speech and social skills they have learned so far.
Remember that not one single behavior will point to autism, though a single symptom should not be ignored. The diagnosis of autism is still largely undefined because the autistic child can acquire various degrees of the disorder. The first thing a parent should be aware of is loss of some speech or behavior that has been learned and is now not demonstrated. For example is the words Daddy or Mommy was in the vocabulary and for some reason they are used less and less, the child may be loosing the brain function for memory and communication. If the words are dropped from the vocabulary all together and no new words replace, it is time for concern.
Another subtle symptom that could or could not be autism is the formation of two sentence words by the second year of age. If a child cannot for simple sentences like ‘Daddy go’ or ‘Mommy love’ it come be that your child is suffering from the onslaught of autism. This is not always the case though. Your child may have another disability that deals with speech and language or a learning disability and autism should not be considered the object of the speech process, but is something to look at if you have concerns that your infant has the ability to obtain autism.
At an even younger age, around the first year, if your child does not say any words or even babble, then your concerns might be warranted for autism. Remember there are other disorders out there that manifest themselves in the same way, but the autistic aware parent should count this as one of the major symptoms and should be concerned. If your child displays one or any of these characteristics, than you should take them to a medical professional. Remember that doctors who are unfamiliar with autism will be hesitant to diagnose the disorder. If you are not happy with the diagnoses of your doctor, take your child to a few more so you will have a clear conscious and a satisfied mind.
Another thing is to watch your baby’s body language and expression of emotion. If you are warm and cuddly with your baby and your baby does not react the way you have seen other babies, this could be a red flag for autism. Observe other reactions such as severe stress over loud noises or sudden moves. If you are talking to your baby and you get no response or you wave your hands in front of your baby and there is no eye contact or reaction, there is probably something wrong. Even if it is just a feeling that you have, you need to seek medical attention so you can find out if your baby has autism or another disorder. There is no cure for autism, but an early diagnosis can not only add to the base of knowledge about autism but at the same time can help get your baby treatment as soon as possible. An early detection can also set the parents up with consoling that they need to learn how to raise an autistic child.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Difficulties of an Autistic Adult
That’s right, autistic kids grow up. This entire text has been devoted to the autistic child, but what about autistic adults? What kinds of difficulties do autistic adults have when they are in our society, at the workplace, or raising a family of their own? Many autistic adults work, go to school, and live a semi-normal life. There are autistic professors at universities, autistic doctors, and there are some autistic adults that work at Burger King. Remember each autistic person is an individual and has different abilities according to their autism.
One of the challenges the autistic adults have the face is assumptions about their ability to do a task. An employer or co-worker will not assign a specific work related task to an autistic adult employee because it is assumed that they cannot do the task or will not do it correctly. These assumptions are picked up by the autistic adult and emotional pain is felt when they are judged by their peers. They have a want and a right to try any task that is put before another peer and not be prejudged.
The world also has trouble with the autistic adult not being able to initiate a conversation or other social interaction. Most autistic adults have trouble giving eye contact and in the work place there are people that do not understand this and will be offended because of it. Shaking hands and other social gestures are sometimes difficult for them. Some adults will even avoid using the bathroom because the interaction in a closed public restroom is to much for them to bear. The employer should be educated on the behaviors of their autistic employee and precautions should be put in place to avoid embarrassment and miscommunication.
Hygiene is another problem for the autistic adult. Some autistic adults have a hard time combing their hair or brushing their teeth. Sensitivity in these areas cause them to avoid grooming or bathing all together. Some avoid and some just give up. They know they have problems and after awhile it is easier to ignore them than to face them at all. Simple chores like laundry may be ignored and the employees and other adults in the workplace can make some pretty cruel comments about the cleanliness of the adult.
Eating and nutrition are sometimes a problem for the autistic adult. They will refuse any food that offends their senses or gives them a bad feeling. Sometimes they will not know how to prepare food and will eat less nutritious foods in substitute. The act of deciding what too much food is and what is to little is another issue. Sometimes an autistic adult will gorge themselves when eating, while another individual will eat just enough to stay alive. Some autistic adults have quirks about what and how they eat. Foods sometimes need to be separated from other foods or a mixture of foods will cause a bad reaction.
If you have an autistic child that is an adult or you are an autistic adult reading this, the only way that the uninformed public to understand what autism is and how it affects the individual is awareness and education. Hopefully the world will learn and understand the special nature of an autistic child and adult and they can embrace the uniqueness and understand their issues.
One of the challenges the autistic adults have the face is assumptions about their ability to do a task. An employer or co-worker will not assign a specific work related task to an autistic adult employee because it is assumed that they cannot do the task or will not do it correctly. These assumptions are picked up by the autistic adult and emotional pain is felt when they are judged by their peers. They have a want and a right to try any task that is put before another peer and not be prejudged.
The world also has trouble with the autistic adult not being able to initiate a conversation or other social interaction. Most autistic adults have trouble giving eye contact and in the work place there are people that do not understand this and will be offended because of it. Shaking hands and other social gestures are sometimes difficult for them. Some adults will even avoid using the bathroom because the interaction in a closed public restroom is to much for them to bear. The employer should be educated on the behaviors of their autistic employee and precautions should be put in place to avoid embarrassment and miscommunication.
Hygiene is another problem for the autistic adult. Some autistic adults have a hard time combing their hair or brushing their teeth. Sensitivity in these areas cause them to avoid grooming or bathing all together. Some avoid and some just give up. They know they have problems and after awhile it is easier to ignore them than to face them at all. Simple chores like laundry may be ignored and the employees and other adults in the workplace can make some pretty cruel comments about the cleanliness of the adult.
Eating and nutrition are sometimes a problem for the autistic adult. They will refuse any food that offends their senses or gives them a bad feeling. Sometimes they will not know how to prepare food and will eat less nutritious foods in substitute. The act of deciding what too much food is and what is to little is another issue. Sometimes an autistic adult will gorge themselves when eating, while another individual will eat just enough to stay alive. Some autistic adults have quirks about what and how they eat. Foods sometimes need to be separated from other foods or a mixture of foods will cause a bad reaction.
If you have an autistic child that is an adult or you are an autistic adult reading this, the only way that the uninformed public to understand what autism is and how it affects the individual is awareness and education. Hopefully the world will learn and understand the special nature of an autistic child and adult and they can embrace the uniqueness and understand their issues.
Toilet Training the Autistic Child
Toilet training any toddler can be an adventuresome and tiring ordeal. There are many methods that have hit the markets lately and these methods can range anywhere between diapers that change color when wet to musical toilets that reward the child with music when they use the potty. This task is more difficult when your child has autism. When communication is a problem, as with most autistic children, letting an adult know you need to use the bathroom can be almost impossible endeavor. Some autistic children reach the double digits in age before they learn to ask for and to use the toilet.
Most autistic children do not have the skill and sometimes to desire to mimic or imitate a behavior. Just because the parents are using the toilet and they demonstrate the behavior, the autistic child will refuse or not get the connection between the right or wrong of toilet training. Most autistic children’s schedule is full and when you add something new to the schedule it usually upsets them emotionally. The addition of toilet training to their regiment could cause out right rebellion and bad behavior because they do not want to get outside of their normal daily activity.
If you are having trouble toilet training your autistic child, you might want to observe them for a few days before you try again. Watch and see if the child actually notices when they soil themselves. Do they reposition themselves so that they are not uncomfortable after an accident? Some autistic children feel natural in their own wastes while other will react by taking off their clothes. If your child is ignoring their soiling, consult with a doctor to see if your child has a medical condition that would prevent them from recognizing the feeling they are experiencing.
Now here is your part in toilet training. You need to relax and not stress over it. Time will make it happen and your stress and high emotion will only cause the stress of your child. Even the most conscious parent will overreact when they have to change yet another diaper. If your child sees it’s no big deal for you, then they can relax and let the behavior come naturally. You do have to stay diligent to get the job done thought. If your child is not toilet trained by school age, limitations may be set for opportunities for education and further socialization.
One method is to watch what your child does before they soil themselves. Write down a list of what they do and when they do it. If you realize that your child gets up in the morning and drinks a glass of juice and twenty minutes later they soil themselves, then you have something to work with. If the child goes through the same routine, you can put the child on the toilet during the time they normally soil themselves and see what happens. Once you get the morning soiling scheduled, add on an afternoon and evening. Pretty soon the body will work out the system even though the child does not. It is repeated, routine behavior and eventually the child will be bought in.
Does this sound like a lot of hard work? It is. Even parents of non-autistic children stress and labor over potty training their child. Each parent will give you a different bit of advice about what worked for them, but you as a parent of an autistic child know what extra you are in for. Be patient. Try different methods and remember that you have probably never seen a teenage in pampers. It takes time and patience.
Most autistic children do not have the skill and sometimes to desire to mimic or imitate a behavior. Just because the parents are using the toilet and they demonstrate the behavior, the autistic child will refuse or not get the connection between the right or wrong of toilet training. Most autistic children’s schedule is full and when you add something new to the schedule it usually upsets them emotionally. The addition of toilet training to their regiment could cause out right rebellion and bad behavior because they do not want to get outside of their normal daily activity.
If you are having trouble toilet training your autistic child, you might want to observe them for a few days before you try again. Watch and see if the child actually notices when they soil themselves. Do they reposition themselves so that they are not uncomfortable after an accident? Some autistic children feel natural in their own wastes while other will react by taking off their clothes. If your child is ignoring their soiling, consult with a doctor to see if your child has a medical condition that would prevent them from recognizing the feeling they are experiencing.
Now here is your part in toilet training. You need to relax and not stress over it. Time will make it happen and your stress and high emotion will only cause the stress of your child. Even the most conscious parent will overreact when they have to change yet another diaper. If your child sees it’s no big deal for you, then they can relax and let the behavior come naturally. You do have to stay diligent to get the job done thought. If your child is not toilet trained by school age, limitations may be set for opportunities for education and further socialization.
One method is to watch what your child does before they soil themselves. Write down a list of what they do and when they do it. If you realize that your child gets up in the morning and drinks a glass of juice and twenty minutes later they soil themselves, then you have something to work with. If the child goes through the same routine, you can put the child on the toilet during the time they normally soil themselves and see what happens. Once you get the morning soiling scheduled, add on an afternoon and evening. Pretty soon the body will work out the system even though the child does not. It is repeated, routine behavior and eventually the child will be bought in.
Does this sound like a lot of hard work? It is. Even parents of non-autistic children stress and labor over potty training their child. Each parent will give you a different bit of advice about what worked for them, but you as a parent of an autistic child know what extra you are in for. Be patient. Try different methods and remember that you have probably never seen a teenage in pampers. It takes time and patience.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
How Families Can Cope With the Financial Burden of an Autistic Child
If your child has just been diagnosed with autism, you and your family are about the have a life changing experience. After you get over the shock of an autistic diagnosis you and your spouse will probably be overwhelmed with all the information and misinformation there is about the disorder. Your doctor will probably suggest a team of specialists who will take on the child’s case that will probably change during the child’s lifetime as new symptoms appear or the child’s age and needs change. The cost of an autistic child for services and care can run close to $4,000,000 during the child’s lifetime and can drain savings accounts and put the family in heavy debt.
The first thing the family needs to change is their opinion of insurance. Some people will take a good job without insurance just for a good paycheck or other benefits. This can’t happen anymore. The parents or a least one of the parents has to have good insurance from their employers. Without insurance your child will not get the level of care that will give them the quality of life that your child deserves. The medical costs and the supplemental costs of going to different therapists and clinicians can put your bank account in financial shock and without insurance there will be little room for recovery.
Another thing to worry about is that you will get little financial assistance from the government. The Americans with Disabilities Act allows your child social security benefits and welfare, but most people who receive these funds can barely scratch out a living with today’s economy. The supplemental money will have to come from the parent’s wages and whatever other financial options there are. In some cases there are clinical trials or case studies that will pay for the treatment for your child, but these are usually experimental and if your child is in the control group of the experiment, then any benefits will be negated. The control group is the group where nothing new is done to them or a placebo is given instead of medication. A clinical trial can help with the finances but could be heartbreaking for the family if not benefit is seen.
If you have the finances and the opportunity you might want to consider moving outside of the United States. European countries and Canada have a different philosophy in financing families with children with autism than does the United States. The United States will spend millions in the public school system to have your child taken care of educationally through special education programs. Since autism is a unique disorder that is individualized most teachers, though they are trained, will not have the same relationship with the child as the parents. European countries and Canada siphon their monies in a different way. Instead of paying the doctors and teachers, they pay the parents and let them choose the method of treatment and the path of education. This will let the money go directly to the family and not a school system that is poorly suited to devote this cash to the development and the treatment of the child. Most of the time in public schools, autistic children are put with the mentally retarded and severely disabled children who have totally different issues and learning styles. If moving out of the country is not an option for you, you might want to find a financial advisor that will help you plan for the future and the future expenses of your autistic child. Stay insured and do not let your insurance lapse.
The first thing the family needs to change is their opinion of insurance. Some people will take a good job without insurance just for a good paycheck or other benefits. This can’t happen anymore. The parents or a least one of the parents has to have good insurance from their employers. Without insurance your child will not get the level of care that will give them the quality of life that your child deserves. The medical costs and the supplemental costs of going to different therapists and clinicians can put your bank account in financial shock and without insurance there will be little room for recovery.
Another thing to worry about is that you will get little financial assistance from the government. The Americans with Disabilities Act allows your child social security benefits and welfare, but most people who receive these funds can barely scratch out a living with today’s economy. The supplemental money will have to come from the parent’s wages and whatever other financial options there are. In some cases there are clinical trials or case studies that will pay for the treatment for your child, but these are usually experimental and if your child is in the control group of the experiment, then any benefits will be negated. The control group is the group where nothing new is done to them or a placebo is given instead of medication. A clinical trial can help with the finances but could be heartbreaking for the family if not benefit is seen.
If you have the finances and the opportunity you might want to consider moving outside of the United States. European countries and Canada have a different philosophy in financing families with children with autism than does the United States. The United States will spend millions in the public school system to have your child taken care of educationally through special education programs. Since autism is a unique disorder that is individualized most teachers, though they are trained, will not have the same relationship with the child as the parents. European countries and Canada siphon their monies in a different way. Instead of paying the doctors and teachers, they pay the parents and let them choose the method of treatment and the path of education. This will let the money go directly to the family and not a school system that is poorly suited to devote this cash to the development and the treatment of the child. Most of the time in public schools, autistic children are put with the mentally retarded and severely disabled children who have totally different issues and learning styles. If moving out of the country is not an option for you, you might want to find a financial advisor that will help you plan for the future and the future expenses of your autistic child. Stay insured and do not let your insurance lapse.
Childproofing Your Home for Your Autistic Child
When you raise an autistic child, especially in the younger years, you really worry about their safety and their whereabouts. The autistic child does not react to normal stimuli nor do they respond to verbal commands as quickly as a non-autistic child. Their curiosity and lack of understanding of danger may put them in harms way more that a normal pre-school child. There are certain things you can do to make your home more autistic child friendly and these few precautions could make your household safer and give you peace of mind.
Locks and latches are the best thing to keep cabinets closed and locked from the curiosity of your autistic child. Chemicals and cleaners need to be kept locked and anytime there are in use, they need to be watched carefully. Lock away anything that could be a source of harm to your child. This could include the knife drawer, your sewing basket, chemical closets, and other things that you could foresee as a possible harm for your child. There should be locks on anything of danger especially gun cabinets and other things that would be a danger to anyone.
Using a cordless or wireless phone is a good idea as you go through the day with your autistic child. Talking on the phone and being restricted to one place during your conversation will take away your concentration on supervision. Another reason you might want to consider a cordless phone is to have the availability to call for assistance if you are your child is in danger. The wireless phone will let you tend to your business and also give you the assurance that help is just a phone call away.
It may not be the greatest danger but you should bind up your cords from your drapes and curtains. A curious mind can conjure all sorts of dangerous activities with a hanging cord. They are in danger of hanging themselves or getting caught in the cord and having a panic attack that could lead to dangerous behavior. If you have pets, an autistic child could innocently injure them by tying them to the cord. Anything that loops and could fit around the next should be put up out of reach or bound so that your child can not use it in a dangerous manner.
Not only does the inside of you house need to be childproofed, but the outside as well. Watch your child around swing sets or tire swings. Again the danger of getting caught in the chains or wrapping a rope around their neck is possible. Watch out for lawnmowers and other dangerous lawn grooming equipment. The curious mind might have watched daddy start and mow the lawn and the danger of the blades might not have stuck in the mind as much as the process of getting it started. If you have a fenced in lawn, make sure there is a latch and a lock on the gate. Autistic children have a skill of disappearing when your back is turned and it would be easier to find them in the backyard than having to search for them down the street.
This information may seem redundant, but the reality is that your child may have different motives than what you perceive. With the lack of communication skills and the lack of social behavior, the child can put themselves into a lot of danger very easily. Just use common sense and make supervision a number one priority.
Locks and latches are the best thing to keep cabinets closed and locked from the curiosity of your autistic child. Chemicals and cleaners need to be kept locked and anytime there are in use, they need to be watched carefully. Lock away anything that could be a source of harm to your child. This could include the knife drawer, your sewing basket, chemical closets, and other things that you could foresee as a possible harm for your child. There should be locks on anything of danger especially gun cabinets and other things that would be a danger to anyone.
Using a cordless or wireless phone is a good idea as you go through the day with your autistic child. Talking on the phone and being restricted to one place during your conversation will take away your concentration on supervision. Another reason you might want to consider a cordless phone is to have the availability to call for assistance if you are your child is in danger. The wireless phone will let you tend to your business and also give you the assurance that help is just a phone call away.
It may not be the greatest danger but you should bind up your cords from your drapes and curtains. A curious mind can conjure all sorts of dangerous activities with a hanging cord. They are in danger of hanging themselves or getting caught in the cord and having a panic attack that could lead to dangerous behavior. If you have pets, an autistic child could innocently injure them by tying them to the cord. Anything that loops and could fit around the next should be put up out of reach or bound so that your child can not use it in a dangerous manner.
Not only does the inside of you house need to be childproofed, but the outside as well. Watch your child around swing sets or tire swings. Again the danger of getting caught in the chains or wrapping a rope around their neck is possible. Watch out for lawnmowers and other dangerous lawn grooming equipment. The curious mind might have watched daddy start and mow the lawn and the danger of the blades might not have stuck in the mind as much as the process of getting it started. If you have a fenced in lawn, make sure there is a latch and a lock on the gate. Autistic children have a skill of disappearing when your back is turned and it would be easier to find them in the backyard than having to search for them down the street.
This information may seem redundant, but the reality is that your child may have different motives than what you perceive. With the lack of communication skills and the lack of social behavior, the child can put themselves into a lot of danger very easily. Just use common sense and make supervision a number one priority.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Autism Assistance Dogs
Your autistic child is not blind nor has a physical disability that renders them helpless, but most autistic children do lack the ability to make safe choices. Parents of autistic children are diligent, they have to be, but wouldn’t be safer and give the parents more peace of mind is there was an extra set of eyes watching their child. Now there is a service that provides canine assistance to autistic sufferers. 4Paws, the first autistic assistance dog agency, has dogs that can be placed with your autistic child and with a doctor’s approval no family can be turned away.
One of the most disturbing phenomena concerning autism is the child’s ability to just run away. You can be washing dishes and as soon as you turn your back your child can be gone. There are normal situations in which a autistic child can make very dangerous. They can fall into a pool or run into traffic and you would hardly know they were gone. An autistic assistance dog would alert you if your autistic child was to deviate from their normal pattern. Either by barking or by gaining your attention physically, the autistic assistance dog will give you enough warning to catch the child before they put themselves into danger.
Not only will the dog alert you that the child is missing but they will help you track and find the child. The bond between the child and dog is something special and that bond will instill the dog to protect and find your lost child. This relationship tends to be odd for more autistic children because the bonding process does not happen sometimes even if it is a human relationship. The communication process sometimes even excludes the parent from a loving relationship. Testimonials from parents who have received autistic assistance dogs say that they are amazed at how the animals and children interact.
Another benefit to both parents and the child is the parent’s report that the child has more feelings and compassion toward their dog then they do toward siblings or adults. The parents also state that once the dog is placed in the home, the autistic child shows less aggression and anger. In one case a parent said that there autistic child stopped showing frustration all together. Before the canine assistant the child would throw temper tantrums and physically attack the person they were angry at. Now the child, when frustrated, goes and hugs his dog until the anger goes away.
Another behavior that is trained to the assistant dog is to recognize repetitive behavior. If a child is prone to hand flapping as many autistic children demonstrate, it usually takes the touch of a parent to redirect the behavior. Now that is the dog’s responsibility. The dog will gently touch or nuzzle the child when the behavior happens and the child will learn through conditioned response that they are presenting a negative behavior and the behavior will stop.
The only reason that a dog will not be placed in your home is if your home is not suitable for the pet. The cleanliness of your home and your financial ability to own a pet is severely scrutinized. Also the safety of the pet is looked at. If your child is so violent that the dog may be injured because of a temper tantrum or other aggressive action, the agency has the right to deny you a dog or to pull the dog from your home. If you have a puppy that you would like trained to be an autism assistant dog, 4Paws does offer a school in which you, the child, and the dog will be taught to work together as a team.
One of the most disturbing phenomena concerning autism is the child’s ability to just run away. You can be washing dishes and as soon as you turn your back your child can be gone. There are normal situations in which a autistic child can make very dangerous. They can fall into a pool or run into traffic and you would hardly know they were gone. An autistic assistance dog would alert you if your autistic child was to deviate from their normal pattern. Either by barking or by gaining your attention physically, the autistic assistance dog will give you enough warning to catch the child before they put themselves into danger.
Not only will the dog alert you that the child is missing but they will help you track and find the child. The bond between the child and dog is something special and that bond will instill the dog to protect and find your lost child. This relationship tends to be odd for more autistic children because the bonding process does not happen sometimes even if it is a human relationship. The communication process sometimes even excludes the parent from a loving relationship. Testimonials from parents who have received autistic assistance dogs say that they are amazed at how the animals and children interact.
Another benefit to both parents and the child is the parent’s report that the child has more feelings and compassion toward their dog then they do toward siblings or adults. The parents also state that once the dog is placed in the home, the autistic child shows less aggression and anger. In one case a parent said that there autistic child stopped showing frustration all together. Before the canine assistant the child would throw temper tantrums and physically attack the person they were angry at. Now the child, when frustrated, goes and hugs his dog until the anger goes away.
Another behavior that is trained to the assistant dog is to recognize repetitive behavior. If a child is prone to hand flapping as many autistic children demonstrate, it usually takes the touch of a parent to redirect the behavior. Now that is the dog’s responsibility. The dog will gently touch or nuzzle the child when the behavior happens and the child will learn through conditioned response that they are presenting a negative behavior and the behavior will stop.
The only reason that a dog will not be placed in your home is if your home is not suitable for the pet. The cleanliness of your home and your financial ability to own a pet is severely scrutinized. Also the safety of the pet is looked at. If your child is so violent that the dog may be injured because of a temper tantrum or other aggressive action, the agency has the right to deny you a dog or to pull the dog from your home. If you have a puppy that you would like trained to be an autism assistant dog, 4Paws does offer a school in which you, the child, and the dog will be taught to work together as a team.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Alternative Treatments for Autism
As with most disorders and diseases there is always a claim from doctors that there is an alternative treatment. These claims can not go unchecked. The doctors who have tried alternative treatments may have found success and the treatment has just not gone through proper channels to be approved. If you are a parent of an autistic child, you might want to check into alternative treatments. If there is any chance of success or improvement in your child’s ability to communicate better or to have better social skills there is no harm in giving it a try.
One alternative treatment is the use of nalrexone. Nalrexone has had a few reports of the positive change it has made in some autistic patience. Remember there are levels of autism and the results for one child will be just about as individualized as the disorder. Nalrexone blocks the actions of the endogenous opioids which are like the endorphins that give pleasure to the brain. Research has shown that some autistic children have a high concentration of these endorphins in their brain. The improvements noted by observers of children with autism on nalrexone have included increased eye contact, better social skills, and reduction of clumsy behavior that could lead to self-injury.
When trying to use behavior altering drugs on an autistic child, you really have to look at the side effects associated with the medication. The side effects sometimes outweigh the benefits. The autistic child is wired differently than most patients. The child may need higher dosages of medication that can cause dramatic changes in their liver functions or other vital organs. The medications may have to be monitored and the dosages changed to get the desired behavior changes. More blood and lab work will have to be done to make sure that the medications are not damaging any other tissue.
The opposite might be true. People with autism have a more sensitive nervous system than most people. A lower dosage might be required, where a high dosage would overload the nervous system and have severe emotional and physical consequences. A good indicator that your child has to high of a dose of medication is that he or she will get up earlier in the morning. If this happens consult with your doctor and reduce the dosage.
Another treatment that may be unconventional is the use of acupuncture. Even those skilled in this Chinese treatment state that autism is non-curable. They do say that when they have treated autistic children with acupuncture, the parents report slight improvement. The acupuncturists theorize that the benefit comes from the neurons that the needles stimulate in the brain. There have been no research regarding acupuncture and autism and the only reports have been the ones from parents. Again, most parents are looking for anything that helps and sometimes the improvements are real and sometimes they are just manifestations of false hope.
As with any new treatment, you should consult with your doctor or your team of professionals that are already assembled to help your child through treatment. Trying alternative methods and medicines alone can set up both you and your child for failure.
One alternative treatment is the use of nalrexone. Nalrexone has had a few reports of the positive change it has made in some autistic patience. Remember there are levels of autism and the results for one child will be just about as individualized as the disorder. Nalrexone blocks the actions of the endogenous opioids which are like the endorphins that give pleasure to the brain. Research has shown that some autistic children have a high concentration of these endorphins in their brain. The improvements noted by observers of children with autism on nalrexone have included increased eye contact, better social skills, and reduction of clumsy behavior that could lead to self-injury.
When trying to use behavior altering drugs on an autistic child, you really have to look at the side effects associated with the medication. The side effects sometimes outweigh the benefits. The autistic child is wired differently than most patients. The child may need higher dosages of medication that can cause dramatic changes in their liver functions or other vital organs. The medications may have to be monitored and the dosages changed to get the desired behavior changes. More blood and lab work will have to be done to make sure that the medications are not damaging any other tissue.
The opposite might be true. People with autism have a more sensitive nervous system than most people. A lower dosage might be required, where a high dosage would overload the nervous system and have severe emotional and physical consequences. A good indicator that your child has to high of a dose of medication is that he or she will get up earlier in the morning. If this happens consult with your doctor and reduce the dosage.
Another treatment that may be unconventional is the use of acupuncture. Even those skilled in this Chinese treatment state that autism is non-curable. They do say that when they have treated autistic children with acupuncture, the parents report slight improvement. The acupuncturists theorize that the benefit comes from the neurons that the needles stimulate in the brain. There have been no research regarding acupuncture and autism and the only reports have been the ones from parents. Again, most parents are looking for anything that helps and sometimes the improvements are real and sometimes they are just manifestations of false hope.
As with any new treatment, you should consult with your doctor or your team of professionals that are already assembled to help your child through treatment. Trying alternative methods and medicines alone can set up both you and your child for failure.
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