Fixation is a common characteristic in the behavior of an autistic child. The child may be fixated on a book, a picture, a person, maps, music, numbers, or a movie. Whatever the fixation, the high functioning autistic child will become a resident expert on the subject. They will memorize and will be able to regurgitate in rote the exact amount of information they are fixated on. They may even to be able to read music aloud by sounding out the notes or something more simplistic, your child may be fixated by a music artist and have all their songs memorized.
Fixations can be a good thing. The old method of taking the fixation away from the child has been replaced with the idea of using the fixation to facilitate learning. If a child is fixated on a certain television cartoon, turn the sound off and let them read through close captioning what is going on. If they all the words to the program they are fixated on, they will soon begin to associate the words with actual audio sound. Not only does this placate the fixation, but it uses the fixation to stimulate learning in a new medium.
A little know fact about communication and fixation was what the autistic child looked at when they fixated. A research study that looked at video tapes of autistic children interacting during play showed that most of the time during verbal communication the child would fixate of objects instead of faces. When the child finally gave the person talking eye contact, the item of fixation was the mouth instead of the eyes. You can use this fact to be conscious of how your mouth moves when you are talking. If you get a positive reaction from a word, it may not be the word that motivates your child; it may be the position in which your mouth was in.
The eye contact problem has been addressed by research and the fixation of the mouth area mystery has been solved. Researchers say that the amygdale is responsible for creating a fear by looking in a person’s eye. Can you imagine not being able to look anybody in the eye because your brain registers their eyes as a threat? This is sad because for years teachers and parents have emphasized eye contact as a behavior change when actually they were making the students learn to deal with their terror.
Remember that fixation may be much more involved than just an over exuberant liking of one thing or another. The fixation may be a bridge between understanding and association. The fixation can be manipulated to a learning experience that not only contains the fixation information but adds everyday concepts to the fixation experience. Use all the senses when presenting something about the fixation and the concepts you want addressed. Let there be smells, visions, sound, and touch. If one sense does not make the connection then maybe the other sense will pick it up.
The fixation is not just misplaced attention to one subject. It is something that they can grasp and of course they are going to like it when they are actually communicating knowledge they are going to be successful at. Their brain has finally found a place of function and normalcy. To stifle their creative and learning experience by taking away their fixation may be a huge mistake. If the fixation is healthy and no a danger to the child, then embrace it and expand on it. The fixation and the concepts you teach in the alignment of that fixation can make your child’s life easier and happier.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Difference Between Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism
According to the DSM-IV classifications asperger’s syndrome and autism are two separate disorders. There is debate however because aspergers and autism exhibit some of the same symptoms. The argument is that aspergers is a form an autism and should not be listed as a separate entity when diagnosing the disorder or when devising treatment. The argument relies on the idea that since there is no distinct criteria for either disorder and they are both persuasive developmental disorders they should be treated the same.
The argument about name is not just an argument on syntax, but an argument for services and label. The services for an autistic child are far more extended than a child diagnosed with asperger’s syndrome. The group that wants to keep the labels different look at the argument from a research based idea. They want to see both syndromes separate because research and treatment will follow two different paths and the benefits of one path might bleed over to the other. This way is there is a break through in asperger’s syndrome, that break through may help the autistic child.
According to the DSM-IV the diagnosis for both disorders are very similar. The clinicians who diagnosis the patient looks at the severity of the symptoms and diagnose on the severity of certain symptoms and the lack of severity in others. This gives the doctor some leeway in the diagnoses but also leads to the idea that the diagnoses is not a stringent as it appears or needs to be. The DSM-IV proponents argue that there needs to be more criteria in the guidelines for both disorders in order to make a correct diagnosis and a correct treatment plan.
The major distinction that now can be read from the manual is that autism, a communication disorder, does not allow the child to communicate normally. This is different in an asperger’s child because the asperger’s child may not understand the communication that is presented to them. The autistic child understands but is not able to neither respond to the communication nor give the proper response that is socially acceptable. With an entire list of specifications for the disorder, it is sketchy that this one ill defined symptom can be the separating point.
Another sticky difference between the disorders is the patient’s ability to have an average intelligence. Some autistic children are mentally retarded. Though not all, some have met the criteria that their IQ is below the measured rating of mental retardation which is 69. The asperger’s child cannot be diagnosed with the disorder if they have IQ with is 69 points or lower. Most asperger’s children have average to above average intelligences. This is another argument. How many children that have asperger’s syndrome are diagnosed as autistic just because they have a score that labels them as mentally retarded? There is room for a lot of misdiagnosis and because of that there are a lot of children that are in the wrong treatment programs.
If you are a parent of an autistic child that has a below average IQ, you might want to look in to petitioning the diagnosis if the programs for as asperger’s syndrome child is more beneficial for your child. Just because your child has the diagnosis of autism, the case can be reviewed and with time and patience, you can find a team that will make an alternative diagnoses.
The argument about name is not just an argument on syntax, but an argument for services and label. The services for an autistic child are far more extended than a child diagnosed with asperger’s syndrome. The group that wants to keep the labels different look at the argument from a research based idea. They want to see both syndromes separate because research and treatment will follow two different paths and the benefits of one path might bleed over to the other. This way is there is a break through in asperger’s syndrome, that break through may help the autistic child.
According to the DSM-IV the diagnosis for both disorders are very similar. The clinicians who diagnosis the patient looks at the severity of the symptoms and diagnose on the severity of certain symptoms and the lack of severity in others. This gives the doctor some leeway in the diagnoses but also leads to the idea that the diagnoses is not a stringent as it appears or needs to be. The DSM-IV proponents argue that there needs to be more criteria in the guidelines for both disorders in order to make a correct diagnosis and a correct treatment plan.
The major distinction that now can be read from the manual is that autism, a communication disorder, does not allow the child to communicate normally. This is different in an asperger’s child because the asperger’s child may not understand the communication that is presented to them. The autistic child understands but is not able to neither respond to the communication nor give the proper response that is socially acceptable. With an entire list of specifications for the disorder, it is sketchy that this one ill defined symptom can be the separating point.
Another sticky difference between the disorders is the patient’s ability to have an average intelligence. Some autistic children are mentally retarded. Though not all, some have met the criteria that their IQ is below the measured rating of mental retardation which is 69. The asperger’s child cannot be diagnosed with the disorder if they have IQ with is 69 points or lower. Most asperger’s children have average to above average intelligences. This is another argument. How many children that have asperger’s syndrome are diagnosed as autistic just because they have a score that labels them as mentally retarded? There is room for a lot of misdiagnosis and because of that there are a lot of children that are in the wrong treatment programs.
If you are a parent of an autistic child that has a below average IQ, you might want to look in to petitioning the diagnosis if the programs for as asperger’s syndrome child is more beneficial for your child. Just because your child has the diagnosis of autism, the case can be reviewed and with time and patience, you can find a team that will make an alternative diagnoses.
The Autism Society of America
The Autism Society of America or ASA is an organization that encompasses an army of volunteers that staff a website that provides information on autism and collects donations for research and other positive autism outlets. The ASA has not only vowed to help in the education, advocacy, and treatment of autistic individuals, but they have also vowed to help the parents and the experts facilitate information of autistic issues and at the same time build a support group to help both autistic children and their families.
The ASA has continued this mission in their mission statement which declares that they will try to be the number one resource in the collection and distribution of autistic information that is presented. They intend to keep the integrity of the autistic individual intact as well as protecting the autistic community as a whole. They pledge to have a respectful communication of ideas that are positive in the needs of the autistic population and at the same time to disclaim any misinformation or myths that evolve around autism.
Stating in 1965 with a handful of parents, ASA has grown into the world’s leadinr in providing information, presenting research, and providing as much reference about autism then any other source. ASA has over 200,000 members and at least 200 chapters in the United States and around the world. Not only does the ASA provide information for the teachers, parents, and individuals with autism, they also have created programs of public awareness. The more the public knows about autism, the less chance misinformation or defamatory actions will take place.
The ASA offers scholarships and rewards to students and individuals who are actively participating in the ongoing research and collection of information on autism. The scholarships may help the student or individuals pay for schooling or to continue research. There are other scholarships that deal with just funding for schooling of autistic students that need funds or who have excelled academically at a higher level of learning. Awards also go out to autism organizations of the year, parents of the year, an autistic student of the year, and the autism professional of the year. These efforts go to recognize these individuals and to encourage more participation in the autism effort.
The store at ASA doesn’t have many items, only four, but if you are sincere about autism they are of great worth. They offer a support autism research rubber wristband that will tell the public about your conviction to rid the world of autism. They offer an Autism for Dummies books which breaks down the mystery of autism in layman’s language. This resource can help both teachers and parents. They also offer a reference guide for autism in Spanish. Autism is not localized to any race, nationality, or religion. This guide provides information for the large Hispanic community that is present in the world. If you are really into the goings on of the ASA, the 2005 and 2006 autism conferences on audio so you can listen to the discussions live.
The site needs volunteers and supporters. Even if you are not an autistic parent, the ASA can offer you the opportunity to be apart of something greater than the individual. Sign up and participate today and maybe autism will be eradicated with your effort or donation.
The ASA has continued this mission in their mission statement which declares that they will try to be the number one resource in the collection and distribution of autistic information that is presented. They intend to keep the integrity of the autistic individual intact as well as protecting the autistic community as a whole. They pledge to have a respectful communication of ideas that are positive in the needs of the autistic population and at the same time to disclaim any misinformation or myths that evolve around autism.
Stating in 1965 with a handful of parents, ASA has grown into the world’s leadinr in providing information, presenting research, and providing as much reference about autism then any other source. ASA has over 200,000 members and at least 200 chapters in the United States and around the world. Not only does the ASA provide information for the teachers, parents, and individuals with autism, they also have created programs of public awareness. The more the public knows about autism, the less chance misinformation or defamatory actions will take place.
The ASA offers scholarships and rewards to students and individuals who are actively participating in the ongoing research and collection of information on autism. The scholarships may help the student or individuals pay for schooling or to continue research. There are other scholarships that deal with just funding for schooling of autistic students that need funds or who have excelled academically at a higher level of learning. Awards also go out to autism organizations of the year, parents of the year, an autistic student of the year, and the autism professional of the year. These efforts go to recognize these individuals and to encourage more participation in the autism effort.
The store at ASA doesn’t have many items, only four, but if you are sincere about autism they are of great worth. They offer a support autism research rubber wristband that will tell the public about your conviction to rid the world of autism. They offer an Autism for Dummies books which breaks down the mystery of autism in layman’s language. This resource can help both teachers and parents. They also offer a reference guide for autism in Spanish. Autism is not localized to any race, nationality, or religion. This guide provides information for the large Hispanic community that is present in the world. If you are really into the goings on of the ASA, the 2005 and 2006 autism conferences on audio so you can listen to the discussions live.
The site needs volunteers and supporters. Even if you are not an autistic parent, the ASA can offer you the opportunity to be apart of something greater than the individual. Sign up and participate today and maybe autism will be eradicated with your effort or donation.
Teaching Autistic Children
If you are a parent of an autistic child you need to put your child in a structured environment as soon as he or she is diagnosed. Studies have proved that a structured environment that provides nurturing and teaching is the best method to start to teach the social skills and behavior redirection that your child needs. This can be an exhausting job for a parent that leaves no time for personal relaxation or freedom of the stress it takes in raising such a child. A team effort needs to be extended from other professionals that service the child to turn taking between siblings and parents.
Your child will probably start formal public school at around the age of five or six. Before this age, structure and instruction is critical for the child to development within their abilities. You as a parent need to structure your day as well so that you have time to deal with daily tasks and find some kind or recreation outside your child’s life. Recreation for the parents is important for the parent’s mental well being as well as quality of life. First you have to come up with a plan with realistic goals. You need to know what activities your child will participate in what they will learn from it. You also need to plan
When teaching your autistic child, remember not to use a long strand of phrases. It is best to give clear concise ideas that go together. You might want to add tags to the meanings of the phrases. For example if you are teaching the difference from left to right and the words left to right. Affix a piece of paper to yours or your child’s hand with words left and right on them. Most autistic children do not see in words, they see in pictures. With the paper placed on the hands, not only does the child see the movement of the hands but can associate the words left and right with it.
After awhile you will notice that your child is good at something such as drawing or building blocks. You have to be creative, but find someway of including what they are good at into the lesson you wish them to learn. Maybe you are teaching them the word me. Find a picture of your child and put the word me on it. Have the child draw a picture of themselves and to finish the drawing have them write me on the picture. This may be a repetitive process and you may have to change it up a little, but eventually the concept will be learned.
If you notice you child is fixated on something like a book, movie, or map, again put that fixation to work with you. Earlier in this e-book the story of a autistic boy’s fixation with the Titanic was discussed. The teacher or parent could use characters and actions of the Titanic story to reinforce behavior, concepts, or social skills. Again you will have to be creative and this type of teaching is not the norm for most educators. You have to think outside of the box as the child is trying to not only get the message from inside the box, but to find the box in the first place.
If you are teaching reading do not concentrate on one form of instruction. Some autistic children can learn by phonics and some by sight words. Do not restrict your method of instruction. Try both methods to see which one is right for your child. Research has shown that a combination of sight words and phonics can be a very successful for the non-autistic student and it might be a good start to get your child the way to reading and comprehension.
Sounds and visual distractions are other areas for concern when teaching the autistic child. Sounds such as school bells are fire alarms can hurt their ears and cause either a violent reaction or bad behavior. Record the sounds that the child should be used to and then let them playback the sounds at the volume of their choice. When they are comfortable with one sound, encourage them to increase the volume the volume until they can take the sound at the volume it will occur. Visual stimulation is also a problem for the autistic child. Place them at a desk with blinders and very little visual stimulation except for the task that they are doing. Even the flickering of fluorescent lighting can cause the mind and the eyes to wander from their intended task.
If you are trying to teach eye contact during conversation, physical activity or interaction is best. Swinging has been shown to increase eye contact. Only when the child wants to swing should the parent or teacher use this method. As the child is swinging talk to them. The motion that is fluid in front of them and their peripheral vision will be to much for them to concentrate on. The swinging motion will force the child to give you eye contact as you talk to them. This method takes a long time to work so the teacher or parent has to have patience and perseverance.
Don’t just rely on sound and sight to teach your autistic child. You may want to try touch, especially if the child is older and the other two senses are not helping. If you want to teach your child numbers and he or she is not getting it. Try to make or buy some plastic numbers. Give them a plastic number and let them hear the word of the number. As they feel it, some connection might be made to the word and their association of touch along with the verbal connection might be enough for them to learn the word of a number. You can come up with many kinds of manipulatives, but if one doesn’t work then change the manipulative before the child learns the wrong concept.
The chapter was started with the idea that the parent had to schedule teaching time in their child’s and their schedule. It might be a good idea to hire a nanny or baby sitter particularly trained to teach a concept. It might even be for two to three hours a day. This will give you time to get your daily tasks complete and at the same time you know your child is being looked after by someone who is sensitive to their condition. A good activity that might work well for a nanny would just be playtime. She could teach concepts like taking turns, winning and losing, and following specific rules of the game. The child could have a social interaction lesson while you go to the grocery store or get your hair done.
Remember the education and the educational schedule for your child is important, but you have to have some ‘me’ time. Even if you have the patience of a god, anyone will be worn down by the constant attention to their child. If a child has speech therapy for an hour a day, schedule yourself a nap, a reading time, or just time to take a hot bath during that time. You have to break yourself away from being the constant care giver. Sure you can do it, but the stress and mental anguish you would suffer would not be a good thing for you or your child’s education. You can’t give up eighteen or more years of your life just to be a hero to your child. You know you can do it, but schedule time for yourself.
Your child will probably start formal public school at around the age of five or six. Before this age, structure and instruction is critical for the child to development within their abilities. You as a parent need to structure your day as well so that you have time to deal with daily tasks and find some kind or recreation outside your child’s life. Recreation for the parents is important for the parent’s mental well being as well as quality of life. First you have to come up with a plan with realistic goals. You need to know what activities your child will participate in what they will learn from it. You also need to plan
When teaching your autistic child, remember not to use a long strand of phrases. It is best to give clear concise ideas that go together. You might want to add tags to the meanings of the phrases. For example if you are teaching the difference from left to right and the words left to right. Affix a piece of paper to yours or your child’s hand with words left and right on them. Most autistic children do not see in words, they see in pictures. With the paper placed on the hands, not only does the child see the movement of the hands but can associate the words left and right with it.
After awhile you will notice that your child is good at something such as drawing or building blocks. You have to be creative, but find someway of including what they are good at into the lesson you wish them to learn. Maybe you are teaching them the word me. Find a picture of your child and put the word me on it. Have the child draw a picture of themselves and to finish the drawing have them write me on the picture. This may be a repetitive process and you may have to change it up a little, but eventually the concept will be learned.
If you notice you child is fixated on something like a book, movie, or map, again put that fixation to work with you. Earlier in this e-book the story of a autistic boy’s fixation with the Titanic was discussed. The teacher or parent could use characters and actions of the Titanic story to reinforce behavior, concepts, or social skills. Again you will have to be creative and this type of teaching is not the norm for most educators. You have to think outside of the box as the child is trying to not only get the message from inside the box, but to find the box in the first place.
If you are teaching reading do not concentrate on one form of instruction. Some autistic children can learn by phonics and some by sight words. Do not restrict your method of instruction. Try both methods to see which one is right for your child. Research has shown that a combination of sight words and phonics can be a very successful for the non-autistic student and it might be a good start to get your child the way to reading and comprehension.
Sounds and visual distractions are other areas for concern when teaching the autistic child. Sounds such as school bells are fire alarms can hurt their ears and cause either a violent reaction or bad behavior. Record the sounds that the child should be used to and then let them playback the sounds at the volume of their choice. When they are comfortable with one sound, encourage them to increase the volume the volume until they can take the sound at the volume it will occur. Visual stimulation is also a problem for the autistic child. Place them at a desk with blinders and very little visual stimulation except for the task that they are doing. Even the flickering of fluorescent lighting can cause the mind and the eyes to wander from their intended task.
If you are trying to teach eye contact during conversation, physical activity or interaction is best. Swinging has been shown to increase eye contact. Only when the child wants to swing should the parent or teacher use this method. As the child is swinging talk to them. The motion that is fluid in front of them and their peripheral vision will be to much for them to concentrate on. The swinging motion will force the child to give you eye contact as you talk to them. This method takes a long time to work so the teacher or parent has to have patience and perseverance.
Don’t just rely on sound and sight to teach your autistic child. You may want to try touch, especially if the child is older and the other two senses are not helping. If you want to teach your child numbers and he or she is not getting it. Try to make or buy some plastic numbers. Give them a plastic number and let them hear the word of the number. As they feel it, some connection might be made to the word and their association of touch along with the verbal connection might be enough for them to learn the word of a number. You can come up with many kinds of manipulatives, but if one doesn’t work then change the manipulative before the child learns the wrong concept.
The chapter was started with the idea that the parent had to schedule teaching time in their child’s and their schedule. It might be a good idea to hire a nanny or baby sitter particularly trained to teach a concept. It might even be for two to three hours a day. This will give you time to get your daily tasks complete and at the same time you know your child is being looked after by someone who is sensitive to their condition. A good activity that might work well for a nanny would just be playtime. She could teach concepts like taking turns, winning and losing, and following specific rules of the game. The child could have a social interaction lesson while you go to the grocery store or get your hair done.
Remember the education and the educational schedule for your child is important, but you have to have some ‘me’ time. Even if you have the patience of a god, anyone will be worn down by the constant attention to their child. If a child has speech therapy for an hour a day, schedule yourself a nap, a reading time, or just time to take a hot bath during that time. You have to break yourself away from being the constant care giver. Sure you can do it, but the stress and mental anguish you would suffer would not be a good thing for you or your child’s education. You can’t give up eighteen or more years of your life just to be a hero to your child. You know you can do it, but schedule time for yourself.
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