April Is Autism Awareness Month!

Spread the word. Helping the autism community can be as easy as updating your Facebook or Twitter status! On April 1, the Autism Society is asking supporters to change their status on Facebook and/or Twitter to “Autism affects 1 in 110.

If you have facebook there is an "Event" created to wear blue on April 2, 2010 to support Autism Awareness , here is the link:

Wearing Blue for World Autism Awareness Day!!! April 2, 2010

Imagine on Friday April 2 being a part of something so powerful! Going through your day and seeing all the people in blue who care about someone affected by autism. Imagine when our wonderful children see all that blue is for them!!

Asking all Facebook Friends to wear Blue on Friday April 2!! So wherever you are in the world, as you go about your day....help raise Autism Awareness....Mark Your Calendar!!!!

**This in not something you have to physically attend. By "Attending" you are showing your support for Autism Awareness. Just wear your BLUE on that day and that's all you do! This is actually one event that is very easy to attend!! Thank You for your support and thank you for caring about the very special kids,adults and families affected by autism :)

Here is a song called "I'm In Here - The Anthem For Autism

"It's a song from a personal place. I'm in Here will touch people's hearts and help raise funds and awareness for autism. It's attracting attention from listeners around the world.

The song is sung from the point of view of a child with autism communicating to a loved one.

'I'm in here when the joy turns to crying, see the world through my eyes for just a moment in time," say the lyrics to I'm in Here. "I'm in here, oh don't you know I'm trying to find the way to show you who I am.'"

Video also posted on You Tube

Some Fun Activities For Autistic Children

Autistic children need challenging, yet fun, activities that they can participate in on a daily basis.

Should they be expected to participate in all of the activities that other children engage in?

Of course not,

but there are numerous activities for autistic children to enjoy. Before you expect your autistic child or student to jump right in to the latest activity, consider the following:

Activity Considerations

Participants-Who else is participating in this activity? Is it the whole class, one or two students, or is this an individual activity? If you expect several students to perform the activity together, choose the group members wisely. Look for children that will be especially helpful to the autistic child. Be sure and monitor all of the participants, and be on the lookout for children who might try to ridicule the child with autism.

Activity level-What type of activity will the child be participating in? Will the child need to have good coordination skills? Will it put him at a continuous disadvantage next to the other children? Does it require skills that he doesn't have or hasn't had the opportunity or time to learn?

Potential problems-Are there any potential problems that might occur with the activity? For example, will the noise level be increased? Excessive noise can often be troublesome for children with autism. While the activity might be organized, will the intensity of it be a disturbance for the child, causing him a high level of stress? Is physical contact a necessary factor of the game? If so, this might also present a problem as some autistic people tend to shy away from or become extremely disturbed by prolonged physical contact.

***Activities for autistic children should be fun and engaging, but if they become a source of frustration instead, the benefits of the action may be lost.

Selecting Activities for Autistic Children

Consider an autistic child's capabilities, interests, and aptitude as you search for appropriate activities for him or her to enjoy.

Sensory activities-Games that include the senses are often enjoyed by these children. For example, play the game "I Spy" with your children. Describe the object that you are looking at, and see if the children can find and name that object from your description.

Songs and poems-Children often like the sing-song way in which a poem sounds, and they may also enjoy the repetition of certain songs. Choose several songs and/or poems to teach them, and use these every day. You can also incorporate some physical activities with these songs by jumping, skipping, hopping, etc. to the beat of the words.

Sports-Discovering a child's love of a certain sport can open another world up to him. In many cases, close physical sports like football are difficult for autistic children to handle, but more individualized sports like golf, baseball, or even fishing may become a favorite hobby.

Art-Autistic children often find their niche in some form of the arts. This may be demonstrated through acting, drawing, painting, sketching, singing, and playing a musical instrument. Encourage this love as often as possible.

***Finally, realize that an autistic child may not know exactly what his interests and favorite activities might be, so it is up to you to introduce him to several areas of interest. Once he discovers a new hobby, he probably won't be shy about letting you know what he wants to do! Encourage him as much as possible, and let him participate with others when possible. This is an excellent way to not only encourage him to work on a particular skill or activity but to also hone his social skills as well.

All Information for this post came from: http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Activities_for_Autistic_Children This is a great source, bookmark it! :)

Autism On A Spectrum

What is an autism spectrum disorder?

Different people with autism can have very different symptoms. Health care providers think of autism as a “spectrum” disorder, a group of disorders with similar features. One person may have mild symptoms, while another may have serious symptoms. But they both have an autism spectrum disorder.

When individuals refer to the autism spectrum, they are referring to one of these five pervasive developmental disorders.

Autistic Disorder

Autistic disorder, sometimes called childhood autism or classic autism, is what most people think of when hearing the word autism. To receive a diagnosis of autistic disorder, symptoms must be present before the age of three years. Children usually have significant speech and language delays (if they are speaking at all), noticeable social deficits, apparent repetitive actions, and aren’t always well-connected with the world around them.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

Childhood disintegrative disorder is rare; it is marked by children who are on a typical developmental path for the first three years of life and then begin to experience regression. The level of regression varies between children but is usually in the significant range. The behaviors associated with childhood disintegrative disorder are similar to those of a person with autism. Childhood disintegrative disorder is more common among boys than girls.

Asperger’s Disorder

Unlike autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder is usually diagnosed in older children. It is not uncommon to have a child diagnosed as a teenager. People with Asperger’s disorder have a different type of language impairment. They may have an expansive vocabulary but have difficulties with social language and social reciprocity. Individuals with Asperger’s disorder also commonly have rigid thought and behavior and an unusually intense focus on a narrow range of interests. Children with Asperger’s disorder are often called “little professors” due to their pedantic use of speech and language.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

PDD-NOS can be a confusing diagnostic term. Individuals who meet some of the criteria for autism or Asperger’s disorder, but not all, may be diagnosed with PDD-NOS. An example would be an individual with a language delay and social impairments but lacks stereotypical and repetitive behaviors. In this case, he would not meet the criteria for an autistic disorder diagnosis but definitely falls under the umbrella of pervasive developmental disorders.

Rett’s Disorder

Almost exclusively found in females, Rett’s disorder is similar to childhood disintegrative disorder in that it is preceded by apparently normal development. However, children with Rett’s disorder begin to experience regression much earlier; usually the regression begins around six months of age. Rett’s disorder is quite rare affecting fewer than four in 10,000.

It is important to understand that pervasive developmental disorders fall on a true spectrum. One person with a diagnosis of autistic disorder can present quite differently than another with the same diagnosis.

Sources: http://autism-types.suite101.com/article.cfm/exploring_the_autism_spectrum, http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/asd.cfm

Children's Mental Health Facts Children and Adolescents with Autism

Below is an excellent article answering some FAQ on Autism. For more info listed in this article go here.

Children's Mental Health Facts
Children and Adolescents with Autism

What is autism?

Autism, also called autistic disorder, appears in early childhood, usually before age 3 (National Institutes of Health, 2001). Autism prevents children and adolescents from interacting normally with other people and affects almost every aspect of their social and psychological development.

What are the signs of autism?

Autism has a wide variety of characteristics ranging in intensity from mild to severe. One child with autism does not behave like another child with the same diagnosis. Children and adolescents with autism typically:

• Have difficulty communicating with others.
• Exhibit repetitious behaviors, such as rocking back and forth, head banging, or touching or twirling objects.
• Have a limited range of interests and activities.
• May become upset by a small change in their environment or daily routine.

In addition to these characteristics, some children with autism experience hypersensitivity to hearing, touch, smell, or taste. Symptoms of autism can be seen in early infancy, but the condition also may appear after months of normal development. In most cases, however, it is not possible to identify a specific event that triggers the disorder.

How common is autism?

Studies estimate that as many as 12 in every 10,000 children have autism or a related condition (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). Autism is three times more common in boys than in girls (National Institutes of Health, 2001).

What causes autism?

Researchers are unsure about what causes autism. Several studies suggest that autism might be caused by a combination of biological or environmental factors, or both, including viral exposure before birth, a problem with the immune system, or genetics. Many recently published scientific investigations have examined the possible connection between autism and the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. At this time, though, the available data do not appear to support a causal link.

Studies of families and twins suggest a genetic basis for the disorder. It is important for scientists to find the genes responsible for autism, if any, because this knowledge would give physicians new tools to diagnose the disorder and help scientists develop gene-based therapies.

Some studies have found that the brains of people with autism may function differently from those that are considered "normal." Research suggests that an abnormal slowing down of brain development before birth may cause autism. Studies also are looking at how autism-related problems in brain development may affect behavior later in childhood. For example, some researchers are investigating the ways in which infants with autism process information and how the disorder may lead to poor development of social skills, knowledge, and awareness.

Chemicals in the brain also may play a role in autism. As a normal brain develops, the level of serotonin, a chemical found in the brain, declines. In some children with autism, however, serotonin levels do not decline. Researchers are investigating whether this happens only to children with autism or whether other factors are involved.

What help is available for families?

Since brain development can be influenced during early childhood, the treatment of autism has a greater chance of success when initiated as early as possible. In addition, when children with autism are treated early, the cost of long-term care may be reduced. Services and treatments that may benefit children and adolescents with autism and their families include:

• Training in communication, social, learning, and self-help skills.
• Programs in which other children help to teach children with autism.
• Parent training.
• Medications to reduce symptoms related to self-injury, seizures, digestive difficulties, and attention problems.

When services are started soon after a child is diagnosed with autism, the child's language, social, and academic skills and abilities may be greatly improved. On the other hand, some children and adolescents do not respond well to treatment or may experience negative side effects from autism medications. Recent data suggest that some of the newer antipsychotic drugs may have fewer side effects than conventional drugs, but more studies are needed before experts can determine any possible safety advantages over traditional treatments.

What can parents do?

Parents or other caregivers concerned about a child who shows symptoms of autism should:

• Talk with a health care provider about their concerns. He or she can help to determine whether the symptoms are caused by autism, a related disorder, or another condition. If necessary, the health care provider can refer the family to a mental health expert who specializes in treating persons with autism.
• Get accurate information from libraries, hotlines, or other sources.
• Ask questions about treatments and services.
• Talk to other families in their communities who are coping with autism.
• Find family network organizations.

People who are not satisfied with the mental health care they receive should discuss their concerns with the provider, ask for information, and/or seek help from other sources.

This is one of many fact sheets in a series on children's mental health disorders. All the fact sheets listed below are written in an easy-to-read style. Families, caretakers, and media professionals may find them helpful when researching particular mental health disorders. To obtain free copies, call 1-800-789-2647 or visit http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/child.

**For more info on this Article go here: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/ca-0009/default.asp

Autism Screening Quiz For Children

Autism Screening Quiz

Does your child have any symptoms of autism?

Try this Autism Screening Quiz from the people at About.com

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/autism/l/bl_autism.htm


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