These statistics are alarming to parents. By arming themselves with knowledge, parents can be prepared to distinguish between behaviors that are typical for a developing child and behaviors that need special attention.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means every person with autism is different. At one end of the spectrum, people with Asperger’s Disorder have trouble interacting in social environments but can live very independent lives. At the other end of the spectrum, someone diagnosed with Rett’s Disorder may need constant care.

How do parents know if their child should be evaluated for autism? There are some significant red flags which may indicate that an evaluation is appropriate. “Parents usually identify concerns between the ages of 18 months to 3 years, although we have seen children as young as 3 months at Fraser,” says Pat Pulice, a licensed psychologist and autism services director at Minneapolis-based Fraser, a leading provider of autism services. Below are some signs of autism that parents should know.

* Communication – Children with autism may experience delayed or lack of language development. Their use of words and gestures is unusual. They may use words with no meaning or gesture instead of using words. They may repeat words or phrases in place of responsive, back and forth communication. “A parent who sees a significant regression may want to consider an evaluation at a place like Fraser,” says Pulice.

* Social Interaction – Children with autism often spend much of their time alone. They may be less responsive to social cues and interacting with others may be difficult. Often, displaying emotions (laughing, crying) that others don’t understand is common. They may find it difficult to relate to others and may be unable to make eye contact.

* Sensory Impairment – Children with autism often have sensitivity in sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Parents might notice this if their child starts crying when exposed to bright lights or loud sounds or refuses to eat food of a certain color or texture. Children may also dislike being touched and overreact to pain or not react at all.

* Play – Children with autism may not be able to play with their toys in an imaginative way, instead playing with their toys in odd, unusual ways. They may spin toys or line them up or have an inappropriate attachment to them.

* Behaviors – A child with autism may be overactive or passive, have tantrums, may have no fear of danger, may show aggression and may be resistant to change. They often have repetitive behaviors such as hand-flapping that identify their excitement or upset.

“Parents are often the best judges of whether their child is developing normally,” says Pulice. If you suspect your child is not developing on schedule, talk to your pediatrician. And always remember a clinical diagnosis is not the end. Types of therapies available include day treatment for children as young as preschool age, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, music therapy, feeding therapy and social language groups.

“There is hope for children with autism,” says Pulice. “At Fraser, we see children learning new skills and improving every day. Many therapies are very effective in helping children to gain skills like verbalization, social interactions and how to calm themselves. What is most important is to identify the needs early and find appropriate treatment. With treatment, children with autism can learn to manage or overcome many of the challenges they face.”

For information on autism and other developmental disabilities, visit www.fraser.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

If your child is between the ages of 6 and 17, has autistic disorder and exhibits tantrums, aggression and/or self-injuring behavior, you may want to learn more. As autism becomes more prevalent, the need for meaningful research and increased understanding grows……..

please visit Autism Lets Talk About It for more details about the trial. The trial is being run by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

By Brandon KeimJanuary 08, 2008 |

The mercury-containing vaccine additive thimerosal is not a primary cause of autism, says a study published yesterday in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

High doses of thimerosal were used throughout the 1990’s in infant vaccines before being largely removed from U.S. supplies in 1999. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, and some people have blamed it for the dramatic, tragic rise of autism in the United States.

Yesterday’s study, authored by California Department of Public Health researchers Robert Schechter and Judith Grether, used California Department of Developmental Services data to track rates of autism diagnoses since thimerosal’s removal. If thimerosal was responsible for the autism epidemic, there would ostensibly have been a drop in diagnoses in children born after the 1999 removal — but that’s not what they saw. The numbers continued to rise.

To read more: 

The autism spectrum disorders are more common in the pediatric population than are some better known disorders such as diabetes, spinal bifida, or Down syndrome.2 Prevalence studies have been done in several states and also in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia. A recent study of a U.S. metropolitan area estimated that 3.4 of every 1,000 children 3-10 years old had autism.3 This wide range of prevalence points to a need for earlier and more accurate screening for the symptoms of ASD. The earlier the disorder is diagnosed, the sooner the child can be helped through treatment interventions. Pediatricians, family physicians, daycare providers, teachers, and parents may initially dismiss signs of ASD, optimistically thinking the child is just a little slow and will “catch up.” Although early intervention has a dramatic impact on reducing symptoms and increasing a child’s ability to grow and learn new skills, it is estimated that only 50 percent of children are diagnosed before kindergarten.

All children with ASD demonstrate deficits in 1) social interaction, 2) verbal and nonverbal communication, and 3) repetitive behaviors or interests. In addition, they will often have unusual responses to sensory experiences, such as certain sounds or the way objects look. Each of these symptoms runs the gamut from mild to severe. They will present in each individual child differently. For instance, a child may have little trouble learning to read but exhibit extremely poor social interaction. Each child will display communication, social, and behavioral patterns that are individual but fit into the overall diagnosis of ASD.

Children with ASD do not follow the typical patterns of child development. In some children, hints of future problems may be apparent from birth. In most cases, the problems in communication and social skills become more noticeable as the child lags further behind other children the same age. Some other children start off well enough. Oftentimes between 12 and 36 months old, the differences in the way they react to people and other unusual behaviors become apparent. Some parents report the change as being sudden, and that their children start to reject people, act strangely, and lose language and social skills they had previously acquired. In other cases, there is a plateau, or leveling, of progress so that the difference between the child with autism and other children the same age becomes more noticeable.

ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors that can range from the very mild to the severe.

Possible Indicators of Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Does not babble, point, or make meaningful gestures by 1 year of age
• Does not speak one word by 16 months
• Does not combine two words by 2 years
• Does not respond to name
• Loses language or social skills

Some Other Indicators

• Poor eye contact
• Doesn’t seem to know how to play with toys
• Excessively lines up toys or other objects
• Is attached to one particular toy or object
• Doesn’t smile
• At times seems to be hearing impaired

More of this report located here

People with Autism feel many difference senses at once and have no way to divide the different senses. This means that it makes the child or adult have a very hard time trying to figure out how to speak or even notice other people unless talked to directly or by calling their name aloud. Even then, some Autistic children will not respond. Although some children and adults that suffer from Autism are able to communicate not everyone is this fortunate. Make sure to take the proper steps so that you can have conversations with your Autism child and help your Autistic child grow up to be an adult who can function on their own. Often you will need to repeat lessons over and over until your child understands remembers and responds to the lessons that you are giving your child. Many parents are afraid that their child or adult that is suffering from Autism can never get better. This is often not the case so do not lose hope. Make sure to try and communicate with your Autistic child or sibling every single day as this will help them able to understand and be able to respond to what you are saying a lot faster.

Play is important when a child has autism. It will teach them to interact better than they already do and they can learn new skills and have a lot of fun in the mean time. Here are some main reasons why play is important to a child with autism:

• For a child, play is a child’s work. It is a good way for them to learn about their world and where they live.
• For a child with autism, play allows a child to learn and practice new skills in every area of their life that they might need.
• If a child with autism plays, it provides the child with a chance to interact with other people in their environment.
• During ‘Down Time,’ play promotes independence.
• Play is a good way for a child to build up confidence and ability.
• Playing with toys can replace non-functional play, if they learn how to play properly with toys that is.

And finally, the most important reason why play is important for a child is because it is fun! How does play differ for a child with a development disorder? Play for a lot of children with a development disorder is important. Most of the play that the child does will differ. Some different ways it can be different are:

• It is ritualistic.
• It can be non-functional.
• It is repetitive.
• There are limited interests.
• It is rigid.
• It is spontaneous.

Selecting Toys? Selecting the right toys for your autistic child is very important. If you get it wrong, you could bring some implications for both you and your autistic child. Here are some important reasons why you need to pick the right toys for your child.

• You can pick toys that relate to your child’s interests.
• You can choose toys that provide the same sensory input but in a more appropriate way if your child engages in non-functional behavior.
• You can choose toys that match your child’s development level.

Teaching Tips: Some good tips to teach your child how to play and live well are as follows.

• If you need to change the rules to make the play for your child simpler in the beginning, then don’t be afraid to do so.
• Teach small steps at a time which will lead to big gains form your child.
• To make the program a success, provide prompts/help as it is needed to ensure that your child continues in their quest to be a successful and motivated child.
• Finally, know when to end a play session. Don’t be afraid to do it and risk upsetting the child, or to stop it when they are enjoying it.

At the early age of between birth and 3 years old in age, few people connected with the autistic child think as far ahead as adulthood for the child. Most parents are thinking about how their lives will have to change to accommodate and support the autistic child. Parents of the children that have special needs often become quickly familiar with the testing, assessing, considering diagnoses, reconsidering diagnoses, getting services, advocating for their child, and staying on top of everything that is needed to be kept on top of. Although it might take a long time for the parents to adjust to the new lifestyle that they will have to lead, some time during the child’s life you expect that they will get the right ingredients for the child and put them on the right track. This is when you can feel assured you have done everything within your power to make sure your child is as happy as possible.

What might be a stunning and possibly devastating discovery for a parent is if their adult child might have the disorder. Beginning to suspect that your adult child might have a diagnosis that you thought would never happen as they are over 3 years of age can be heart wrenching. What if you find out your 21 year old daughter or son has the disorder, even after living a very healthy and prosperous life? Children, who may have been diagnosed with LD and ADD and serviced by the school district for these problems, may end up with autism as adults. How would finding this out about a child you have seen grow up for 21 years living a normal life and interact with other people in a fine manner affect you? Would it make you think that while they were growing up, that you did something to affect them that has made them this way? It happens to a lot of people who have grown up through life not having any signs of the disorder only to find out they have it when they are in their 20’s or 30’s. What is Autism / Autism Spectrum? Autism is a neurodevelopment disorder. It causes an improper development of a gland in the human brain that creates a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin has many uses for the body, including regulating the feelings of pleasure in the body. This can cause autism patients to enjoy weird pressures on their bodies. People with Autism feel the feedback from their senses in a completely different way than normal people. They have difficulty developing communication skills as well as basic motor skills.

There is no known cure for autism. To relieve the symptoms of autism, some parents and providers may use treatments that are outside of what is typically recommended by their pediatrician. These types of treatments are known as complementary and alternative treatments or CAM. They may include special diets, chelation (a treatment to remove heavy metals like lead from the body), biologicals (e.g., secretin), or body-based systems (like deep pressure).NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) defines CAM as a group of different medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not part of conventional medicine. NCCAM divides complementary and alternative treatments into five categories:

• Alternative medical systems (e.g., homeopathy or Chinese medicine)
• Mind-body interventions (e.g., meditation, dance therapy, auditory integration)
• Biologically based therapies (e.g., using herbs, foods, and vitamins)
• Manipulative and body-based methods (e.g., deep pressure, craniosacral therapy)
• Energy therapies (e.g., reiki, electromagnetic fields, etc.)

There have been efforts to develop a protocol for biomedical interventions for ASD. There are anecdotal reports of success with individual children; however, before this approach can be recommended as a standard treatment, more research is needed on the safety and effectiveness of the various treatments for a variety of people with ASD.

To learn more about CAM therapies, go to the NCCAM Get The Facts web page.

These types of treatments are very controversial. Current research shows that as many as one third of children with autism may have tried complementary or alternative medicine treatments, and up to 10% may be using a potentially dangerous treatment. Before starting such a treatment, check it out carefully, and talk to your child’s health care professional.

For the full article on alternative treatments visit

Scientists don’t know exactly what causes autism at this time.

Much evidence supports the idea that genetic factors—that is, genes, their function, and their interactions—are one of the main underlying causes of ASDs. But, researchers aren’t looking for just one gene. Current evidence suggests that as many as 10 or more genes on different chromosomes may be involved in autism, to different degrees.

Some genes may place a person at greater risk for autism, called susceptibility. Other genes may cause specific symptoms or determine how severe those symptoms are. Or, genes with changes or mutations might add to the symptoms of autism because the genes or gene products aren’t working properly.

Research has also shown that environmental factors, such as viruses, may also play a role in causing autism.
While some researchers are examining genes and environmental factors, other researchers are looking at possible neurological, infectious, metabolic, and immunologic factors that may be involved in autism.

Because the disorder is so complex, and because no two people with autism are exactly alike, autism is probably the result of many causes.