Autism.News-Elf.com» Parenting Autistic Children : Autism and Aspergers Info

Achieving Self-control with Autism

News Elf — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:19:50 +0000

Self-discipline is a skill that most autistic children have trouble acquiring. This includes not only inappropriate outbursts, but also habits that can be potentially dangerous, such as being aggressive towards others or causing harm to themselves, such as banging their heads off walls. To prevent these and other behaviors, one technique parents and educators can use to control autistic tendencies is self-management. Giving the child power over him- or herself is often the key to keeping control over violent situations and may be a positive step towards learning other behaviors as well.

Self-management works because the child is no longer fully controlled by others. By teaching self-management during specific times of day, such as while the child is at school or therapy, the child will be more likely to continue to practicing self-control during all times of the day. The key is to implement a program in which he or she monitors his or her own behavior and activities. Begin with short amounts of time, and continue to monitor the child from a more passive standpoint. Every ten to fifteen minutes remind the child that he or she is in control and needs to monitor and be aware of good and bad behavior.

This monitoring is a form of self-evaluation. When a child is in control, he or she may think more closely about behavior in the past and present. Set clear goals with the child-for example, an afternoon with no aggression towards others or a day at school with no self-injury. Every fifteen minutes ask the child how he or she is doing. Is the goal being met? If the answer is no, perhaps the child is not ready for self-management, or perhaps the goals are too unattainable. You want to make sure that the goals are easy to reach at first, and then move the child towards more difficult goals in the future. When a child is successful at self-monitoring, he or she will have a more positive attitude towards the experience.

Of course, an important part of self-management is a rewards system. Have the child come up with his or her own reward, depending on interest. Reinforcement will make these good behavior goals more clearly marked in the child’s mind, and by choosing and rewarding him- or herself, the child will feel completely in control of the self-management system. Choose simple rewards to start, such as smiley faces for every goal met and sad faces for every goal not met, and work up to a larger goal, such as a special activity or new toy when a certain amount of smiley faces has been attained.

These types of programs do not develop overnight, so it is important that you and the child have enough time to devote to a self-management experience. By reinforcing good behavior with rewards, as determined by the child instead of by an adult, he or she will be more likely to carry this on even when not participating in the program. If your autistic child is mature enough, this could be a good treatment program to try.

“If you’re really worried a loved one with Autism might never truly enjoy life to the full – Then this may be the most critically important website you’ll ever read…
Essential Guide To Autism

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-health-articles/achieving-selfcontrol-with-autism-1775924.html

Autism Strategies – Living With, Loving and Caring For Autism

News Elf — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:06:34 +0000

There are perhaps close to a million children in the United States living with autism today. There is perhaps four times that number of kids that live in America with various syndromes that fall within the autism spectrum. This information is not meant to scare you; it is meant to give you strength in the realization that you are not alone.

There may not be a cure for autism just yet, but there is a lot of research that is ongoing with the greatest strides achieved only within the last couple of decades. It is only a question of time before someone finds the cause and/or the cure of the severe developmental disorder that has rendered so many children unable to enjoy their childhood, or any parts of their lives whatsoever.

But until that happens, you are going to have to live with the person in your family who is suffering from the condition that disturbs their ability to perceive things or to develop relationships. In that wise, you may want to talk to a psychiatrist or psychologist about what steps you can take, or you may want to just read on and learn ways by which you can handle the disorder without letting it handle you. You see, if you really love the victim enough and are determined to help him or her, you can, even if they don’t realize you are trying to help them. Yes, in such a situation, love and care can help far more than anything else!

Click Autism Causes and Symptoms to learn top secrets of Autism Symptoms and Signs. You will truly be shocked with the secrets contained in these links all for free!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elliott_Snow
http://EzineArticles.com/?Autism-Strategies—Living-With,-Loving-and-Caring-For-a-Sufferer-of-the-Condition&id=3181296

Autism non-verbal communication skills – reading faces in autism

News Elf — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:47:48 +0000

We all use non-verbal communication, sometimes without realizing that we are doing so, for example the way we stand or sit our posture, our facial expression, our mannerisms; we may nod or wink etc all forms of non-verbal communication.

As typically developing individuals we learn naturally how to detect and read other peoples non-verbal communication.

A baby learns that its mother will come when they cry. A toddler learns that by putting their arms up they will get picked up. A child learns how to get their parents attention or their own way! A teenager realizes how another person may feel about them from their body language…and so on as we grow our ability to read non-verbal communication increases.

However with autism non-verbal communication skills are not naturally learnt and therefore they will need to be taught these skills directly.

One of the most significant non-verbal communication skills is that of reading faces in autism this skill is missing and where as a typically developing youngster may interpret a knowing wink or frown, an autistic child will not.

Social and communication deficits are very common with autism and this is where many social blunders are made, un-knowingly an autistic child can land themselves in some pretty hot water without even realizing they have, especially in the teenage years this can lead to social isolations and anxieties.

Parents know and trust autism resources like social skills stories for helping with issues like reading faces in autism as well as teaching autism non-verbal communication skills.

Social skills stories were first introduced as a means of teaching autism non-verbal communication skills around twenty years ago by therapist Carol Gray.

Gray realized that autistic kids tend to be visual learners and therefore developed a system where social and communication skills could be honed and taught through the use of images and appropriate language.

Social skills stories have developed over the years and are now widely used by parents, teachers and professionals as a means of teaching autism non-verbal communication skills as well as social skills and behaviors, with tremendous successes. So much so that social skills stories are one of the main resources available for helping and teaching autistic kids to learn and remember social and communication skills.

Autism non-verbal communication skills greatly improve with the use of social skills stories, written by experts using first person language, appropriate text and visually rich social skills stories can be downloaded from expert run sites such as www.autismsocialstories.com and implemented quickly and efficiently. This site offers great customer support and advice as well as immediate download of 100 social skills stories which help with issues such as autism non-verbal communication skills as well as teaching social and communication skills like reading faces in autism.

Visit and gain immediate download of social skills stories

www.autismsocialstories.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/autism-nonverbal-communication-skills-reading-faces-in-autism-1212583.html

Autism and the Swine Flu Vaccine

News Elf — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:20:12 +0000

Parents of children with autism are acutely aware of what vaccines could mean for their sons and daughters. Many are concerned about routine vaccinations, but you should also be aware of the possible dangers of the swine flu, or Influenza A(H1N1) vaccine, in particular. This vaccine has been rushed to market, so to speak, in order to meet the public and government demand for protection from the swine flu.

GlaxoSmithKline says that “clinical trials will be limited” due to government demands and that “additional studies will therefore be required and conducted after the vaccine is made available”. Trials are expected to begin on August 17th by testing the vaccine on 12,000 children between the ages of 3 and 8. Then, 60 to 80 million doses are expected to be administered by mid-September. Officials have admittedly “guessed” at the proper dosage to rush the vaccine to market by the time school has started. They will not know of the vaccine’s effectiveness or side effects until the initial wave of testing is complete, but they do expect that two vaccinations will be necessary. They are confident in the process by which the swine flu vaccine has been derived because it is made in exactly the same way as other flu vaccines. The only difference is that the swine flu vaccine will contain adjuvants to boost the human body’s immune response. There are currently no vaccinations in the US that approve the use of adjuvants. The US would rather not have adjuvants in vaccines because it might give citizens a reason to avoid them. In 1976, adjuvants were used in the swine flu vaccine. Some people had an immunopathological reaction, which lead to their death. About 500 other people became permanently paralyzed by the neuromuscular disorder named Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).

GBS is an immune response to foreign antigens which attacks the nervous system. It results in muscle paralysis, sensory disturbances, and sometimes cardiac arrest. GBS is normally a rare side-effect seen after an influenza vaccine. With the swine flu vaccine in 1976, it is believed that because the adjuvants increased the body’s response to the vaccination, the occurrence of GBS rose from a normal level of one in 1,000,000 to one in 105,000. Parents of children affected by autism are understandably more concerned about immunizations that could cause an autoimmune response like Guillain-Barre syndrome. It is not known for sure that the adjuvants are the exact cause, but they were banned from immunizations in the US afterwards. Because our immunizations are largely produced in other countries and in an effort to keep the vaccine readily available, the US is allowing adjuvants, this one time. They are protecting themselves and the vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits that may occur as a result of distributing this barely tested, questionable vaccine because they are faced with the pandemic status. With all of the hype and confusion around the swine flu, it may be hard to make a truly informed decision. The swine flu has been described as a mild flu which has been less of a problem and caused many less deaths than the regular seasonal flu that we see from year to year. Many parents of children with autism are always looking for safe alternatives to vaccines. Vitamin C helps your body to resist all flus and all infections. It has also been found to be extremely reliable in eliminating and reducing flu symptoms. You can get enough vitamin C by taking vitamin C powder that is buffered to be easy on your digestive system.

This vaccine has been rushed to market, so to speak, in order to meet the public and government demand for protection from the swine flu. GlaxoSmithKline says that “clinical trials will be limited” due to government demands and that “additional studies will therefore be required and conducted after the vaccine is made available”.

Trials are expected to begin on August 17th by testing the vaccine on 12,000 children between the ages of 3 and 8. Then, 60 to 80 million doses are expected to be administered by mid-September. Officials have admittedly “guessed” at the proper dosage to rush the vaccine to market by the time school has started. They will not know of the vaccine’s effectiveness or side effects until the initial wave of testing is complete, but they do expect that two vaccinations will be necessary.

They are confident in the process by which the swine flu vaccine has been derived because it is made in exactly the same way as other flu vaccines. The only difference is that the swine flu vaccine will contain adjuvants to boost the human body’s immune response. There are currently no vaccinations in the US that approve the use of adjuvants.

The US would rather not have adjuvants in vaccines because it might give citizens a reason to avoid them. In 1976, adjuvants were used in the swine flu vaccine. Some people had an immunopathological reaction, which lead to their death. About 500 other people became permanently paralyzed by the neuromuscular disorder named Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). GBS is an immune response to foreign antigens which attacks the nervous system. It results in muscle paralysis, sensory disturbances, and sometimes cardiac arrest.

GBS is normally a rare side-effect seen after an influenza vaccine. With the swine flu vaccine in 1976, it is believed that because the adjuvants increased the body’s response to the vaccination, the occurrence of GBS rose from a normal level of one in 1,000,000 to one in 105,000.

Parents of children affected by autism are understandably more concerned about immunizations that could cause an autoimmune response like Guillain-Barre syndrome. It is not known for sure that the adjuvants are the exact cause, but they were banned from immunizations in the US afterwards. Because our immunizations are largely produced in other countries and in an effort to keep the vaccine readily available, the US is allowing adjuvants, this one time. They are protecting themselves and the vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits that may occur as a result of distributing this barely tested, questionable vaccine because they are faced with the pandemic status.

With all of the hype and confusion around the swine flu, it may be hard to make a truly informed decision. The swine flu has been described as a mild flu which has been less of a problem and caused many less deaths than the regular seasonal flu that we see from year to year. Many parents of children with autism are always looking for safe alternatives to vaccines.

Vitamin C helps your body to resist all flus and all infections. It has also been found to be extremely reliable in eliminating and reducing flu symptoms. You can get enough vitamin C by taking vitamin C powder that is buffered to be easy on your digestive system.

Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health. For more information about C-Salts, otherwise known as the best Vitamin C, or about other Vitamin C powder products, visit http://www.nutri.com where you can buy Vitamins and Supplements of the highest quality.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/autism-and-the-swine-flu-vaccine-1103849.html

Autism Parents’ Plea: Understand Kids’ Meltdowns

News Elf — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:22:18 +0000

(CNN) — Heather Moores and her 4-year-old son, Julian, sat in a waiting room at a pediatrician’s office.

Julian, who has autism, was goose-stepping and counting every coat hook on the wall aloud. He started roaring like a lion. Moores smiled at her son, then noticed the horrified looks on other people’s faces.

“People do not understand,” she said. “To them, as bizarre as his actions might look, for us, they’re a blessing. For us, it means he’s enjoying himself and happy. No one understands that. They just see an out-of-control child. They don’t understand this is a good day, when there isn’t screams upon screams.”

On the second World Autism Awareness Day, the search for a cure continues, and major court decisions have helped sort out the theories connected to the mysterious developmental disorders. Public knowledge and acceptance of autism and the difficulties the families face may be growing, as some iReporters told CNN.

But that’s little comfort to a parent whose child’s behavior can range from quirky to violent.

Children with autism have unexplainable breakdowns — their outbursts are often loud, aggressive and disturbing. Julian slams himself against the ground or wall while he screams, flailing his limbs. Julian’s younger brother, Marcus, 3, squirms away from his parents and runs into the street to oncoming cars because he is fascinated by them. He also screams with such ferocity that his face turns purple and mucus bubbles from his nostrils. Their youngest brother, Aric, also has autism and just turned 1 year old. Photo gallery from iReporters about autism. »

Heather Moores remembers that the stares in the waiting room were full of contempt. Onlookers shook their head in disgust and glared, making her feel like the “world’s worst mother.” This happens every time they go out to the doctor’s office, the barber shop or anywhere in public.

“You’ll hear people talking, ‘If it was my kid, he wouldn’t behave like that. These parents don’t know how to discipline their children. Why don’t you shut that kid up?’ said Alexandre Moores, Heather’s husband. “It makes going out unpleasant. I don’t know if you ever get used to it.”

Read The Rest

Spotlight on Autism Parents – Maintaining Balance in Your Other Relationships

News Elf — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:35:42 +0000

By Rachel Evans

Autism parents don’t have it easy. You are faced with many more challenges than parents of children without autism do. However, in all of the efforts you are making to take good care of your child, it’s easy to forget that you need to maintain a healthy balance within your other relationships and cope with your own situation and emotions.

Remember: the healthier you are emotionally and the better the condition of your social life, the more capable you will be to make the right decisions for your child and care for them to the best of your abilities.

Other relationships in your life are your support system and a vital part of how you meet your own personal needs. Never underestimate the value of connecting with people you care about. While it’s important to have time to yourself to process emotions, you shouldn’t overlook the need to get out and do fun things with your friends and family members.

The constant emotional roller coaster ride that only autism parents experience will become too much, if you aren’t at your healthiest emotional point.

To be emotionally healthy, you need to take care of yourself and that includes nourishing important relationships. This doesn’t mean making big statements; it can be something simple like watching the occasional movie with some friends – even if this means renting a movie and having your friends over to watch it once the kids have gone to bed. It could also be going out to a restaurant or heading to a family member or friend’s place for a meal.

Never overlook the importance of a phone call to a sympathetic ear where you have the opportunity to vent your frustrations and hear about the lives of other people, too.

Getting to know your neighbors can be a valuable social experience. This allows you to meet in the driveway or talk on the front porch when you cross paths. It can help you remain feeling connected with the world.

Remember that though you are a parent with an autistic child, your child is not the only important relationship in your life – even though it may be the most challenging, rewarding and time consuming.

Having friends and family who are emotionally close give you people with whom you can truly share your feelings. This can be a tremendous relief in itself. They are also usually the people with whom you spent your time before you had children. Try doing some of the activities you enjoyed before you became a parent and you’ll have “mini vacations” to look forward to and to enjoy on occasion.

This is not to say that you don’t enjoy the time you spend with your children. Nor is it suggesting that you should try to mimic the life that you had before becoming a parent. You should however, recognize that just because you have a child with autism, you needn’t give up everything you enjoy and all of the relationships that had been important in your life before becoming a parent.

Grab your free copy of Rachel Evans’ brand new Autism Newsletter – Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you and your partner deal with the strain of being autism parents and keep your relationship intact.

There are currently over 20,000 other parents and caregivers just like you signed up for The Essential Guide To Autism newsletter. Join today and become part of the community.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Evans
http://EzineArticles.com/?Spotlight-on-Autism-Parents—Maintaining-Balance-in-Your-Other-Relationships&id=1646456

To read more about Rachel’s book or order your copy today, please visit The Essential Guide To Autism here

Autism.News-Elf.com» Parenting Autistic Children : Autism and Aspergers Info

Achieving Self-control with Autism

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