What is Autism?

Autism is a neurological disorder that mainly affects social skills and language. It is almost always diagnosed by three years of age. It is defined in the DSM-4 Diagnostic Criteria of Mental Disorders under the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders. The DSM-4 is what doctors and other mental health professionals use to diagnose disorders that affect cognitive abilities, and mental health such as depression, schizophrenia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Once considered rare, autism is now more prevalent. Here's an interesting statistic: A little over 20 years ago, the Centers for Disease Control reported that autism affected 1 in 10,000 children. Today that number is 1 inn 166.

Many individuals with autism have limited verbal language skills, while some have no verbal language at all. Those with language skill have difficulty engaging in meaningful conversations. Another condition called Asperger's Syndrome has similar effects to autism in this regard. Asperger's Syndrome is named after the man who discovered the disorder, Hans Asperger, who was an Austrian pediatrician. This condition is generally diagnosed later than autism, and it primarily affects social skills. People with Asperger's Syndrome typically have average to above average cognitive abilities. Some difficulties understanding language are present in these individuals too. Understanding sarcasm, figures of speech, and other abstract concepts in language can be difficult for them.

Social skills are difficult for individuals with autism, and Asperger's Syndrome because they do not pick up on nonverbal cues or other signs to regulate their activity. For instance, most people with autism would not realize that they are talking too loudly, or too softly, or that they are too close to your face when speaking to you. Other problems that are common more specifically in autism are aggression, tantrums, pica, which is a disorder that involves the eating and mouthing of inedible objects, and self injurious behaviors. Aggression and tantrums generally go together, with the tantrum being one way that aggression manifests. Aggression can also involve biting, hitting, and destroying property.

Pica is more common in younger individuals, and those with lower cognitive abilities. It can be dangerous due to the fact that individuals with autism are not generally aware of choking hazards or poisonous materials. As far as self injurious behaviors, common ones include head banging, biting, pinching, eye gouging, smacking, and hair pulling, which if severe enough that the individual pulls out his or her hair is called trichotillomania. Some individuals may have to wear a helmet to protect themselves from severe injuries.

In addition to the social and language problems, there are many biological problems that coexist with autism as well. The most common are mental impairment, gastrointestinal problems such as gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, yeast overgrowth, which is typically noticeable around the mouth or on the buttocks, allergies, and food sensitivities. It is not fully understood why these conditions are common in individuals with autism.

Keep in mind that autism affects many aspects of the lives of the individual and the family. Safety is a large concern due to individuals with autism not understanding risks and dangers. Running out into traffic, leaving with strangers, eating inedible items, and banging on glass windows are all common things individuals with autism may do without understanding the danger these activities place them in. At this time there is no cure for autism. However, many therapies can improve the symptoms of the disorder.

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Autistic Residential Schools vs Day Schools

It's difficult for any parent to get used to the idea of sending their children away to school, and perhaps even harder for parents of special needs children, such as those who suffer from autism, to do so. Is your child getting a good education? Are other children treating him or her fairly? Will your child enjoy this new situation? Many schools are now set in place to put these fears to rest by solely devoting their attention towards special needs children, and the concept of sending an autistic child to residential school for autistic children instead of a day school program is becoming more popular among parents. Although it may be difficult to adjust to your child living away from home, this may be where the best care and education is available for you child, so carefully consider the advantages before dismissing the idea of residential school for your autistic child.

Residential school programs are often no different than day school programs, but here the student has the opportunity to interact with others outside of a classroom setting. This is sometimes exactly what an autistic child needs to learn socialization skills with people outside of the family.

These schools are also very safe and organized in a way that is conducive to learning. For example, Franklin Academy in Connecticut, which specializes in teaching non-verbal students, has a three to one student to teacher ratio and an average class size of six students. They also plan small-group field trips to public places, so your child has an opportunity to interact in public places.

This is as opposed to day schools, which typically have larger class sizes and therefore cannot handle public outings. Even if the day school specializes in teaching autistic children, they simply may not have the resources and time during the school day for field trips.

Another advantage over day schools, whether public of private, is the living aspect. Although the students who attend these schools are greatly supervised, they learn living skills that they will need in an adult world. Whereas you may feel obligated or want to do things for your child at home, at a residential school, your child will be encouraged to live more independently. At Brehm Preparatory School in Illinois, students learn time and money management and are in charge of simple home maintenance (chores), study time, and recreational activities. Here also, the emphasis is on family.

Family is an important thing to consider with any type of residential school. While your child is learning valuable social skills, he or she may become more distant from his or her immediate family. At schools like Brehm, including Hampshire Country School in New Hampshire, have parents' weekend often to so parents can visit their children. Consider also the stress this may relieve for you and your family. Since you will need to spend less time helping your autistic child with learning everyday life skills, you can devote more time to enjoying their company when you see them. Spend time on your marriage and with your other children, activities that would normally be hard to achieve or ignored with an autistic child at home.

However, it is important to note that residential schooling is not for everyone. Typically, your child needs to be high functioning to handle this school atmosphere. You will need to consider cost, since tuition , room, and board for residential schools can be quite expensive. Remember, residential school is not for everyone, but you should definitely consider the option. Research this type of program so that you can make the best decisions possible for your child's education.

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Autism Symptoms Checklist

Children suffering from Autism may not display all of the signs and symptoms in this Autism Symptoms Checklist,because they are all individuals. However if you suspect your child is showing any signs of Autism you should seek medical advice.Early signs of autism are usually diagnosed when the child is three years of age. However early signs can be detected. There is a great deal of research taking place at the moment into trying to diagnose Autism earlier in a child's development.the earlier signs of Autism are detected the sooner they can be treated.

CHECKLIST

1. Can I have eye to eye contact with my child. Most children with autism do not have eye to eye contact and tend to stare fixidely at one object.
2. Is my child interested in things around. A child with autism does not point at things or try to bring things to the attention of his/her parents.
3. Is my child deaf. Quite often these children will ignore people around and will not respond to their name .Thus giving the impression they are deaf.
4. Can my child communicate as well as other children the same age. An autistic child can have little or no verbal skills and does not try to overcome this by using mime or pointing at things.
5. Why does my child never smile. The autistic child does not smile or react to someone who smiles at them.
6. Why does my child scream for no reason. Another common sign of autism is when the child has wild tantrums for no apparent reason.
7. My child has no friends.There is little or no interaction with autism. The autistic child prefers to play alone.

There are many different signs and symptoms for autism. The above Autism Symptoms checklist is only a guide. Other signs and symptoms to look for are destructiveness,impulsive behaviour,mood swings,lack of attention restlessness,hyperactivity and fogetfulness.

Art Therapy for High Functioning Autism How to Get Started

People who have high functioning autism can be taught at an early age to express themselves through different forms of therapy. In order to lead relatively normal lives, a high functioning autistic requires a certain level of social skills. The development of these skills can be accomplished through a number of therapies including play therapy, social skilled classes or groups, psychotherapy, social stories and expressive therapies.

One expressive therapy that has proven to be quite beneficial is art therapy. Art therapy can help an autistic develop social response by allowing them to express their emotions through art. This form of complimentary therapy may be an ideal way for an autistic to develop social skills.

What is art therapy? It is a therapy that involves using a number of various art materials such as paints, batik (a way to dye fabric), clay, etc. as a method of expressing thoughts or feelings through visual representation. Art therapy is based on psychological research and theory that art is naturally therapeutic. This therapy takes into account the behaviors, thoughts and feelings experienced by those with high functioning autism and other disorders. Art therapy allows an individual to explore various issues including those that involve family, relationships, life change, loss, abuse and overall development. It may be carried out as a group process or individual counsel. The artwork that is created during therapy may be of spontaneous creations or based on suggestion provided by a therapist. What are the benefits of art therapy? Art therapy has many benefits, especially for an autistic because it doesn't rely on verbal or language skills, is a fun activity, and does not require any art skill or experience. The following is a list of other benefits -

• Increases self awareness
• Develops social skills
• Changes behaviors
• Develops problem solving strategies
• Allows an individual to engage in creative thinking in a safe environment
• Allows an individual to focus solely on the activity at hand and shut out other thoughts that may be intrusive.

Keep in mind that all of the above positive outcomes of art therapy may not be experienced by someone with high functioning autism. Remember, not every autistic functions the same.

Where can I find and art therapist and what should I look for? If an individual with high functioning autism is interested in art therapy, an art therapist will need to be sought out. An art therapist can practice in a number of environments, but can usually be found in psychiatric or general hospitals. They may work in oncology or geriatric wards, schools, rehabilitation centers, and counseling centers. The best way for you to find an art therapist locally, is to speak to your child's health care provider or call your hospital.

When choosing a therapist, keep the following in mind:
• Find out about their education background and where they received training
• Find out if they have previous experience with high functioning autism patients
• Ask what types of therapeutic approach do they use
• Ask what to expect during a lesson

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