CUMBERLAND — A new educational center for autistic children is expected to draw clients from the tri-state area when it opens next month on the campus of the Jefferson School at the Finan Center.

Sheppard Pratt Health System plans a mid-November opening for the center, which will provide services for up to 30 children, said Bonnie Fetzer, principal of Jefferson School, which is operated by Sheppard Pratt.

“Our community is not unlike other communities across the state and nation,” said Fetzer, referring to a recent study indicating that autism is on the rise.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that one in 100 8-year-old children in the U.S. has been diagnosed with autism. Previously, the government’s estimate was 1 in 150.

“There’s greater awareness of it, and children are being diagnosed at an earlier age,” Fetzer said. “The real concern is that there’s definitely an increase, and we need to respond to that.”

Last year in Allegany County, 51 children enrolled in the public school system had been diagnosed with autism, according to figures provided by the Maryland State Department of Education. Statewide, more than 7,500 school children were autistic, 2008 figures showed.

You can read the rest of the article here.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

A tale of two sons

The Mackintoshes were told not to worry about their older boy’s development — until he was diagnosed as autistic. A new research project targeting early detection and at-home therapy has made all the difference to their second child’s progress. Doug Fischer explains.

OTTAWA — When Jennifer Mackintosh looks back at family videos, sometimes her heart breaks.

“At first I see a little boy who was smiling, who was perfectly happy to cuddle up, who was looking right at us,” she says quietly, her hands clasped on the kitchen table.

“Then time goes by and you see that little boy gradually withdrawing into himself, looking more unhappy, sometimes looking a little confused.”

And as she watches those videos, Jennifer says, she finds herself wishing she knew then about her oldest boy what she knows today.

Jennifer and her husband, David, have two young sons, Alex, five, and Nathan, two. Both boys are autistic.

That in itself is not so unusual. When one child is autistic, chances are about one in 20 that a younger sibling will be diagnosed with autism or a related condition, known under the catch-all term autism spectrum disorders. What makes the Mackintoshes somewhat unique is the striking difference in the way their sons have responded to therapy — in large part, they believe, because Nathan was so much younger when they realized he was autistic.

“We caught Nathan before he could start that retreat into himself,” Jennifer says. “I’m convinced it made a big difference.”

Despite their suspicions that there was something wrong with Alex when he wasn’t talking at one and was only babbling at 18 months, doctors told the Mackintoshes he would outgrow the problem. It wasn’t until Alex was two-and-a-half that they got a diagnosis of autism. And even then there was nowhere for them to turn for help.

You can read the rest of the article here.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

Sep 27, 2009

THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT DEFENDED ITS DECISION THIS WEEK TO CUT AN EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM.

ONE OF THE PARENTS IN VICTORIA AFFECTED BY THE DECISION SAYS SHE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO KEEP THE PROGRAM RUNNING.

AUREL DURUISSEAU SAYS IT MAKES GOOD ECONOMIC SENSE TO CONTINUE THE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM.

“THIS IS GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY IN THE FUTURE. AND NOT JUST THIRTY, FORTY, FIFTY YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THIS GOVERNMENT’S LONG GONE. WE’RE TALKING TWO OR THREE YEARS WHEN THESE KIDS GO TO SCHOOL, NOT PREPARED, NEEDING MORE SUPPORT, MORE SPECIAL [EDUCATION], MORE TEACHER TIME.”

MINISTER OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT MARY POLAK MET WITH A GROUP OF PARENTS WEDNESDAY AND INDICATED THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SPREAD FUNDING OUT OVER A LARGER NUMBER OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN.

DURUISSEAU SAYS SHE HAS CONTACTED OTHER PARENTS AFFECTED IN THE PROVINCE WHO ARE READY TO STAGE RALLIES.

Original article here.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

Chelation treatment is a therapy where the body is purged of toxins that may have caused autism. Some people feel, though research does not support this belief, that the mercury in childhood vaccinations is a contributing factor in the increased cases of autism. They believe also that children with autism somehow wind up with too much toxic heavy metal in their systems and that this metal has detrimental effects on the child’s brain. Supporters of this chelation treatment claim that not only is the mercury from childhood vaccinations an issue but so are the metals in foods and the environment. The feeling is that other children are able to rid themselves of his metal whereas children who develop autism are unable to purge their bodies of the toxins and so need help to do so. This is where chelation therapy comes into the equation.

Chelation therapy is the use of an amino acid, often EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acetic), which can attach itself to the toxic metal in the child’s system. It is put into the body through intravenous means and then flushed out through urine taking the toxins with it. Other similar treatments are given by using nasal sprays or creams that are absorbed into the skin.

This chelation treatment has been recognized as being useful for a variety of conditions including Parkinson’s, Schizophrenia, Cancer and Alzheimer’s. But, the FDA, Food and Drug Administration, does not recognize it as a treatment for autism. Chelation treatment is only when tests prove that there has been contamination of the patient by toxic metals. It especially is not recognized as a treatment for children with autism.

Despite researchers coming out against this therapy desperate parents are willing to try anything to cure their children of the incurable disorder of autism. One such attempt met with disastrous results last year. Recently an autistic child, who was only five years old, was undergoing repeated chelation therapy and on the third treatment session, in his doctor’s office, he died.

This news was received with great sadness by the community, but was used as a caution to other parents anxious to try anything possible to help their children. Those in the know in the autism community, professionals who follow these experimental treatments, had sadly expected an outcome like this to occur. It is being used as a warning to parents. While it’s understood that they want to try everything they can to help their children caution must be taken, not all treatments available are actually safe to use on children. Parents must allow researchers the opportunities to fully investigate alternatives before rushing in desperation to attempt unproven treatments.

If you think that there is “something not right” with your child you must find out as soon as possible if autism is the issue. Treatments are less effective with each passing day as we grow older, so find out now with the complete autism resource for determining symptoms and goes into depth about ALL treatment options for autism, natural AND medical. So do your family a favor and check out the information at Autism Symptoms.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

Autism treatments can help reduce the severity of symptoms in many children and some adults, but you must understand that there is no cure. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder where the child has an inability to have normal social interplay; they exhibit repetitive behaviors and have abnormalities in their verbal and non-verbal communication abilities. Autism treatments can only reduce the symptoms in some cases and allow the person to have a better quality of life. These are very worthwhile goals. Each child will deal with slightly different symptoms and so before getting involved in any programs you must first determine what your child’s needs are.

Before putting your child into any program perhaps you should ask yourself, and the caregivers, some of the following questions. These are guidelines suggested by autistic organizations.

1. Has the program helped other autistic children? If so, how?
2. Could the program do anything to harm my child?
3. Does the program use recognized methods to help autistic children?
4. Has this program helped other children be mainstreamed into regular school classes?
5. Does it give the child structure and predictable routines?
6. Will my child get enough one on one attention?
7. Is there a minimum of distractions so my child can remain focused?
8. Is this program designed to be one that can be continued at home and so give my child consistency?
9. Will some type of reward be given to help motivate my child?
10. How much will the program cost? Is there government assistance? What is the location of the program, its hours and expectations?

Once these questions are answered parents can begin to narrow down the search for the right program to meet their child’s needs. If the child is under three years old your health care provider will likely recommend beginning a program in the home or childcare location. These will be simple tasks to begin with that will use what the child is interested in to build on. This will hopefully allow the child to slowly make positive steps. Research has shown that the more parental involvement in the child’s autism treatments program the better the child does and the more progress they make.

When the child is a little older, over three years old, the school-based program will be designed specifically to fit the child’s needs. Routines will be maintained to allow the autistic child the structure that they crave. The child will learn by doing. They will repeat tasks until they are able to do them. There will be activities to promote body awareness and coordination. These will include doing simple puzzles or placing beads on a string. Asking for juice or to use the bathroom will be taught to promote language use. It will be a long hard task but with support and intervention from parents and family the child will learn.

If you think that there is “something not right” with your child you must find out as soon as possible if autism is the issue. Treatments are less effective with each passing day as we grow older, so find out now with the complete autism resource for determining symptoms and goes into depth about ALL treatment options for autism, natural AND medical. So do your family a favor and check out the information at Autism Symptoms.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

There are so many diverse autism therapies to choose from that one must carefully identify the needs of the child before choosing which one, or set of therapies, are best. Unfortunately there are also many ideas out there from overwrought parents and well meaning but unqualified therapists that some of the options available are either not safe or not proven to benefit the autistic child.

The feeling amongst educators of autistic children is that early intervention programs must focus on behavioral and cognitive abilities that are disrupted by having autism. Special needs education programs that can focus on these areas of need, with an early start, can assist autistic children to learn, maybe even be taught to speak. As adults their education must continue, but now some researchers are talking about using antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs to assist with the daily living of these adults. Others feel that these drugs will do no good and may cause harm.

Studies have shown that using computers to teach autistic children has made many breakthroughs. Computers allow the child to learn without having to be forced into social situations. The computers stimulate the child without overloading them. They have no need to attempt conversation while comfortably learning at the computer. They can control their situations and this is very pleasing to them and makes learning easier for the autistic child.

For children who are severely affected with autism Multisensory Stimulation has had some positive results. They allow gentle stimulation by use of soothing colors, gentle sounds, music and scents. This is all done in a controlled setting so that the child does not suffer an overload. This therapy is more popular in Europe, especially in Germany.

A still experimental therapy is Neurofeedback. In this there are electrodes put on the child’s scalp. This is to help the autistic child learn to control their brainwaves. A recent pilot study involved eight children. After ten weeks of his treatment five of the children improved when asked to perform tasks that included imitation. This was considered highly successful.

Other children are put into therapies that include restrictive diets or a program to purge the body of toxins. These are referred to as biomedical interventions and are more experimental in nature. Many researchers believe that these are risky therapies and worry that they are tried by desperate parents who may involve their child in something that has not yet been proven to truly have any benefits.

If you think that there is “something not right” with your child you must find out as soon as possible if autism is the issue. Treatments are less effective with each passing day as we grow older, so find out now with the complete autism resource for determining symptoms and goes into depth about ALL treatment options for autism, natural AND medical. So do your family a favor and check out the information at Autism Symptoms.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

A great program that focuses on treatment should:

· Recommend a schedule that is predictable.
· Instruct tasks in a series of easy steps.
· Offer regular positive behavior reinforcement
· Involve parents
· Actively engage your kid’s attention in well thought-out or well-planned activities
· Build on your child’s welfare or interests.

There are lots of various treatment options available, and it can be difficult to discover which approach is appropriate for your kid. It’s highly possible that you will hear a number of conflicting recommendations, which can add to your stress. Just remember that there is no treatment that will work for everybody. Every person with autism is unique, and has his own weaknesses and strengths.

Ensure that your kid’s treatment is tailor-fit with his individual needs. You are aware as to what is best for your child.

Here are tips that you can follow to ensure that your child’s needs are met:

· Come up with a personalized treatment for your kid. Learn about your child’s unique needs and skills, and create a specific plan with your trusted support team on how to best address your child’s weaknesses and build on his strengths. Every support member can give you a distinctive perception on autism. This will aid you in coming up with a well-rounded approach.

· You have the last say on your child’s treatment. Still, planning an appropriate treatment plan will be a easier if you have a trusted team of specialists whom you can turn to for recommendations. Your child will benefit from the expertise of your local pediatrician, teachers and therapists.

When creating your child’s treatment plan, it is advisable to ask yourself the following questions:

· What specifically are my child’s weaknesses and strengths?
· What particular behaviors are considered problematic?
· What significant skills does my child lack?
· When and how does my child learn best?
· What activities does my child consider as fun, and how can these be utilized in treatment?

It is wise to do your own research when you are searching for a particular treatment provider. Seek out evidence for the effectiveness of a specific therapy, learn how safe it is, who will work and provide support for your child, and how they will measure his progress.

How to Look for Support for your Autistic Child

Caring for a child with autism is indeed stressful, and will demand a huge chunk of your time and energy. It’s true that there will be instances when you will feel disheartened, overwhelmed, and strained. Parenting alone is no easy feat, much more raising and caring for a child with special needs. Keep in mind that it is vital that you take good care of yourself for you to be physically and emotionally equipped to take on the role of the best parent.

On the other hand, there are lots of support and autism services in your area. Learn how to utilize them well, and know how to get involved in your child’s treatment. Here are some helpful places where you can turn to in order to get the best treatment option for your child:

· Autism Society of America
· Autism Source (you may want to take advantage of the directory of autism resources, which includes legal and financial aid)
· Autism Speaks (you may click on a U.S. state to find services for a lot of families dealing and coping with autism)

Keep in mind that it’s unwise to do everything on your own! There are lots of places where families dealing with autism can turn to. There are various autism support groups where you can meet numerous families facing the same challenges as you are. Here, parents and family members can derive advice, information, and most especially, emotional support. Being around other families and exchanging experiences will do wonders in reducing the isolation that a lot of parents experience after knowing their kid’s diagnosis.

Another great source of support is respite care, wherein a caregiver takes over caring for your child temporarily. All parents need a break every now and then. This is particularly true for parents dealing with the strain of caring for an autistic child. Search for respite care options in your local area, so that you can get that much-needed break.

Lastly, if you feel that you are weighed down by anxiety, stress or depression, it’s best if you look for a therapist for help. Therapy is a great and safe venue where you can vent out your feelings honestly. You may also opt to get marriage of family therapy if you need help in working out the various challenges that life with an autistic child gives.

If you think that there is “something not right” with your child you must find out as soon as possible if autism is the issue. Treatments are less effective with each passing day as we grow older, so find out now with the complete autism resource for determining symptoms and goes into depth about ALL treatment options for autism, natural AND medical. Includes a mountain of information concisely written to cover all the important topics such as symptoms, all treatments, training and teaching information for parents, teachers, and caregivers. Treatments and training becomes less effective as the child ages, so do your family a favor and check out the ultimate autism guide at Autism Symptoms.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

There are lots of things parents can do to provide support to their autistic child, and help them surmount whatever challenges they face and get the best out of life. Educating yourself will make a huge difference.

Being successful in helping your child overcome his situation is just a matter of choosing effective treatments for him, and knowing where to look for support. Join forums of parents who are also going through the same thing. You will find lots of parenting tips that can make everyday life with your autistic child a lot easier.

If you just found out that your kid has autism, most probably you are worrying or at loss as to what to do next. No parent is ready to hear that their child is anything but healthy and happy, and hearing a diagnosis of autism may be terrifying. There is a huge possibility that you are uncertain about how to best help your child to cope. You may be baffled by conflicting advice from the specialists regarding treatments. You may possibly have been told that autism is a lifelong condition and cannot be treated; leaving you depressed that whatever you do won’t make a difference.

The great news is, there are numerous treatment options available to kids with autism. There are lots of therapies that can aid them learn new skills and overcome a huge variety of challenges in development. Assistance is readily available to cater to your kid’s special needs in the form of school programs, home behavioral therapy, or free government services.

Treatment options for children with autism include:

· Medication – Doctors often prescribe medicines if your child manifests other symptoms such as seizures, anxiety, hyperactivity, or depression.

· Alternative therapies – This type of treatment often include vitamin treatments and dietary plans.

With the proper treatment plan, an abundance of support, and lots of love, your kid will thrive and learn. Make an effort to reach out for support.

One of the best things that a parent can do is get his or her child in treatment as soon as possible. Don’t just sit and wonder if your child will outgrow his condition. The earlier that your kid gets the proper treatment and help, the greater his chance for success in treatment. Early intervention is the key.

Here are other useful tips for parents with an autistic child:

· Educate yourself. Learn whatever you can about your child’s condition. That way you will be better equipped; that way you can make informed decisions. Learn various treatment options, ask questions. Most of all, be involved in all decisions pertaining to your child’s treatment.

· Be an expert on your kid. Discover what sets off your child’s troublesome behaviors and what brings out a positive response. What is it that your child finds calming, stressful, uncomfortable, or fun? Understanding what affects your kid will make you good in troubleshooting concerns and preventing difficult situations.

· Focus on what makes your kid happy. Love and accept him for who he is; instead of focusing how different your kid is to other children. Enjoy your kid’s special habits, celebrate successes however small it is, and simply quit comparing your kid to others.

· Remain positive, and stay patient. Don’t be quick to jump into conclusions as to what life is going to be like for your kid. It is very impossible to foresee the course of autism. Your kid has an entire lifetime to develop his abilities and learn new skills!

It is wise to do your own research when you are searching for a particular treatment provider. Seek out evidence for the effectiveness of a specific therapy, learn how safe it is, who will work and provide support for your child, and how they will measure his progress.

If you think that there is “something not right” with your child you must find out as soon as possible if autism is the issue. Treatments are less effective with each passing day as we grow older, so find out now with the complete autism resource for determining symptoms and goes into depth about ALL treatment options for autism, natural AND medical. Includes a mountain of information concisely written to cover all the important topics such as symptoms, all treatments, training and teaching information for parents, teachers, and caregivers. Treatments and training becomes less effective as the child ages, so do your family a favor and check out the ultimate autism guide at Autism Symptoms.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

There is no definite cure for autism; but a lot of children with the disorder can develop and learn with the proper education and treatment. Early intervention can definitely minimize the problems connected with the disorder, decrease disturbing behavior, and give the patient some measure of independence.

There are numerous options out there, although treatment is dependent on the patient’s individual needs. Generally, making use of a combination of treatment methods yields successful results. Autism normally requires lifelong therapy.

One of the options available is occupational or physical therapy. Occupational therapy aids the person in developing independent function and educates as to how to go about enhancing basic skills such as brushing your teeth or bathing. Physical Therapy entails exercises or other physical measures such as massage to help patients in controlling the way they move their bodies.

Behavior Modification

To equip autistic patients with the skills necessary to function in their environment, there are a lot of methods of behavior modification available. This type of therapy stems from the theory that good behavior or conduct that is rewarded will have more chances of being repeated than the conduct that is ignored. We call this theory applied behavior analysis (ABA), and this entails structured skill-oriented activities basing on the patient’s wellbeing and specific needs. Typically, this entails concentrated, one-on-one sessions with a therapist.

Sensory integration therapy

This form of therapy centers on helping autistic patients survive by the use of sensory stimulation. Treatment involves allowing patients to hold objects with various textures, or listen to a range of sounds. Play therapy is one form of behavior modification that can enhance emotional growth, which results to better social skills. Social stories are also used to enhance social skills. Here, stories created to aid the patients in understanding ideas, opinions, and feelings of other people, or to make suggestions as to how one can address a situation differently. This can also help patients comprehend their own feelings.

Communication therapy

This type of therapy is utilized to instigate language development in children with the disorder, and to provide treatment to those who are experiencing difficulties in verbal interaction.

Picture exchange communication systems (PECS) makes it possible for autistic patients to interact with the use of pictures or visuals that signifies items, ideas, or activities. With this, the patient is able to communicate his requests, needs and ideas to others by giving them a picture.

If you think that there is “something not right” with your child you must find out as soon as possible if autism is the issue. Treatments are less effective with each passing day as we grow older, so find out now with the complete autism resource for determining symptoms and goes into depth about ALL treatment options for autism, natural AND medical. Includes a mountain of information concisely written to cover all the important topics such as symptoms, all treatments, training and teaching information for parents, teachers, and caregivers. Treatments and training becomes less effective as the child ages, so do your family a favor and check out the ultimate autism guide at Autism Symptoms.

You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

There are various ways on how to help reduce the symptoms for autism. There are a lot of methods available today to help children with autism maximize learning. Among the number of treatments available is behavioral therapy.

This type of approach is becoming more and more popular because of its high rate of success. Behavioral management therapy aims to support wanted behaviors and decrease unwanted ones. It is derived from the idea that no matter how challenging or difficult to understand a certain behavior is, it can be understood through intensive observation and analysis. As soon as these behaviors are understood, they can be changed basing on the needs of the person concerned.

Why is it necessary to seek help from a behavior specialist? Nearly everyone who has autism has a range of difficult behaviors. These challenging behaviors vary from strange, such as flapping of arms, to self injurious, such as head banging, to extremely hazardous, such as dashing to traffic. It is common for family members or teachers to become puzzled as to how to approach these situations. Autistic people do not wish to misbehave in purpose, nor are they clamoring for attention. Behavior specialists are trained to understand and attend to these needs.

What exactly do behavior specialists contribute to the development of those with autism? The main role of this kind of specialist is to be there, observe the environment and the activities that changes a particular behavior of the person with the disorder and to collect data about the different behavior patterns of the person with autism, to come up with suggestions and interventions on how to approach the situation, and to give advice on the family members or the caregivers on what they should do before and after an occurrence of a problem behavior. Their interventions differ, but some examples are behavioral charts with stickers and motivational rewards.

Through this therapy, your child will learn that his undesired behavior will be ignored and discouraged. He then discovers that only appropriate behavior is encouraged and rewarded. The earlier that a child starts with this therapy, the better. Chances of success are greater if your child starts with this type of therapy as soon as they reach 3 years old.

What else should you expect as a parent? This therapy will introduce a consistent program of behavioral modification. Parents will know how to successfully cope with his or her child’s moods, and how to teach him behaviors that are accepted socially.

It is imperative for parents to know though, that this form of therapy will not cure your child from his disorder, but is exceedingly useful in guiding your child how to better cope with his surroundings and converse or interact with others.

If you would like to earn money while helping families deal with autism you should check out autism symptoms, where you earn $26.30 every time you send a customer.