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Discipling an Autistic child is a tricky thing; each child is different and each parent’s opinion on how to do it is different. When it comes to disciplining a meltdown the whole concept is altered though. When you discipline a child for having a temper tantrum it is different than disciplining for a meltdown.
Potty training tips for a 9-year-old boy? He is verbal, knows how to use the potty (and does several times a day with no issues), but he has accidents every day (and every night) and he won’t ask to use the bathroom (he has to be told). I got tired of him having a rash from wet clothes, so he is currently in a pull-up. Advice?
MIND Institute is probably one of the most interesting and important Autism research networks that we have, MIND and IANRESEARCH. MIND is responsible for such research projects as CHARGE and APP. IAN PROJECT is a product of the Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Of all the therapies that parents choose to try on their Autistic children and teens I find one to be exceptionally interesting; that being Neurofeedback Therapy (NFT), or EEG Biofeedback. It is also called “Brainworks” overseas. NFT is a route that some parents take to “retrain” their children’s brain to respond more appropriately to outside stimuli. The main purpose being to improve the child’s quality of life. But the concept of the therapy raises more questions than it does answers.
As far as treatment options go when it comes to Autism, we are lacking a variety of them that work. One medication has shown some promising responses when combating the “core symptoms” of Autism. That medication is called Arbaclofen, or Bacofen. Originally it is used to treat muscle spasms. Many Scientist believe that in comparison to the study done of Oxytocin Nasal Spray and Autism that this medication shows more incalculable improvements. Back in 2012 there were several studies into this medication. Two with promising results, one with mixed reviews leading to further researching. So, let’s look at this medication and its treatment of Autism.
As your child ages, especially when they reach puberty, you will notice a whole new set of challenges in front of them. Not only are they going through the different emotions that come along with puberty, they also have a whole new set of social challenges ahead of them with their peers.
We might ask ourselves if giving our Autistic children chores is appropriate. The answer is Yes!
The fear associated with having an Autistic child has hit a whole new level of hysteria as of the last ten years or so. As of the last few years, parents have been granted the right to select the sex of their babies using IVF techniques in an attempt to avoid having children with Autism.
While stress that is felt by an Autistic person is hard on the Autistic individual, it is hard on their families as well. The stress that families feel due to the meltdowns their autistic family members inflict on them alone is astonishing. Family members experience and respond to stress in different ways. There’s no one right way of feeling or responding to your child with Autism Spectrum Disorder; but, does help to be understanding of each other’s feelings.
Controlled deep breathing is one of the best skills to learn for coping with anxiety, sensory overload, irritability, and more.
A recent study shows too much screen time for kids and teens is problematic. Increase in screen time causes overstimulation, sleep problems, and psychological difficulties. But does it affect Autistic children the same?
We all talk about meltdowns when it comes to our Autistic children, but what about meltdowns in Autistic adult individuals? Sometimes it seems that our Autistic adults are cast aside to lay focus on our children. There are so many areas of the Autistic adult’s lives that are in need of further examination and understanding.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is one of the basic “go to” therapies in the Autism community. It’s based on how a person thinks, acts, feels and how their behavior affects those around them. The biggest positive in this type of Autism treatment is that it has no adverse side effects and no warnings associated with it. It also helps astoundingly with meltdowns and other behavioral issues.
My son was recently diagnosed with autism and when April rolled around I wanted to do my part in spreading awareness and acceptance of the autistic community. As I was getting ready to light my profile pic blue I discovered there were other colors to choose from.
One of the indications of Autism is difficulty socializing. Difficulties include eye contact, interest in others, sharing and communicating thoughts. Boardgames are a great way to work on these barriers of socialization.
We all know about Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy for Autistic individuals, but what about other forms of therapy that parents use? There is one form of therapy I’d like to bring to your attention. One age-old therapy that we’ve fought insurance companies over for years- ABA Therapy. Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA therapy has been recognized as a successful Autism treatment since the 1960s. What’s it all about though? Some parents do not know, so let’s talk about it…
There are many benefits of swimming for autistic and special needs kids. One of the essential lessons they learn is life-saving skills.
My family has spent the last several years living outside our home state of Indiana. Moving was a huge adjustment for all us- particularly my oldest Autistic son. I spent the first few years we were away fighting for proper education and doctors for him in Washington State. The wait lists are ridiculous in the clinics across the United States. Not to mention the irritation that comes in when you have to involve different health insurance companies!
A walk in nature can be just what your autistic child needs. Not only will it give you a way to engage but it will also give your child the sensory input they crave.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted the Breakthrough Therapy status for the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche's drug Balovaptan in January 2018.
When I hear about a movie with an autistic character, I get eager to watch it. Most often, I feel there's very little representation of autistic individuals on the big screen.
When you are faced with having no assurances as to if your child will progress or regress, sometimes parents get desperate. Whether it is Autism or some other diagnosis; as parents we just want to make our children’s plights easier for them. The way some parents go about this can sometimes swing towards the extreme.
Sesame Place is a Sesame Street Themed park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. They will kick off their 38th season on April 28th as the first theme park in the world to be designated as a Certified Autism Center.
In an effort to advance it seems science sometimes looks to areas that make the general public choleric. If you’re an individual with abhorrence for “thinking outside the box” then I can assure you the direction researchers are leaning, in regard to CBD as an Autism treatment, is really going to agitate you. Science is science though, not everybody is always going to agree with the findings but that doesn’t make them any less relevant.
Unquestionably one of the most debated cause topics surrounding Autism is maternal smoking. For years now, the credibility of the theory of maternal smoking and Autism has been questioned. There have been studies done for countless years on whether smoking while you are pregnant can cause Autism. The number one question needing answered is if there really is a tangible correlation between mothers who smoked during pregnancy and children who are diagnosed with Autism. The answer to this question seems to be held in studies linked out of the U.S. and Sweden.
Playing extracurricular sports is a great experience for any child, but what do you do when your child has Autism and wants to play a sport? You let them is what you do! You must prepare in many ways for it though. Both with your child, your child’s doctor and with the organization your child wants to play in; whether that be baseball, basketball, track, football, etc. Always make the adequate preparations before signing your child up.
The Autism population is rising. 1 in 68 is diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Chances are, you will know someone with a child on the spectrum. Whether your friend's child is newly diagnosed or not they will need supportive and understanding friends.
There are plenty of questions as to what causes Autism. Whether those have genetic roots or environmental ones- one thing is for sure, we would all love an answer… a definitive one, or a few. At this point, I don’t think any of us would be too picky if we were offered several proven causes. It’s not that science isn’t looking for those causes, it’s just that it is a slow process that requires much more funding and research.
The likelihood of an Autistic individual encountering law enforcement is high. With a large number of autistic children entering adulthood, it will be higher. There have been numerous stories in the news about these encounters that have led to injury, trauma and even death. As a parent of a spectrum child, it's frustrating, heartbreaking and painful to hear.
Although your child’s safety is the most essential thing during a meltdown there are other elements that you must look for and be aware of; such as, comorbid disorders that may be triggering them and what you can do to combat against them. We’ve all had those moments when our child melts down and we are left with no earthly idea what caused it. We are left staring at the floor, at our child, trying to figure out what triggered this reaction from this little person that we love so much. Often the issue isn’t Autism alone. Often one of the issues is a comorbid disorder of Autism called Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD for short.