Help With Autism

Since the 1970s, Americans have been celebrating National Autism Awareness month in April.  While April 2nd is considered to be World Autism Day, the entire month is an excellent time for parents, teachers, and all adults to familiarize themselves with autism.  Autism is one of the fastest growing developmental disabilities in the U.S., affecting about 1 in 150 children.  With that figure in mind, every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with a disorder in the autism spectrum.  Autism is more common that juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer, and AIDS combined.  It’s important to emphasize autism awareness during the month of April because so many children who are affected with autism might not be diagnosed right away. 

Recognizing the symptoms of autism in the early years of a child’s life will allow them to start receiving the needed treatment.  Children who are diagnosed early have a much better chance of being molded into functional adults.  The brain develops more in the early stages of life, and children who receive treatment can develop their brain despite an autism affliction and move forward with their disability.

There are various different opinions about the causes of autism and the best kinds of treatment, but one truth is assured, autism is genetic.  Siblings of autistic children are more than fifty times more likely to show signs of autism or Asperger’s syndrome (a mild form of autism).  Scientists have estimated there are between 3 and 20 different genes that contribute to increased risk for autism.  While it’s more difficult to predict risk for autism prior to it being recognized in a child, parents should be aware that having more children after having a child diagnosed with autism poses a risk. 

It’s a good idea to browse through the articles on autism from various publications before having children, and identify whether your child’s risk for autism before conception.  Autism runs in some families, and medical professionals can often identify risk based on genetic heritage; those families with no history of autism will have an obvious decreased risk, but this is not the only contributing factor. 

It’s impossible to prevent against all the potential birth defects, but it’s important to be aware of those which can be prevented.  For example, certain childhood vaccinations contain a preservative named thiomersal which contains mercury.  Birth defects mercury poisoning is a potential risk, thus it’s important to be aware of what childhood vaccinations contain.  Serious conditions like autism have been linked to mercury poisoning and thiomersal.

It’s also important to be aware of potential birth defects that can be passed on through heredity.  Consulting a doctor and being tested for potential diseases and illnesses is essential if you’re considering having a child.  In some cases, though it is unfortunate, two healthy people can take a huge risk in having a child because of genes that run in their families. 

Though there is no single known cause for Autism, studies have shown that the two largest factors are genetic and environmental.  It has been illustrated that autism tends to occur more often than expected amongst individuals with specific medical conditions, thus, some of the danger of a child being born with autism is genetic, and unavoidable.  Research has also shown that causes of autism can be linked to environmental factors.  Heavy metal toxins (like mercury) are much more common in our environment than they were in the past.  Traces of mercury in childhood vaccinations have also been linked to autism.

It’s important for all new parents to be aware of the symptoms and causes of autism because if recognized early, autism is treatable, if not curable. 

When parenting an autistic child, the key to fostering their development is having patience and keeping your cool. Autistic children suffer from underdeveloped social and communication skills, and sometimes learning a simple practice or process can take a lot more effort. If parents practice patience with their children, they’re more liable to teach them over time.

When parenting a child with autism, it’s also important to avoid lingering on one particular subject for an extended amount of time. If an autistic child can’t learn something, or doesn’t want to learn something, often no amount of effort on the part of the parent will help them to learn it faster. It’s wise to take all learning step by step, and ensure that difficult subjects are learned over time rather than making an attempt to cram it all in at once. With patience, understanding, and a cool head, you can help your autistic child develop into a more functional adult; just remember that it’s not going to be easy, but the results are spectacular!

Autism is a complex developmental disability that often becomes visible in the first three years of a child’s life.  Autism is a ‘spectrum disorder’, meaning that it covers a set of behaviors and affects individuals differently and to various degrees of severity.  There is no single known cause for autism, though studies indicate that genetics are a contributing factor, as well as certain harmful toxins introduced in a child’s life.  In American children, the prevalence of autism is about 1 in 150, and the number is much higher in males at 1 in 94.  Families with autistic children face a lifetime of support, and as the number of autistic children increases, it’s important to also increase autism awareness amongst the general population.  If autism is recognized early in a child’s life, it is possible for children to develop into functional adults, working through their autism.  However, there is no known cure for autism. 

To recognize autism, look for lack or delay of spoken language, repetitive use of language or motor mannerisms, little or no eye contact, and lack of interest in peer relationships.  Autistic children lack certain important social skills, and autism often manifests most clearly in this respect. 

Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in several childhood vaccinations, has been proven to increase the risk of autism and several other neurological disorders.  Though research on this subject has been restricted because of private medical records, the research done has shown that vaccinations can cause damage.  Though childhood vaccinations are important to prevent certain illnesses, with the risk of autism or more serious conditions it doesn’t seem worth it.  Parents need to be aware of the dangers of thimerosal, and the vaccine damage that can occur from standard vaccinations. 

Major corporations have tried to cover up the dangers of thimerosal, but through increased awareness, parents can spread the word and create a network of valuable knowledge for the prevention of serious neurological disorders.

Though severe cases of autism tend to be immediately apparent in children, less severe cases can be difficult to identify.  Some children will only exemplify having two or three traits of autism.  The two most obvious traits of autism include impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted or repetitive behavior.  These can appear to manifest in children of school age, but in reality have existed since birth.  Parents must be cautious to monitor children who exemplify either of these behaviors, and consult a doctor if necessary.

Children with less severe cases of autism are more likely to move on to lead normal lives.  However, autism treatments for these children are still required, as they will need to learn the skills necessary to become self-sustained.

Science has yet to find a way to effectively prevent autism, but there are many preventative steps that can be taken both during and after pregnancy, based on the results of past studies. It has also been shown that treating and diagnosing an autistic child as early as possible may better help the child socialize and learn communication skills. So while the causes of autism are still relatively unknown, here are some rules of thumb to follow:

• Insist on early autism screening if any behavioral problems (such as not using language as a form of expression) are noted before two years old. Typically-developing children should be babbling and using hand gestures by 12 months, using single words by 16 months, and beginning to string words together by the second birthday.
• Ask for genetic testing if the child has a lack of social or verbal development before age two.
• Schedule metabolic testing to prevent the onset of autism; heavy metal poisoning has been linked to autism, so a child’s bloodstream should be checked for metal toxicity.
• Look into the possibility of vaccinations containing trace amounts of mercury causing autism; but remember that the evidence for these claims is inconclusive. Consider these studies with caution.
• Avoid eating foods that may have an unsafe level of mercury, such as seafood, when pregnant.

A new study by UC Davis researchers about important autism news may have discovered why autistic children have trouble imitating others; they spend less time looking at the faces of people who are modeling new skills.

The study employed eye-tracking headgear and software that measures the point at which a child is looking when learning a task, according to medicalnewstoday.com. The study showed that autistic children focused on the action that was being demonstrated (and rarely looked at the face), while typically-developing children looked at the face often to check for information about what to do, or how to respond. The finding is considered significant because autistic children have trouble learning from others, and this may be a key as to why.