Help With Autism

Several sites these days seem to be dedicated to autism information and discussion, but very few offer much consolation or solace to the parents of children with the autistic spectrum disorders. A clear advantage, however, can be gained by parents who can identify early on that their child or children may fall under the autistic spectrum. Most parents notice by the time the child is 18 months old, but situations and the amount of time for such recognition may actually vary considerably.

By definition autism should be noticeable by age 3, but in some instances it may be harder to detect, especially if it’s simply an autistic spectrum disorder such as Asperger’s. The best thing for any parent to do, though, is to simply love their children and support them no matter what. Autistic or autistic spectrum children may not always reciprocate but I think with most parents that wouldn’t matter. Keep your eyes peeled for signs of an ASD, but don’t overdo it or worry yourself too much.

We all know that dogs are man’s best friend, but it turns out they might be our best medicine as well. A new study conducted by researchers at the Universite de Montreal showed evidence that trained dogs could be used as an autism therapy to lessen anxiety in social situations and foster socialization skills. These results are attributed to a lowering of cortisol, which is the hormone produced in response to stress. The researchers tested cortisol levels before, during and after introducing the dog to the children’s homes.

In addition to this quantifiable evidence, parents of the autistic children reported a marked improvement in their child’s behavior. On average, parents counted 33 problematic behaviors before living with the dog and just 25 after.

Over time, our bodies amass an array of toxins, heavy metals and other contaminants which, when allowed to build up, can wreak havoc on our health. Small doses of mercury and other such metals are not typically a concern for adults, but since we are unable to rid them from our bodies by ourselves, they simply accrue over time. Certain diets and lifestyles, such as those heavy in seafood, put certain people at a higher risk for unhealthy levels of these contaminants.

Up until recently, one of the only options to rid your body of these metals and other toxins was chelation therapy, but many new medications provide the same heavy metal detox effects. PCA-Rx, for example, uses probiotics to enhance the immune system and facilitate the removal of toxins. Probiotics are living bacterial organisms which become part of your body in work in conjunction with it.

A new, large-scale study out of Denmark has found that children who had jaundice at birth were more likely to experience autism. Although the researchers found a correlation between the two conditions, they have yet to discover have are related and to what degree. It is not uncommon for babies to experience mild cases of jaundice at birth, but it generally clears up quickly and it generally harmless.

More severe cases of jaundice can lead to brain damages, but they are quite rare. It’s not clear whether there is some for of causation between jaundice and autism, or if there is a common genetic predisposition for the conditions. This story highlights how the curriculum for autism education is constantly changing, so it’s important to stay current with the latest news and research.

No matter what you hear, the truth is that there still is no definitive answer. Although evidence indicates certain factors that are likely to contribute to the disorder, there is no consensus amongst medical professionals. Because people develop the disease at different times in their lives and the symptoms are so varied, it’s likely that autism can be caused by myriad factors. Here are a few of the believed causes of autism:

~Genetics: recent studies have isolated specific genes which are believed to be directly correlated to many cases of autism. There is also strong evidence that suggests the disorder is passed from generation to generation.

~Unusual Brain Development: in some cases, autistic individuals have bigger brains and appear to process information differently.

~Vaccines?: it was long believed that vaccines with thimerosal caused autism, but the leading proponent of the theory, Dr. Wakefield, was recently discredited as was much of the research supporting the claims.

Most diseases don’t discriminate, but that isn’t the case with autism. Males are far more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder than their female counterparts are, and scientists believe they may have uncovered one of the reasons. Researchers have recently discovered a mutated gene in boys that puts them at a higher risk of autism.

In 2007, several organizations found that boys with autism had more growth related hormones than those without the disorder. Last year, researched identified CACNA1G, a gene which is more common in boys and seemed to be one of the mutated genes in autistic children. And just recently, researchers were able to identify another gene affecting the X chromosome of males with autism. As more discoveries are made pertaining to autism genes, it will aid scientists in developing new autism therapy.

Autism typically develops early in children, but it can be quite difficult for researchers to identify the disorder. Since communication is one of the key skills affected by the disorder, there are few reliable means of diagnosing autism in children and infants. Doctors and scientist continually look to eye movements as one of the best ways to target autism early. Last week he highlighted a new study that linked autism with erratic eye movement, and today are new articles on autism reporting on a study that further strengthens the link between staring patterns and autism.

According to the researchers from UCSD, babies around one-year-old may stare at geometric patterns instead of other children. Conversely, the line of vision of unaffected children is typically trained on people. As with previous research correlating eye patterns and autism, the team of UCSD researchers is excited by the prospect of using eye-tracking technology for autism assessment.

When you consider how little autism information we have, it can be somewhat discouraging. Nobody knows what causes the spectrum of disorders and there isn’t even a clear set of symptoms. But if you read autism news, you’ll see that every week new findings are being made that give us reason to be optimistic about the future of autism treatment. Just in the last month, we’ve seen several new methods for testing autism arise, and there was another new one out today.

Researchers in Britain recently used a brain scan to correctly diagnose autism in over 90 percent of adults. More research will be needed before this becomes a common practice of course, but if physicians adopt the technology, it will be possible to test for autism in just 15 minutes. The scientists are planning to try the tests on children and say the technology could be ready for use by the public in the next few years.

Identifying autism early is essential to treating the disorder and providing help and resources to those parenting a child with autism. As such, scientists are always looking for early indicators of autism. The baby babble, which we all find so adorable, could actually be one of these crucial indicators. Researchers have created a program that they believe could help identify autism in toddlers by differentiating the speech of toddlers with autism and those without.

For the study, researchers place a small voice recorder in the pocket of over 200 young children, recording 12 hours of audio per day for six to eight days. Autistic children generally form jumbled syllables for a longer period than other children do, and the software works to identify these anomalies. Preliminary research found the software to be correct in 85 percent of its identifications.

For parents seeking out autism information online, one thing is for sure: there is a lot of it. And while this can be helpful for those who are unfamiliar with the disease, much of what is reported and prescribed is pure speculation from unqualified sources. The internet is rife with alternative treatments and cure-all claims, but be wary of where your information comes from. I am going to discredit myself a little bit, but the most reliable information will typically come from sites with the .gov or .edu suffix.

Before you try a treatment you discover online, be sure to consult with your physician. That being said, there are some noninvasive measures with little downside that may be worth trying. One of the most popular theories on autism treatment centers on holding the child and creating boundaries around their body. Many claim that this helps develop a bond between the parents and the child while stimulating the child’s brain. Weighted blankets, which utilize the same principles of security, are available as well.