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Hearing a diagnosis of Autism for their child can be very upsetting to parents. The guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics confirm that diagnosing a child’s autism and getting appropriate therapy early is easier on the child. Parents, family members, primary caregivers, pediatricians and other health care providers have intimate knowledge of a child’s development and can identify the first signs of emerging problems during the child’s development.

Earlier the identification is better for diagnosis. Parents can play a great role in initiating the process of helping their child learn to relate, communicate and think while the professional are screening and performing comprehensive evaluations. The start of educational and therapeutic programs may take some time. In the meantime, parents can take initial steps. Children benefit most by getting help in an early stages when their nervous system is growing most rapidly. Early diagnosis and treatment for autism can prove to be very effective in avoiding developmental delays. (continue reading…)

Autistic children will be hanging 10 at beaches up and down both coasts this summer with the help of volunteers from Surfers Healing. Founded by former world champion surfer Israel Paskowitz and his wife Danielle in 1999, the free program served about 2,500 autistic children last year in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Family Ties

Autism is personal to the Paskowitz family because their son Isaiah was diagnosed with the disorder at age 3. Isaiah, like many other autistic children, struggled to overcome feelings of distress from sensory overload. One day, Israel put his son on the front of his long board and the two cruised out into the ocean together. (continue reading…)

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Osteopathy is one of the more recognized and accepted therapies for many conditions, on the line between conventional medicine and complementary medicine. It was founded in America by Andrew Taylor Still in the mid 1870s, after he became unsatisfied with the orthodox medicine he was practicing. It came to Britain in the early 1900s. Much of the research was undertaken by William Garner Sutherland at the beginning of the 1900s.  Osteopathy involves the use of very gentle manipulation to correct any structural problems in the body. Generally, osteopaths are very well qualified and regulated. Some osteopaths also study cranial osteopathy which involves the movement of the fine bones in the skull which can be of particular relevance in those with autism and other neurological conditions. Cranial osteopathy is not generally used on its own, but as part of an all round osteopathic treatment.

I have found cranial osteopathy very helpful with my children. When babies are born the bones in the head move when they travel down the birth canal, normally they will move back into place, however sometimes this does not happen and can lead to all sorts of problems. Obviously the more difficult the birth the more likely that this will happen. (continue reading…)

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Excessive weight is a serious health problem. It aggravates the physical balance we need to stay healthy. This is especially true for people with special needs, like children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

These children often struggle with weight management issues because they have a sensitive biological balance to keep. So while taking care of their diet is essential, it’s also important to provide favorable circumstances for physical activity. Martial arts is a great calorie burner, and it provides ample opportunity to work on motor skills, coordination, and social skills. (continue reading…)

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Many parents feel pressured to modify their child’s behavior to match what people consider normal, even when the existing behaviors are not a problem. For instance, my son Daniel would only wear exactly the same style and color clothes for many years. It didn’t do anybody any harm, and he felt safer that way. Therefore I didn’t do any more than coax him occasionally to wear something different. He moved on to other clothes when he felt ready and now dresses much the same as the other boys. As the child gets older, he understands more and more and it is easier to negotiate and explain things. Similarly, Daniel used to go to bed in his coat and shoes. I just let him do that. There is no point in making life harder than it has to be. Also, focusing on the issues can make the child more resistant to changing and make it harder for them, since they know that the topic will be continually talked about.

Try to talk to the child and ascertain what exactly it is that is bothering him. When he refuses to do something, or insists on doing something, the reason may be different from what you perceive to be the problem. For instance you may assume that he doesn’t like his trousers because of the color, when in fact it is how they feel on his legs. In the case of children on the autistic spectrum it is often something that nobody has thought about that is bothering them. (continue reading…)

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should be treated with drugs such as Ritalin only in severe cases and never when they are younger than 5 according to British Health Guidelines on September 24, 2008.

There is widespread concern that such medication is used too freely to calm hyperactive children. The new policy is that most children with ADHD should instead be offered psychological therapy to improve their behavior, backed up by training to support their parents and teachers. (continue reading…)

I was like all mothers when first told my 2-year-old had autism: scared and lost. I had no idea what to do and whom to turn to for help. Mainstream medicine did not seem to offer any hope. All the “specialists” seemed to give the same response: every child is different and different things work for different kids. Knowing this, we tried a lot of things for the next two years.

For a mother that knew nothing about autism, my life became all about autism. I would care for my child during the day and spend nights researching available treatments for my son. For the next two years, (continue reading…)