Marc's Autism - Asperger's Syndrome Blog

by Ellen Notbohm

Some days it seems the only predictable thing about it is the unpredictability. The only consistent attribute -- the inconsistency There is little argument on any level but that autism is baffling, even to those who spend their lives around it. The child who lives with autism may look "normal" but his behavior can be perplexing and downright difficult.

Autism was once thought an "incurable" disorder, but that notion is crumbling in the face knowledge and understanding that is increasing as you read this. Every day, individuals with autism are showing us that they can overcome, compensate for and otherwise manage many of autism's most challenging aspects. Equipping those around our children with simple understanding of autism's most basic elements has a tremendous impact on their ability to journey towards productive, independent adulthood.

Autism is an extremely complex disorder but for this article we can distill it to what I call The Big Three: sensory processing challenges, speech/language delays and impairments, and whole child/social interaction issues. And though these three elements may be common to many children with ASD, we also must keep front-of-mind that no two (or ten or twenty) will be alike. For every child: a different spot on the spectrum. And, just as importantly - for every parent and teacher, a different spot on the spectrum.

Here are ten things every child with autism wishes you knew:

1. I am first and foremost a child -- a child with autism. I am not primarily "autistic." My autism is only one aspect of my total character. It does not define me as a person. Are you a person with thoughts, feelings and many talents, or are you just fat (overweight), myopic (wear glasses) or klutzy (uncoordinated, not good at sports)?
As an adult, you have some control over how you define yourself. If you want to single out a single characteristic, you can make that known. As a child, I am still unfolding. Neither you nor I yet know what I may be capable of. Defining me by one characteristic runs the danger of setting up an expectation that may be too low. And if I get a sense that you don't think I "can do it," my natural response will be: Why try?
Sensory integration may be the most difficult aspect of autism to understand, but it is arguably the most critical.

2. My sensory perceptions are disordered. This means that the ordinary sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of everyday that you may not even notice can be downright painful for me. The very environment in which I have to live often seems hostile. I may appear withdrawn or belligerent to you but I am really just trying to defend myself. Here is why a "simple" trip to the grocery store may be hell for me:
My hearing may be hyper-acute. Dozens of people are talking at once. The loud speaker booms today's special. Musak whines from the sound system. Cash registers beep and cough, a coffee grinder is chugging. The meat cutter screeches, babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent lighting hums. My brain can't filter all the input and I'm in overload!
My sense of smell may be highly sensitive. The fish at the meat counter isn' t quite fresh, the guy standing next to us hasn't showered today, the deli is handing out sausage samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a poopy diaper, they're mopping up pickles on aisle 3 with ammonia..I can't sort it all out; I'm too nauseous.
Because I am visually oriented (see more on this below), this may be my first sense to become overstimulated. The fluorescent light is too bright; it makes the room pulsate and hurts my eyes. Sometimes the pulsating light bounces off everything and distorts what I am seeing -- the space seems to be constantly changing. There's glare from windows, too many items for me to be able to focus (I may compensate with "tunnel vision"), moving fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in constant motion. All this affects my vestibular sense, and now I can't even tell where my body is in space.
Receptive and expressive language and vocabulary can be major challenges:

3. Please remember to distinguish between won't (I choose not to) and can't (I am not able to).
It isn't that I don't listen to instructions. It's that I can't understand you. When you call to me from across the room, this is what I hear: "*&^%$#@, Billy. #$%^*&^%$&*...Error! Hyperlink reference not valid." Instead, come speak directly to me in plain words: "Please put your book in your desk, Billy. It's time to go to lunch." This tells me what you want me to do and what is going to happen next. Now it is much easier for me to comply.

4. I am a concrete thinker. This means I interpret language very literally. It's very confusing for me when you say, "Hold your horses, cowboy!" when what you really mean is "Please stop running." Don't tell me something is a "piece of cake" when there is no dessert in sight and what you really mean is "this will be easy for you to do." When you say "It's pouring cats and dogs," I see pets coming out of a pitcher. Please just tell me "It's raining very hard."
Idioms, puns, nuances, double entendres and sarcasm are lost on me.

5. Please be patient with my limited vocabulary. It's hard for me to tell you what I need when I don't know the words to describe my feelings. I may be hungry, frustrated, frightened or confused but right now those words are beyond my ability to express. Be alert for body language, withdrawal, agitation or other signs that something is wrong.
Or, there's a flip side to this: I may sound like a "little professor" or movie star, rattling off words or whole scripts well beyond my developmental age. These are messages I have memorized from the world around me to compensate for my language deficits because I know I am expected to respond when spoken to. They may come from books, TV, the speech of other people. It is called "echolalia." I don't necessarily understand the context or the terminology I'm using. I just know that it gets me off the hook for coming u p with a reply.

6. Because language is so difficult for me, I am very visually oriented. Please show me how to do something rather than just telling me. And please be prepared to show me many times. Lots of consistent repetition helps me learn.
A visual schedule is extremely helpful as I move through my day. Like your day-timer, it relieves me of the stress of having to remember what comes next, makes for smooth transition between activities, helps me manage my time and meet your expectations. Here's a great website for learning more about visual schedules: www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/sped/autism/structure/str11.htm.
Don't let autism cause you to lose sight of the whole child. Self-esteem is crucial.

7. Please focus and build on what I can do rather than what I can't do. Like any other human, I can't learn in an environment where I'm constantly made to feel that I'm not good enough and that I need "fixing." Trying anything new when I am almost sure to be met with criticism, however "constructive," becomes something to be avoided. Look for my strengths and you will find them. There is more than one "right" way to do most things.

8. Please help me with social interactions. It may look like I don't want to play with the other kids on the playground, but sometimes it's just that I simply do not know how to start a conversation or enter a play situation. If you can encourage other children to invite me to join them at kickball or shooting baskets, it may be that I'm delighted to be included.

9. Try to identify what triggers my meltdowns. Meltdowns, blow-ups, tantrums or whatever you want to call them are even more horrid for me than they are for you. They occur because one or more of my senses has gone into overload. If you can figure out why my meltdowns occur, they can be prevented. Keep a log noting times, settings, people, activities. A pattern may emerge.

10. If you are a family member, please love me unconditionally. Banish thoughts like, "If he would just.." and "Why can't she..." You did not fulfill every last expectation your parents had for you and you wouldn't like being constantly reminded of it. I did not choose to have autism. But remember that it is happening to me, not you. Without your support, my chances of successful, self-reliant adulthood are slim. With your support and guidance, the possibilities are broader than you might think. I promise you - I am worth it.

And finally, three words: Patience. Patience. Patience. Work to view my autism as a different ability rather than a disability. Look past what you may see as limitations and see the gifts autism has given me. It may be true that I'm not good at eye contact or conversation, but have you noticed that I don't lie, cheat at games, tattle on my classmates or pass judgment on other people? Also true that I probably won't be the next Michael Jordan. But with my attention to fine detail and capacity for extraordinary focus, I might be the next Einstein. Or Mozart. Or Van Gogh.

They had autism too.

The answer to Alzheimer's, the enigma of extraterrestrial life -- what future achievements from today's children with autism, children like me, lie ahead?

All that I might become won't happen without you as my foundation. Think through some of those societal 'rules' and if they don't make sense for me, let them go. Be my advocate, be my friend, and we'll see just how far I can go.

If you enjoyed this article you'll love the new book "What Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew." Look for it this Fall!

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Chicagoans Turn Out To Help Fight Autism

May 22, 2005 5:30 pm US/Central

CHICAGO (CBS 2) Autism is being diagnosed in more children than ever these days, and that is what motivated thousands of people to walk in Chicago in the hope of finding a cure. Teams of people stormed Soldier Field Sunday morning for the annual Cure Autism Now walk.

The walk raises money to help fund research and education programs for families affected by autism.

Besides the main attraction, people were more than a little desperate to get a peek at a Chicago native who is everybody's favorite plumber. James Denton may be on that other network tonight, but having a nephew with autism, his priority was in Chicago today.

"The family certainly, like so many, is just trying to understand... Trying to turn this desperate housewives thing into something positive so this is definitely worth our time and effort,” Denton said.

After the walk, participants grooved to tunes by host and Grammy winner Chaka Khan.

The final tally is not in yet, but so far the event raised more than $650,000 for autism research.

Find out more at: CureAutismNow.org
CBS 2 Chicago WBBM-TV: Chicagoans Turn Out To Help Fight Autism

Thursday, May 05, 2005

Study: Autism Treatment Could Be Earlier

By OWEN JARUS, Associated Press Writer

TORONTO - Infants who make little eye contact, have trouble smiling and aren't very active may be showing signs of autism, Canadian researchers report in a small study that suggests autism could be spotted earlier than it is.

If autistic behavior can be spotted as early as 12 months, as the research indicates, it would enable doctors and parents to start effective therapy sooner.

Parents currently have to wait until a child is typically 2 to 3 years old to find out if the toddler has the mysterious developmental disability.

The study involved 150 infants who already were at high risk of developing autism based on family history. The researchers were from various Canadian hospitals and universities, including the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, York University and the University of Toronto.

Families with an autistic child have a 5 percent to 10 percent higher risk of having another child with the condition, a rate of recurrence about 50 times higher than the general population.

The research, published in the April-May edition of the International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, was carried out for two years.

The team identified a list of common behavioral traits found in the 19 infants who actually went on to develop autism.

They found the infants had a lack of eye contact with parents, problems visually following an object and had trouble expressing themselves through facial expressions, such as smiling. They also had problems recognizing their names and lower activity levels than their healthy counterparts when they were as young as 6 months.

Dr. Wendy Roberts, a pediatrician at the Hospital for Sick Children and a team leader, said other pediatricians already were contacting her about possible early autism warnings among their own infant patients.

Roberts said there were few programs for potentially autistic children younger than 3, the age at which most cases are typically diagnosed.

"It puts pressure on the scientific community to come up with treatments for children under 3," she said.

Dr. Catherine Lord, an autism researcher at the University of Michigan, cautioned that while the study is promising, more research involving a larger number of infants needs to be done before doctors could make a firm diagnosis at such a young age. She said the Canadian research should only be used to consider potential risks of autism, and not firm diagnoses.

Roberts said that the 19 infants who had all the traits outlined in the study did go on to have autism, a complex developmental disorder best known for impairing a child's ability to communicate or interact with others.

Recent data suggest a tenfold increase in autism rates over the last decade, although it's unclear how much of the apparent surge reflects better diagnosis and how much is a true rise.

Roberts said infants in the study who had only some of the traits ended up in a "gray area."

"They may have autism or it could be a speech-language or other type of disorder," she said.
Study: Autism Treatment Could Be Earlier - Yahoo! News

Friday, April 29, 2005

Early diagnosis key to treating autism

The challenge of treating autism lies in identifying the disorder at an early age.

"The sooner the diagnosis, the better outcome you are going to have," said Lewes pediatrician Dr. Jay Ludwicki.

He said parents should rely on children's well checks to diagnose symptoms, which generally present themselves by 15 and 18 months and as early as 12 months. Those symptoms can range depending on the degree of the neurological disorder, which affects the functioning of the brain.

Ludwicki, who's formerly of Pittsburgh and moved to the area in 1997, said autism is characterized by three main factors: the lack of social interaction skills, the lack of communication skills and the presence of repetitive activities, such as walking circles around a room and banging utensils.

He said there are several chromosomal defects that come together to show characteristics of autism. There are different types of impairment from mild, commonly diagnosed as Asperger's Syndrome, to severe.

"It is very diverse. That is probably the biggest problem," Ludwicki said.

He said he uses the Denver Developmental Screening for children at well checks, or routine visits when children are healthy.

One indicator would be "Is the child pointing, indicating things they want," he said. If several indicators show abnormal development, then he said, physicians can use more intense screenings designed to identify disorders.

"Not every kid is going to articulate real well at 15 to 18 months, but they will pick up nonverbal communication with parents and others around him," Ludwicki said, therefore absence of pointing may be a sign.

Other indicators may be not making eye contact, not showing reciprocal emotion and not being able to follow simple tasks like 'Throw this in the trash.'

"They don't play with toys. They line up toys. Later, they count toys. They don't make transitions easily from one activity to another," Ludwicki said, further explaining characteristics of the disorder.

He said his first step after determining a child is autistic is to refer the family to a pediatric neurologist and a pediatric psychologist. Some children with autism have co-morbidities, Ludwicki said, or other health problems such as anxiety disorder, depression, ADHD or obsessive compulsive disorder. Those problems can be treated with medication. For autism, there is no cure.

"My job is to get them to the neurologist and make sure they don't have other co-morbidities they could be treating," Ludwicki said.

He said more evidence points to genetic factors as causing autism and related disorders, classified as an autism spectrum, than environmental factors. He said vaccines are often blamed for causing autism, but studies have disproved that theory. (For information on that, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site at www.aap.org.)

"It presents at that age" when vaccines are given, Ludwicki said, "so people always look back at a vaccine and say, 'It must have been the vaccine that caused it.'"

"It has a lot to do with brain disorganization," Ludwicki said.

He compared the development of an autistic child's brain to a tree that wasn't pruned. Research shows that autistic children lack the protein glutamate that prunes the brain, or organizes white matter.
Early diagnosis key to treating autism - Delaware Coast Press - delmarvanow.com

The Age of Autism: Donald T. and Fritz V.

By DAN OLMSTED
BALTIMORE, April 29 (UPI) --

They were born within four months of each other, Fritz V. in June of 1933 and Donald T. that September. Fritz was born in Austria, Donald in Mississippi, but they had a surprising amount in common.

Unfortunately.

When Donald was taken by his beleaguered parents to Johns Hopkins University in 1938, he acted like no 5-year-old that famed child psychiatrist Leo Kanner had ever seen.

"He learned my name," Kanner recounted decades later, "but he would never see me if he met me because he would never look up enough and had enough eye contact to recognize faces. ... Also, while he spoke, it was not for communication, and if in order to satisfy his needs some communication was needed, he would not be able to distinguish between 'I' and 'you,' rather echoing religiously some of the things that he was interested in.

"For instance, if he wanted his milk, he remembered constantly that his mother always asked him, 'Donnie, do you want your milk?' And his way of asking for milk was 'Donnie, do you want your milk?' Well, this was only a part of some of his peculiar behavior."

Yet, strangely, by age 2 1/2 he could name the presidents and vice presidents of the United States backwards and forwards and recite the 25 questions of the Presbyterian catechism.

Fritz made an equally vivid impression on Hans Asperger, the pediatrician who first saw him in 1939 at age 6 in Vienna. Asperger described him as "a highly unusual boy who shows a very severe impairment in social integration. ... His gaze was strikingly odd. It was generally directed into the void."

In school, "He quickly became aggressive and lashed out with anything he could get hold of (once with a hammer). ... Because of his totally uninhibited behavior, his schooling failed on the first day. ... Another strange phenomenon in this boy was the occurrence of certain stereotypic movements and habits."

As with Donald, "The content of his speech was completely different from what one would expect of a normal child," Asperger said of Fritz. "Only rarely was what he said in answer to a question."

Weird, but he started speaking at 10 months and soon "talked like an adult."

Donald T. and Fritz V. -- their last names were never given -- have endured in medical literature because they are firsts. Donald was the first to confront Kanner with the behaviors that he later named "autism." Fritz was the first case study of what came to be known as Asperger's Disorder. Both conditions are now classed in the official U.S. guide to mental problems as Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and are also called Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Autism derives from the Greek word for self, "autos," as in autobiography.

Most experts think the disorders are related, with autism the severe manifestation; Asperger's is sometimes referred to as "autism lite" or "a dash of autism" and is differentiated by a lack of delay in language development.

Kanner's study of Donald and 10 other children was titled "Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact," and was published in the journal "Nervous Child" in 1943. Asperger called his study of Fritz and three other children "'Autistic Psychopathy' in Childhood;" it was published in the "Archiv fur Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten" in 1944.

Kanner described autism's defining features as "extreme aloneness and a desire for the preservation of sameness."

"The children seemed to live in a static world in which they could not seem to tolerate any kind of change introduced by anybody but themselves," Kanner said in a 1972 speech, "and even that didn't occur very often."

"The autist is only himself," Asperger wrote, "and is not an active member of a greater organism which he is influenced by and which he influences constantly."

Kanner and Asperger did not collaborate on their studies. Nor did either predict the deluge that would follow: In the United States, a reasonable estimate is 30 or 40 children out of every 10,000 are diagnosed with autism, and another 30 or 40 are diagnosed with other Pervasive Developmental Disorders, including Asperger's.

This leads to a simple but significant question: Was it coincidence the first few cases of these strikingly similar disorders were identified at the same time, by the same term, in children born the same decade, by doctors thousands of miles apart?

Or, is it a clue to when and where autism started -- and why?

The question reflects a huge, and hugely important, debate. If autistic children always existed in the same percentages but just were not formally classified until the 1940s, that would suggest better diagnosis, not a troubling increase in the number of autistic children.

If, however, autism had a clear beginning in the fairly recent past (a past so recent that Fritz and Donald could both be alive today at age 71), then the issue is very different. That would suggest something new caused those first autism and Asperger's cases in the early 1930s; something caused them to increase, and something is still causing them today.

This ongoing series will look for answers by tracking the natural history of autism around the world -- a road less traveled than one might think. For example, Asperger's study was not translated into English until 1994 -- a half-century later -- and still is not easily available. Actually reading Asperger's account of Fritz V. makes you realize the severity of his disorder and its similarity to classical autism.

"The reader of Asperger's first paper cannot fail to be impressed by the close similarities to Kanner's case descriptions and the relatively few differences," wrote British psychiatrist Lorna Wing in the 1994 anthology "Autism and Asperger Syndrome," which includes the first English translation. Translator Uta Frith noted, "By a remarkable coincidence, Asperger and Kanner independently described exactly the same type of disturbed child to whom nobody had paid much attention before and both used the label autistic."

Both said autistic children were impossible to miss.

"Once one has properly diagnosed an autistic individual one can spot such children instantly," Asperger said.

"It is a unique syndrome," Kanner said, "and almost photographically not identical, but similar."

Kanner was clear he never saw an autistic child until he met Donald T. in 1938 -- 17 years after he got his medical degree in Berlin, on his way to becoming one of the world's leading psychiatrists, to whom the toughest cases were often referred "all the way to the great Hopkins," as he jokingly put it.

In fact, his landmark 1943 paper begins, "Since 1938, there have come to our attention a number of children whose condition differs so markedly and uniquely from anything reported so far, that each case merits -- and, I hope, will eventually receive -- a detailed consideration of its fascinating peculiarities."

Markedly, uniquely different: The great psychiatrist at the great Hopkins was convinced he was seeing something new.

Next, a look at the oldest of Kanner's patients, the one whose birth might mark the start of the age of autism. Her name was Virginia S.

This article is one of seven in a series UPI published earlier this year.

The Age of Autism aims to be interactive with readers and will take heed of comment, criticism and suggestions. E-mail: dolmsted@upi.com
The Age of Autism: Donald T. and Fritz V.

Concerta - Results you can see for ADHD.

Unlocking the door to autism - One family chronicles its struggles and triumphant journey

By Linda Maraldo

Correspondent - Chicago Suburban News

The crowd at a local 2003 Little League All-Star baseball game was particularity excited about one player, a rookie who was leading the league in hits that year.
"What a sweet swing!"
"Who is that kid?"
"A rookie? I can't believe it! You're kidding!"
Those were the comments Rhonda Brunett heard about her son, Jordan, while walking through the crowd that summer day.
"It was like a miracle. They were talking about my child," she said.
Rhonda and Rick Brunett of Carol Stream never put limits on their son, Jordan, a sixth-grader at Jay Stream Elementary School in Carol Stream, but there was a time when he couldn't follow directions let alone play All-Star caliber baseball.
Jordan is autistic, a complex developmental disorder that affects social and communication skills. He was diagnosed at age 3.
To educate others about autism and the reality of raising an autistic child, Rhonda published "From Autism to All-Star" in the fall of 2004 by Specialty Publishing Co. in Carol Stream. The book includes observations and personal journal entries from Rhonda as well as excerpts from friends, family members, teachers and parents.
Rhonda actually began writing a journal while pregnant with Jordan, intending it to be a gift for him once he was older.
"I never intended to make my journal a book until I saw familiar tendencies in my friend's son and said, 'I can't let this happen, I have too much information, I have to get the word out,' " recalled Rhonda, stressing early intervention with autistic children is crucial.
Rhonda knew her journal had documented the warning signs and the efforts that helped Jordan assimilate into grade school, become socially interactive and a star baseball player.
"'From Autism to All-Star' is to be shared with parents and teachers to educate them, with (the) hope that my experience will give others hope and strength," Rhonda said.
Warning signs
For a new parent or someone who has not been around many children, not recognizing red flags is not understanding what you are seeing, Rhonda explained.
"Autistic children often develop normally through the first few years. Then they begin to display certain behaviors. It was confusing," said Rhonda.
For example, she would ask herself why Jordan could memorize all the presidents, but could not verbalize: "Mommy, I want a cookie."
Jordan played with toys differently. Instead of racing his toy cars on the ground, he would pass them before his eyes as if he were taking their picture. He also could be found running around the block 10 times or staring at a car tire for 40 minutes.
He paced endlessly, fixated on objects and showed repetitive movements. Jordan was "tirelessly repetitive," according to Carla Crosby, a friend of the Brunett's. Jordan couldn't communicate, which led to frustration which then led to tantrums.
"I don't know what is wrong and I don't know how to handle it," Rhonda wrote in her journal. She often felt very alone. "It's hard for the average person to understand what it's like to raise an autistic child," she wrote.
By 3 years old, Jordan was having problems if he was pulled from a routine. "A broken routine for Jordan made everyone who was involved in Jordan's day difficult, including Jordan," wrote his godfather Mike Muro in "From Autism to All-Star."
The Brunetts heard comments about his behavior from family members, but it was Crosby who suggested Rhonda take Jordan to a neurologist. Rhonda brought a video that showed Jordan's idiosyncrasies to the neurologist and Jordan was diagnosed with autism.
Taking action
Rhonda knew almost nothing about autism, only what she had seen in the 1988 movie, "Rain Man," and what she read in two nonfiction books on the subject.
Rhonda instinctively did some things right, such as the constant use of flash cards. But she also took the advise of others. "I did whatever anyone suggested: the doctors, the teachers, friends," she said.
Neurologist Charles Swisser of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago told the Brunetts by third grade Jordan would lose most of the outward signs of autism. "Keep the Kool-Aid jug full," Swisser told them, referring to the many children who wanted to hang out with Jordan.
Even if Jordan wanted to play alone, he needed to be with children. Autistic children will mimic other children, so they will learn by having playmates around them.
Rhonda took Swisser's advice and surrounded Jordan with playmates.
"We were blessed with a wonderful neighborhood family of children who loved Jordan and treated him like another brother," said Rhonda.
Autistic children need consistency, much attention and socialization. Jordan had to be taught social skills, how to share toys and play with other children. Rhonda explained they had to take the toy away from Jordan and deal with the tears or tantrums and try again until he learned he had to share. Absolutely everything is a process, she added.
Autistic children also need encouragement and positive feedback. They are sensitive to loud sounds, so yelling at them does not help, said Rhonda.
One of Rhonda's goals for her son was to teach him compassion, which she showed him first-hand. The way to teach respect is to give it, she said.
Breaking ground
Rhonda was not afraid to write she was tired or frustrated in her personal memoir. One particular breakdown she had convinced her that Jordan's school needed to provide him with a full-time aid.
On Jordan's first day of school in the Individual Evaluation Program in Community Consolidated School District 93, Rhonda could not get her son dressed. He would not cooperate and Rhonda found herself outside crying. A neighbor ended up getting Jordan ready for school.
"I thought I was a terrible mother. I couldn't control my kid," Rhonda said.
"It was maybe this state of mind dealing with Jordan and his difficulties that made me demand a full-time aid for my son," Rhonda wrote in her book.
One in 50 families daily will have a child diagnosed with autism, and Joan Huchthausen, assistant superintendent of District 89, confirmed teachers are seeing an increase in children with autistic tendencies and Asperger's disease, a mild form of autism. Huchthausen stressed parents are the first and life-long teachers, and schools cannot do everything.
Rhonda said it is important the teachers know the autistic child's positive characteristics and set the tone to prevent classroom bullying. Autistic children process information slower than other children, which is why it is important for them to have an aid to keep them on track, she pointed out.
Rhonda developed a method she calls the triangle of constant communication with the classroom teacher, speech teacher and herself, so there is triple reinforcement to Jordan's learning.
To educate more teachers about autism, Rhonda, her friend Wendy Williams, who has a child with Asperger's, and teachers from District 93, created a PowerPoint presentation, to help teachers recognize the red flags and develop appropriate teaching strategies and suggestions for the classroom.
While transferring her journal to manuscript, memories of Rhonda's own unpleasant school experiences started to surface, which motivated her to make a difference.
"I had a hard time understanding concepts. I couldn't focus. I would space out. I barely made it through school. I just struggled through school," she said.
Rhonda suspects she had attention deficit disorder long before it was recognized. "I was pushed through the system. I didn't learn a lot. I said, 'I'm not going to let that happen to my kid.' I wanted Jordan to enjoy school," Rhonda said.
Where are they now?
Rhonda said teaching or helping other children is something she is thinking about for the future. She has already given presentations at Roosevelt University in Chicago, to special education teaching students, and in the future she will target regular classroom teachers.
Jordan continues to learn. Rhonda and his speech teacher are working to expand his conversational level by having Jordan discuss newspaper articles.
Learning is still hard work. Now after an intense day at school where he needs all of his energy to focus on learning, Jordan will play ball to relax.
"We tried to let Jordan be Jordan, never wanted to change him but bring him to a position where he could interact socially," his dad, Rick, added.
For information about "From Autism to All-Star," autism information or support groups, visit www.autism2allstar.com.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Understanding Asperger's Syndrome

Understanding Asperger’s Syndrome

Publish Date : 3/16/2005 2:47:00 AM Source : Health Section ExpressNewsline.com

Diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome is made in terms of one or both of two main sets of diagnostic criteria: the DSM-IV criteria, and Gillberg’s criteria (published by Swedish psychiatrist Christopher Gillberg).

THE DSM-IV DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR ASPERGER’S SYNDROME

(A) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction

2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)

4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity.

(B) Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus

2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, non-functional routines or rituals

3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

(C) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

(D) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

(E) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

(F) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.

GILLBERG’S CRITERIA FOR ASPERGER’S SYNDROME

1. Severe impairment in reciprocal social interaction

(at least two of the following)

(a) inability to interact with peers

(b) lack of desire to interact with peers

(c) lack of appreciation of social cues

(d) socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior

2. All-absorbing narrow interest

(at least one of the following)

(a) exclusion of other activities

(b) repetitive adherence

(c) more rote than meaning

3. Imposition of routines and interests

(at least one of the following)

(a) on self, in aspects of life

(b) on others

4. Speech and language problems

(at least three of the following)

(a) delayed development

(b) superficially perfect expressive language

(c) formal, pedantic language

(d) odd prosody, peculiar voice characteristics

(e) impairment of comprehension including misinterpretations of literal/implied meanings

5. Non-verbal communication problems

(at least one of the following)

(a) limited use of gestures

(b) clumsy/gauche body language

(c) limited facial expression

(d) inappropriate expression

(e) peculiar, stiff gaze

6. Motor clumsiness: poor performance on neurodevelopmental examination

(All six criteria must be met for confirmation of diagnosis.)

There is no specific treatment or cure for any of the PDDs, including Asperger’s Syndrome. However, early diagnosis is essential, for the earlier intervention is initiated, the more promising the outcome. Treatment is individualized, based on specific symptoms and rehabilitative requirements. Appropriate educational programs will emphasize improving communication skills and social interaction, enhancing academic development, modifying maladaptive behaviors, encouraging adaptive behaviors, improving physical coordination, and developing daily living skills.

Social skills are more effectively developed through interaction with normal peers, who then can also serve as models of appropriate behavior and use of language. But the educational environment must also be structured and consistent, and information should be presented visually as well as verbally. In order to help the child with Asperger’s to generalize behaviors and skills learned at school, they need also to be reinforced at home. Thus parental involvement is absolutely essential to an integrated developmental program for an Asperger's child.

Intervention may also require medication, including psychostimulants, tricyclic antidepressants, and beta-blockers. As the individual with Asperger’s enters adulthood, he or she may also need specialized adult support services in order to locate and maintain employment and living arrangements.

This is not to suggest that there is any cognitive impairment in the Asperger’s individual. On the contrary, those with Asperger’s have no clinically significant delay in language development or in cognitive abilities. Many with Asperger’s are of average intelligence, but many are actually highly gifted and even brilliant. People with Asperger’s often obtain one or more college degrees, and they may become mathematicians, philosophers, scientists, university professors, etc. But adult functioning usually requires some degree of communication skill and social adaptability, and these are notably lacking in Asperger’s Syndrome, which is why adult support services are often helpful or even necessary.

What else is often lacking is comprehension of the nonliteral aspects of language, especially spoken language. Just as they miss nonverbal signals when interacting with others, people with Asperger’s usually are stymied by humor, irony, metaphor, or any other use of language that goes beyond literal meaning. This makes normal interaction with coworkers or acquaintances difficult.

Of all the pervasive developmental disorders, Asperger’s Syndrome has the most positive prognosis, and children with Asperger’s more often than not become independently functioning adults. However, their social impairments often lead to psychological difficulties, including poor self-image and depression, and as adults their social interactions will continue to be marked by typical Asperger’s disturbances, though usually in more subtle form if intervention has been initiated early and successfully.
Understanding Asperger�s Syndrome : Health Section ExpressNewsline.com- ExpressNewsline.com

Facts about autism

Facts about autism
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
The Grand Rapids Press

What is autism?

Not a disease, autism is a developmental disorder that includes a broad range of symptoms and conditions -- from a high functioning form called Asperger's Syndrome to more severe forms. Grouped with other developmental conditions called Autism Spectrum Disorders, the disability is a lifelong condition that usually appears in children before age 3. There is no cure.

Those with autism are bombarded with sensations from everything they touch, see, feel, hear and taste, all at the same time, to the point of overload. Many cannot deal with change and end up retreating into a world of their own.

Autism facts

Autism Spectrum Disorders occur in 1-2 or more of every 500 births; 3 to 4 times more often in boys.

The developmental disability is thought by some scientists to be genetic in origin.

It is the third most common developmental disability following mental retardation and cerebral palsy. It's the fastest-growing developmental disability.

75-80 per cent of people with autism have mental impairment

What are the signs?

Many children with autism may seem normal in their development until they're toddlers, when delays or regression in language, social interaction and play become more apparent. Possible signs include:

Slow or no language development, a short attention span, difficulty in answering questions or comprehending what they hear and read. They often interpret words literally, and have difficulty understanding humor, sarcasm, or figures of speech.

Unusual speech and language. Words, phrases or sentences may seem out of context.

Preference to being alone; difficultly joining others in make-believe play.

Repetitive or unusual mannerisms such as rocking, flapping a hand, banging his or her head and flicking fingers in front of the eyes. Possible physical awkwardness or seemingly lack of coordination.

Aversion to social touch.

Has difficulty making direct eye contact with others.

Has trouble understanding inferred meanings behind spoken words. Takes the meaning of words literally.

Violent reactions to objects, people and situations

Incredibly accurate memory of details such as dates, phone numbers, facts, quotes, etc., but trouble remembering where they left their shoes.

(Sources: The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding, and www.autismeducation.net.)

Behaviors to Watch

The criteria used to diagnose autism are designed for 3-year-olds. Recent research shows certain behaviors in younger children may indicate a higher risk for developing the disorder. No single factor indicates a child may have autism; the presence of several symptoms could be cause for concern.

Possible symptoms at 6 months

Not making eye contact with parents during interaction

Not cooing or babbling

Not smiling when parents smile

Not participating in vocal turn-taking (baby makes a sound, adult makes a sound, and so forth)

Not responding to peekaboo game

At 14 months

No attempts to speak

Not pointing, waving or grasping

No response when name is called

Indifferent to others

Repetitive body motions such as rocking or hand flapping

Fixation on a single object

Oversensitivity to textures, smells, sounds

Strong resistance to change in routine

Any loss of language

At 24 months

Does not initiate two-word phrases (that is, doesn't just echo words)

Any loss of words or developmental skill

(Source: Rebecca Landa, Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore)

Behaviors by age group

No single factor indicates autism; the presence of several could be cause for concern.

At 6 months:

Not making eye contact with parents during interaction

Not cooing or babbling

Not smiling when parents smile

Not participating in vocal turn taking (baby makes a sound, adult makes a sound, and so forth)

Not responding to peekaboo game

At 14 months:

No attempts to speak

Not pointing, waving or grasping

No response when name is called

Indifferent to others

Repetitive body motions

Fixation on a single object

Oversensitivity to textures, smells, sounds

Strong resistance to change in routine

Any loss of language

At 24 months

Does not initiate two-word phrases

Any loss of words or developmental skill

(Sources: Signs -- The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding,

and www.autismeducation.net. Behaviors -- Rebecca Landa, Center

for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute,

Baltimore, Md.)

Treatment questions

When deciding on an autism strategy, Kristen Priem suggests parents become "careful consumers" and look at every strategy and evaluate it based on their child, their family, and the time and energy they have to devote to it. She advises asking these questions:

How practical is it? Will it require special equipment, trained therapists or special materials? Can I continue it long term?

How much does it cost, and could the benefits justify the expense?

Does it fit with my family's other needs, lifestyle and beliefs? Consider the location where therapy is provided, your other children's needs, and other areas of stress in your life.

Assess your expectations about what your want the strategy to do for your child, how long it may take for improvement in specific areas and what happens when there's no improvement in a reasonable amount of time.

Statistics

In Kent County, students with autism numbered 493 in 2003; 555 in 2004.

In Ottawa County, students with autism numbered 220 in 2003; 271 in 2004.

In Michigan, students with autism numbered 7,525 in 2003; 8,650 in 2004.

In the U.S., 1 child in 166 has autism.

1 million to to 1.5 million Americans have the disorder.

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability with a 10 to 17 percent annual growth rate which could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade. It's increased 10 times in the last 20 years.

During the 1990s, the increase of those diagnosed with autism was 172 per cent.

(Sources: www.autism-society.org and www.autisticsociety.org; Michigan Department of Education)

Resources

The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding, 4123 Embassy Drive SE, Kentwood, MI 49546. Contact them at 954-9747 or visit their website at www.thegraycenter.org.

Autism Asperger Associates of Michigan, 7027 10 Mile Road NE, Rockford, MI 49341. Contact them at 874-2090 or visit their website at www.autism-asperger-associates.com.

Autism Society of Michigan, 6035 Executive Dr., Ste 109, Lansing, MI 48911; www.autism-mi.org.

Autistic Society: www.autisticsociety.org.

www.autismspeaks.org.

Autism Coalition: autismcoalition.org.

CDC: cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly.

National Alliance for Autism Research: naar.org.

Autism Society of America, Inc.; www.autism-society.org.
Facts about autism

About Asperger's syndrome

Asperger’s Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder in the autism spectrum. The name Asperger’s syndrome comes from the psychiatrist Hans Asperger’s paper written in 1944. The term is used to describe certain patients who have never been easy to classify but who seem to constitute a recognizable type of autistic individual. The discovery of autism was credited to Leo Kanner in 1943. Kanner was an Austrian who immigrated to the United States in 1924. Asperger, also an Austrian, remained in Vienna. They both worked independently and by coincidence described the same type of disturbed child and used the term autism.

There is a great deal of overlap between Asperger’s and Kanner’s views of autism, they are mostly in agreement on all the major features. The features described first by Asperger were oddities of non-verbal communication; eye gaze, gestures, posture, voice quality, prosody and word choice. He also highlighted lack of humor and pedantry.

There is much to be learnt about Asperger’s Syndrome, our knowledge is still patchy. However, a consistent picture is beginning to emerge. Following are the six diagnostic criteria based on Asperger’s paper in 1944.

1) Speech- no delay, odd content, pedantic, stereotyped.

2) Non-verbal communication- little facial expression, monotone voice, inappropriate gestures.

3) Social Interactions-not reciprocal, lacking in empathy

4) Resistance to change-enjoys repetitive activities

5) Motor co-ordination- gait and posture odd, gross movements, clumsy, sometimes stereotypes

6) Skills and interests- good rote memory, circumscribed special interests.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome show impairments in cognition. This has an affect on the child’s play, language, sociability and academic achievement. The have difficulties in extracting a meaningful whole from what they see and hear.

Cognitive Difficulties.

The more complex the environment the more difficulty they have in extracting vital information.

Sociability.

They usually want to be sociable but often go about this the wrong way. They often appear rude, shy or overfriendly. They can be distressed when hurt or ignored but have little idea about how they are sending out the wrong signals for friendships to develop. Also, they can behave appropriate when left on their own but become overwhelmed by large groups.

Language.

Children with Asperger’s make literal interpretations of other peoples’ conversations and can over react to comments. Other people’s teasing and sarcasm can distress them, although they may learn to use it themselves. They rarely make the connection between the harm they inflict on others and that directed towards them. They are often impulsive saying things that others only dare think. This can make them sound arrogant, rude or hurtful. They acquire language through memory rather than meaning and tend to convey messages obliquely.

Play.

Asperger’s children understand that toys represent real objects but often have problems with more abstract substitutions or omissions. They often have a poor imagination and find it difficult to role-play.

Identifying problematic conditions helps to ensure that specialist provision can be made for all those involved. There is a case to be made against the use of labels. The term ‘diagnosogenesis’ has been used to describe a process of labeling where a person given the label creates or exacerbates the disorder. However, an equally powerful plea for the diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders is that knowing someone has the disorder will tell you how to treat and teach that person. Needs that are not recognized or met can lead to a lifetime of misery.

Not so long ago, autistic spectrum disorders were blamed on the mother. It was claimed that children became withdrawn and autistic because of a lack of maternal attention when very young. The term ‘refrigerator mother’ was coined. Fortunately, it is now known that this accusation was false. The actual cause of autism is still uncertain but it is believed to be of genetic source. Often members of the same family will have the syndrome. It is also found to be more common in males than females and is rarely recognized before the child is three years old. More recent therapies have included a gluten-free diet, although it has not been proved to be affective.

It takes time and understanding to improve the quality of life for an autistic spectrum disorder child. There are many useful resources for information both in books and on the internet. It is often helpful to join groups and associations who can offer support and advice. Many children with Asperger’s Syndrome find school difficult, although it is often possible for them to attend mainstream school. They concentrate better in smaller groups and may need extra explanation of what work is expected of them. Routine and structure is important to them and anxiety can occur if this is disrupted. Unstructured moments of the day, such as playtime, can cause the most problems. They will need extra supervision as they are often teased or bullied by other children. The best strategy to avoid problems seems to be protection rather than exposure.

Unwanted behaviors at home may be diminished by the use of a behavior chart. Recording behaviors, when they occur, what triggered them and what happened afterwards, can give cares a greater understanding of why the behaviors occurred. A strategy can then be worked out on how to prevent the unwanted behaviors re-occurring. A clearly presented behavior chart is also a useful tool to explain to the child which behaviors are acceptable and which are not.
About Asperger's syndrome : Health Section ExpressNewsline.com- ExpressNewsline.com

Coming to terms with autism

Coming to terms with autism
By THERESA WINSLOW, Staff Writer

"Hi. My name's Eric and I'm playing with some blocks."

After that announcement -- made to no one in particular -- Eric LeBow hurried from the living room of his Mayo home to the basement to resume building.

The bright-eyed 6-year-old was back upstairs a few minutes later with his favorite stuffed animal, proclaiming, "That's my teddy."

Eric smiles and laughs a lot, is unfailingly polite and has a fantastic memory. He's also been diagnosed as high-functioning autistic, a finding his parents, Bert and Tammy LeBow, are just beginning to come to terms with.

They got the devastating news from a psychologist just before Christmas, even though they suspected for a long time that something was different about their son.

"It threw us for a loop," said Mrs. LeBow, a district manager for Hair Cuttery. "I wondered, should I quit my job? I left in tears. It's heartbreaking, We just had a big time pity party in December."

After some more crying and a few "down" days, the LeBows resolved to do whatever they could to help Eric. "We need to focus on his abilities - not his disability," Mrs. LeBow said.

The LeBows, who've been married 13 years, decided to share their story to help other parents who might be wondering why their child behaves certain ways. They'd also like to meet families who have children Eric's age with the same diagnosis for support.

"It's what it is," said Mr. LeBow, who works in the security department for Prince George's County schools. "What are you going to do? Sit around and complain? The best you can do is take it head on. We're not looking for him to get by in life. We're looking for him to succeed."

Still, the LeBows are uncertain about what the future holds for Eric. "All this is new. We're still figuring stuff out," Mr. LeBow said.

Initially, the LeBows were told Eric might have Attention Deficit Disorder. Others suggested he'd just grow out of his behavior, that he was "just a boy" or that it was unfair to compare his growth and progress with that of his older sister. But Mrs. LeBow suspected more was wrong.

Eric had language delays, conducted one-sided conversations "at" people instead of with them, handled change with difficulty, had a penchant for putting things in order and repeated behaviors, she said.

Over the summer, Mrs. LeBow spent a lot of time on the Internet and eventually figured Eric might have Asperger's Syndrome, a developmental disorder that's included in an umbrella category known as the autistic spectrum disorders.

Asperger's is primarily characterized by difficulty with social skills. Some experts consider the difference between it and high-functioning autism to be merely a matter of semantics.

Eve Band, the Owings Mills psychologist who began seeing Eric last fall and presented her findings to the LeBows in December, said he tends to fixate on his own, narrow interests and doesn't engage in two-way conversations.

Despite these problems, she was hopeful he could make a lot of progress. "He's young enough that there's a lot we can do," she said.

Linda Jacobs, executive director of The Harbour School in Cape St. Claire, said a lot of the students there with Asperger's end up going on to college. "With careful planing, they do quite well," she said.

Ms. Jacobs said 50 to 60 percent of their referrals are for students with Asperger's or high-functioning autism. In the county school system, there are 506 students, ages 3 to 21, with autism, according to officials.

At Eric's school, Mayo Elementary, he has an aide who helps him twice a day and a kindergarten teacher whose commitment has garnered praise from his parents.

Teacher Donna Kachura, who stays in constant contact with the LeBows, said she's learned a lot about autism because she wants to do the best she can for Eric.

"He's challenging, but there are many challenges in every class," she said. "He is special, but every child is special."

Besides his teacher, the school and his parents, support for Eric also has come from his sister, Amber, 8

"He's a good brother," she said with a wide smile.

Amber wrote a poem about Eric recently that pleads for tolerance. She often sticks up for Eric when other children tease him. "I tell them he can't help it," she said.

Eric is too young to know he's autistic, and does interact with his family - just a little differently than other children. The LeBows wish they had learned about their son's diagnosis when he was younger so they could have started assisting him sooner. But they've come to terms with the past and want to move on.

"If we had the opportunity to trade him for (another) kid, I'd say, 'No way,' " Mrs. LeBow said. "We're happy with the package we got. (We're) hell-bent to help him do whatever he wants to do."

The LeBows want to contact other local families with children Eric's age with the same diagnosis. If you would like to contact them, send an email to bertamlebow@comcast.net.

twinslow@capitalgazette.com

This is a poem Amber LeBow recently penned about life with her brother:

Kids with autism can't help it. Did you know that is true? Kids with autism are not like you. Kids with autism don't understand the rules, that's why they have challenges at school.

When kids make fun of him it makes me sad. And when they're mean to him it makes me mad.

But kids with autism are special too. They can draw pictures that really amaze you! He can memorize lots of cool things. He can memorize all the things that he sees!

He can make the whole world laugh, just by telling about his favorite things. He can be annoying, but he's a fun friend. When we play games he has fun til the end.

Every time I read to him, he slowly walks away. But surprisingly he remembers every thing I say!

So give him a chance, by trying to understand, I really love him. He'll always be my brother and he'll always be my best friend.
HometownAnnapolis.com, Lifestyle - Coming to terms with autism

Study links mercury from power plants to autism

March 17, 2005, 6:24AM

Study links mercury from power plants to autism
By TODD ACKERMAN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

After years of debate about whether a nationwide explosion in autism is related to a mercury-based preservative used in vaccines, Texas researchers have found a new suspect: mercury from coal-burning power plants.

In a new study, scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio are reporting a strong correlation between higher mercury release levels and the developmental disorder marked by communication and social interaction problems.

"This is a preliminary study that needs further study but suggests there is a link," said Raymond F. Palmer, an associate professor in the UT-San Antonio's department of family and community medicine and the study's lead author. "If corroborated, it would have pretty severe implications for policy."

Palmer called the study the first to examine the relationship between potentially chronic, low-dose exposure to mercury and developmental disorders such as autism. He stressed it does not prove causation.

The study, to be published in an upcoming edition of the journal Health and Place and already online, looked at 254 counties and 1,200 school districts in Texas, comparing 2001 mercury emission levels with rates of autism and special education services.

Using statistical modeling, Palmer's team found a 17 percent increase in autism rates for every 1,000 pounds of mercury released.

About 48 tons of mercury are released in the air annually in the United States from hundreds of coal-burning plants. Texas plants release more than those in any other state.

The study was undertaken amid uncertainty about a dramatic increase in autism. Once thought to occur in 1 of every 10,000 children, today it is estimated to afflict as many as 1 in 250.

The still poorly understood disorder has a strong genetic component, but the increase in cases has fueled theories the environment is playing a role. To some, mercury, a neurotoxin that affects the brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver, made logical sense .

Suspicion initially fell upon vaccines, many of which use thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. During the period reported autism rates grew, U.S. health authorities expanded the shots given to children, causing many parents to suspect the vaccine. But no proof was ever found; and last year, a controversial Institute of Medicine report concluded there is no causal link.

Dr. Sarah Spence, medical director of the UCLA Autism Evaluation Clinic, called the UT-San Antonio study "very interesting." She noted that the mercury released by power plants has known toxic effects on humans, whereas that's still speculative in the kind of mercury used in vaccines.

"If the statistical modeling in the study is accurate, it's an important first step," said Spence. "Proving causation would provide important information to both researchers and clinicians, who know people receiving treatment to remove mercury."

Susan West Marmagas, director of the Washington, D.C.-based Physicians for Social Responsibility's environment and health program, called the study "the kind of research the scientific community needs to better evaluate the potential links between mercury and autism," but said she would need to confer with experts before commenting further.

Palmer said his next step will be to look at associations between mercury emissions and autism rates over time, about 15 years. He will start with Texas data, then compare that to national numbers.

"If this study is corroborated, I would hope it leads to reductions, just as studies led to reductions in lead," said Palmer.

The Bush administration Tuesday ordered power plants to cut mercury pollution from smokestacks by nearly half within 15 years. Environmentalists complained that the order fell short of what was needed.
----------
RESOURCES
A NEW CULPRIT

Texas researchers are reporting an alternative to the theory that the mercury in vaccines is related to the explosion of autism — mercury released by coal-burning power plants.
• The increase: Once thought to occur in 1 of every 10,000 children, autism today is estimated to afflict 1 in 250.
• Suspected cause: Mercury is a neurotoxin that affects the brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver. It is released by coal-burning power plants.
• The study numbers: A University of Texas Houston Health Science Center at San Antonio study found a 17 percent increase in the autism rate for every 1,000 pounds of mercury released into the environment.

HoustonChronicle.com - Study links mercury from power plants to autism

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Learn the signs of autism, act early (printable child development chart)

It's time to change how we view a child's growth.

Friday, January 14, 2005

Autism may be caused by brain swelling due to immune system reaction : Health News

Publish Date : 11/17/2004 11:40:00 AM Source : Health News Onlypunjab.com

Autism could be caused by an immune system reaction which causes the brain to swell, say researchers at John Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA. If this is so, we may one day be able to create a test for autism, and perhaps even develop treatment to prevent it.

Unfortunately, we cannot diagnose autism until it has already developed in the person - the earliest diagnosis takes place in the second year of life when signs of communication problems appear in the child (we don't really know whether it develops or not after birth, whether it is already there before birth).

Professor Carlos Pardo-Villamizar , team leader, said to the BBC "These findings open new possibilities for understanding the dynamic changes that occur in the brain of autistic patients during childhood and adulthood. Although they may lend themselves to the development of new medical treatments for autism, much more research would be needed to establish the validity of this approach."

The prevalence of autism has grown over the last twenty years. Some people wonder whether there may be some environmental trigger. Others suggest that diagnosis is much more accurate these days. Many people in the past with Asperger's Syndrome were not classed as autistic - today they are, hence the numbers of autistic people today are higher than before. In most of the world, Asperger's Syndrome was not recognised until 1994.

TYPES OF AUTISM

Several types have been defined along the autism spectrum, differing in the severity of the symptoms and total disability and in the combinations of autistic impairments with other disabilities. We present brief accounts of some of these.

CLASSIC AUTISM, AUTISTIC DISORDER OR KANNER'S SYNDROME

The psychiatrist Leo Kanner of John Hopkins University first described and named this syndrome based on 11 of his child patients between 1932 and 1943. He noted the following common features:

-- a profound lack of affect or emotional contact with others

-- an intense wish for sameness in routines

-- muteness or abnormality of speech

-- fascination with manipulating objects

-- high levels of visuo-spatial skills, but major learning difficulties in other areas

-- attractive, alert and intelligent appearance.

Kanner's observations became the criteria for early studies of the prevalence of autism. Children (and adults) with these features have the full triad of impairments and represent the most severely disabled end of the autism spectrum of disorders.

Autism organizations were first formed in the 1960s and 1970s by the parents of children with classic autism. More recently these organizations have been enlarged in scope and functions to serve those with a wider range of autistic and pervasive developmental disorders.

ASPERGER'S DISORDER

First described by Hans Asperger of Vienna in 1944, whose work was not generally known in English translation until 1981, the disorder was not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) http://www.autism-biomed.org/dsm-iv.htm until 1994.

Asperger's shares with autism a severe and sustained impairment in social interaction, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. But people with Asperger's do not have the significant delays in language, cognition, self-help skills or adaptive behaviour that are typical in autism; they are often physically clumsy and awkward, more obviously than children with classic autism. Asperger's is often not recognized easily or early, and may be misdiagnosed as Tourette's Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. As with autism, the disorder is lifelong and no complete cure is known. Asperger's disorder may be the largest type on the autism spectrum, affecting 35 in every 10,000 people.

People with Asperger's may have an exceptional talent or skill with which they are preoccupied. It is conjectured that several people of remarkable genius may have had Asperger's--including Albert Einstein, Vladimir Nabokov, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Bela Bartok and Andy Warhol. Of Canadian interest is a front-page story in The Globe and Mail (1 February 2000) entitled "Was Glenn Gould autistic?" The possibility that Asperger's Syndrome could explain Gould's social deficiencies, obsessive perfectionism and intolerance of change was raised in the 1996 biography by psychiatrist Peter Oswald, Glenn Gould: The Ecstasy and Tragedy of Genius, and is now elaborated by the musicologist Timothy Maloney. Gould was acutely sensitive to light, sound and temperature, and had a phobia about shaking hands as well as a limited range of preferred foods. His bizarre mannerisms as a concert performer could be understood as uncontrollable expressions of Asperger's.

RETT'S SYNDROME

First identified by the Australian, Dr Andreas Rett, in 1965, Rett's is a complex neurological degenerative disorder that affects only girls. It is rarer than some of the types on the autism spectrum, affecting 1 in every 10,000 girls. From onset at about 18 months of age, its victims become profoundly and multiply disabled and dependent on others for all their needs. Key symptoms include hypotonia (reduced muscle tone) and such autistic-like behaviours as wringing and waving hands. The discovery of the gene for Rett's syndrome was reported in October 1999.

Autism may be caused by brain swelling due to immune system reaction : Health News Onlypunjab.com- Onlypunjab.com Latest News

Wednesday, December 01, 2004

AP Wire | 12/01/2004 | Committee: Mental disorder did not cause cake incident

Committee: Mental disorder did not cause cake incident

Associated Press

MARIETTA, Ga. - One of two girls accused of making a cake tainted with bleach and other substances and serving it to classmates cannot blame her actions on an autism-related condition, a school committee has ruled.

The girl's - both 13 - face charges including aggravated assault for allegedly baking a cornbread cake made with bleach, glue, Tabasco sauce and other substances that was given to students at East Cobb Middle School last month.

About a dozen students got sick after eating the cake.

The father of one of the girls has said she suffers from Asperger's syndrome, an autism-related condition characterized by deficiencies in social and communication skills.

But a committee of teachers, counselors and administrators at the school met privately Tuesday and ruled against the father's theory, Cobb County school spokesman Jay Dillon said. The committee said there was never an official diagnosis.

The district has a letter from a school psychologist saying the syndrome is simply "suspected," Dillon said. In order to qualify for a special education program, more evidence is needed.

Once her condition is diagnosed, the school district will be able to decide where to place her and what punishment is appropriate, the girl's father said.

The girl's father said he disagreed with the ruling but expected it. If staff at the school agreed that Asperger's syndrome caused the girl's actions, then they would have admitted they could have prevented it by placing her in a special environment, the father said.

"The people who made the decisions about my daughter's place and environment are the ones who made the decision today," he said. "If they found otherwise, they would be admitting they made a mistake."

The other 13-year-old has been released to the custody of her parents, is under house arrest and has been suspended from East Cobb Middle School.

The girl believed to suffer from Asperger's syndrome, whom the school principal testified is the one who actually encouraged other children to eat the cake, is still in custody.

A trial date for both girls is set for Feb. 8.
AP Wire | 12/01/2004 | Committee: Mental disorder did not cause cake incident

Friday, November 19, 2004

Cure Autism Now - Walk Now - Tomorrow in Houston

This Saturday, November 20, my family and I will be participating in a veryspecial event, WALK NOW benefiting the Cure Autism Now Foundation. It is a 5K walk and community resource fair with the proceeds going to further the search for causes and cures for autism. Autism is a devastating disease affected over 1.5 American children and their families. 1 in every 250 children is newly diagnosed with autism.

You may be wondering why Cure Autism Now and WALK NOW are so important to me and my family. My involvement stems from a very personal and deep emotional contact with this complicated disease.

My 5-year-old son, Sean, was diagnosed with a form of Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, two years ago. I am very proud of Sean and impressed with his progress so far thanks to hard work on his part, our part and an excellent program within the Cy-Fair School District.

I strongly feel that I can have a direct impact on finding causes and cures for autism.
I also feel strongly that Cure Autism Now is a wonderful organization which has been instrumental in furthering autism research. In 1995, when Cure Autism Now was founded there were only 12 researches focused solely on autism. Today there are over 300. That is progress. WALK NOW gives us a tangible way to help the nearly 1.5 million other Americans affected by autism and related disorders.

I am asking for your support in helping us raise money for this worthy cause. Any contribution you are able to make would be greatly appreciated, but I ask you to give big as there is a big need for further research. My personal goal is to raise $500.00 for Cure Autism Now and I hope to far exceed that goal.

It is easiest to donate online by going to our personal webpage at Sean's CAN page.

If you are unable to donate online, you can print out a donation form from that page. All checks should be made payable to Cure Autism Now.

I look forward to hearing from you. I thank you very much!

Always,
Marc

Visit my Autism/Asperger's Syndrome blog - http://badanimal6.blogspot.com

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Meetup.com: Houston Autism Meetup Group -- Autism -- Event: Cure Autism Now/Walk Now

FEATHouston.org, A Houston Texas based Autism support group

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Group responds to rising autism rate

Group responds to rising autism rate
By Marjorie Wertz
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, November 1, 2004

Fraternal twins Connor and Mackenzie Baker don't understand jokes, sarcasm or the subtleties of social interaction.
Mackenzie didn't speak until he was nearly 3 years old; while Connor was the exact opposite: screaming loud and often.

The Greensburg boys were diagnosed as high-functioning autistics when they were 5 years old.

"It was their behaviors that led to the diagnosis," said Deb Carpenter, the twins' mother.

There is no blood test or screening that detects autism, a spectrum disorder that includes autism, Asperger's syndrome, and PDD-NOS or pervasive development disorders not otherwise specified, said Howard Carpenter, Deb Carpenter's husband and the stepfather of Connor and Mackenzie. Howard Carpenter is the executive director of Aboard Inc., Advisory Board on Autism and Related Disorders.

"Autism is a neurological disorder. The cause is not yet known and there is no cure," Howard Carpenter said. "Most kids who are diagnosed with autism appear normal. Some time over the course of their early years, they begin to regress, lose their speech and begin to manifest severe impairments. They have social interaction problems and tremendous sensory problems.

"The bottom line is when a psychiatrist or a medical professional diagnoses the child, it is done through visual observation and the behavior history they receive from the parents."

All children with autistic spectrum disorders display deficits in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or interests.

They do not follow the typical patterns of child development. Often, children with autism will have unusual responses to certain sounds or the way objects look. Symptoms will present differently in each child.

"It is the third most common child disability today. It trails mental retardation and cerebral palsy. It is four times more common in boys than girls," Howard Carpenter said. "For every 149 normal babies born, one will have autism. The rate today is 15 times higher than a decade ago."

Connor and Mackenzie, now 11, are in fifth grade. Connor attends Brighton Day School at Pressley Ridge in Pittsburgh. Mackenzie is a student at Bovard Elementary School.

"The boys are obsessive. Mackenzie is a facts kid. He likes facts and likes to read factual books on birds, birthdays, presidents. For Connor, life is very hard. He has a hard time with eye contact and joining with other children even when he wants to," Deb Carpenter said. "They don't know when they are being annoying. Because they don't get subtleties, you have to be very cut-and-dried when speaking to them."

Mackenzie is more socially functional. The youngster learned some social behaviors while attending summer camp. Connor, Deb Carpenter said, does not function as well socially.

"Connor becomes aggressive verbally and sometimes physically. Mentally and emotionally, he is at the second-grade level," she added. "The biggest challenge for us right now, and the most frustrating, is getting them to be like other kids."

In Pennsylvania alone, there are more than 74,000 individuals diagnosed with autism. Aboard Inc. is a Pennsylvania-only organization with more than 10,000 members, most of them from western Pennsylvania. One of the goals of Aboard is to provide training workshops for parents, teachers and therapists to raise awareness of autism.

Rebecca Klaw, director of the Center for Autism at Pressley Ridge, Pittsburgh, conducted a seminar Oct. 23 at Westmoreland County Community College, on Asperger's syndrome and high-functioning autism.

"In Asperger's syndrome, the child fails to develop peer relationships, lacks spontaneity and has a lower desire to share things with others," Klaw said. "They also have a repetitive pattern of behavior and an abnormal interest in a single subject or object. But this interest could be seen as a characteristic or gift in an Asperger's child. There were many people who were geniuses but socially inept, including Albert Einstein."

Asperger's may not be diagnosed until elementary school because there is no language delay, as is evident in other autistic children.

"Children with Asperger's have difficulty deciphering body language and facial expressions. Playing is very hard for them, because playing involves constant sharing and flexibility," Klaw said. "Playing requires loyalty to friends. Children with Asperger's aren't connected to the friendship, but to the activity itself. Children with Asperger's syndrome don't really care to be like others, so they don't bend to peer pressure. However, they don't want to be ridiculed."

Additionally, Asperger's children appear to lack empathy and can be rude or tactless. They have unusual sounding speech that can be too loud, too soft or lacking inflection. Sometimes Asperger's children use words that are too advanced for their age.

"Ten years ago children with Asperger's used to be diagnosed as schizophrenic, because the children would start talking about something completely irrelevant in the doctor's office," Klaw said.

"We are striving to reduce the length of time before diagnosis," Howard Carpenter said. "Delivery of therapy must begin as soon as possible, so the child can learn to speak and learn how to interact with others. The whole idea is for that child with autism to grow up to be an independent adult."

Anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed if the child's anxiety is so acute that it limits learning. Most professionals agree that children with autism respond well to highly structured, specialized therapy programs.

"There is a consensus within the scientific community that autism has a genetic root," Howard Carpenter said. "What researchers are focusing on is what is triggering that genetic root. There is something triggering the manifestation of autism, whether it's vaccines, diet or the air. This disorder was ignored for so long. There has to be more research and there has to be care while we're waiting for a cure."

Deb Carpenter worries about her boys' future.

"A high-functioning autistic can function in society. There is hope. Mackenzie will be fine. Connor will not," she said.
Group responds to rising autism rate - PittsburghLIVE.com

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Telegraph | News | Paul Smith, the 'odd' kid' turns killer

Bullied at school for his stilted speech and learning difficulties, teenage killer Paul Smith was always seen as the "odd kid".

Like many sufferers of Asperger's Syndrome, the 18-year-old lacked social skills and hated crowded situations such as the fateful party last December.

He had a fiery temper and when Rosie May Storrie started innocently making fun of the older boy, he lost control and smothered the 10-year-old to death.

His loyal parents, Nigel and Susan Smith, claimed from the start their "vulnerable" son had been blamed for the killing because he was an "easy target".

They said ever since he was a young child he was used as a scapegoat because his condition, a form of autism, made him different from other children.

But he was the last person seen with the ballet star at the party and was incriminated by traces of his DNA found on a can of Guinness at the little girl's bedside.

A common perception of Asperger's sufferers is that they are honest and trustworthy. Smith maintained from the very start that he had not touched the youngster.

In the witness box at Nottingham Crown Court he showed no emotion and spoke in a monotone as he described his version of events on December 28 last year.

The teenager, who left school shortly after his 16th birthday to join his uncle's firm as an apprentice electrician, was only occasionally visibly frustrated as he was accused of attacking the youngster.

But Smith, who was 17 at the time of the tragedy, was polite and controlled despite what defence counsel Mrs Oldham termed his "unusual" demeanour.

Experts have found no link between Asperger's Syndrome and violent crime and traditionally sufferers were said to be more likely to become victims than offenders.

However, a lack of empathy with others and an inability to understand the consequences of their actions could lead an aggressive sufferer to lose control.

Asperger's was first identified as a separate condition in 1944 by a German doctor, Hans Asperger, who spotted similar, odd behaviours in more than one of his patients.

The subtle characteristics which make up the condition often lead to it being missed by doctors who might spot the more noticeable deficits of other types of autism.

Smith was diagnosed at the age of 12 or 13 following a spate of disruptive behaviour at his school.
Telegraph | News | Paul Smith, the 'odd' kid' turns killer

Spectrum Haven

Teen with Asperger's Syndrome Creates Own Website for Everyone on the Autistic Spectrum

PRESS RELEASE: Teen with Asperger's Syndrome Creates Own Website for Everyone on the Autistic Spectrum

Monday, October 18, 2004

Cure Autism Now :: Home Page

Sunday, October 17, 2004

AS-IF (asperger information)

Tuesday, October 05, 2004

School program helps students with autism reach their full potential

By Michael Flynn, STAFF WRITER
Oct. 4, 2004 7:33 p.m.

"For the past two weeks, we've been doing conversations," Randles said, including learning how to shake hands, maintain a proper distance from your counterpart and say good-bye. A game called "facial expression bingo" helps students discern the different moods of people they encounter.

The lessons are crucial for the Veritas Christian Academy students in Randles' class, each of whom has Asperger Syndrome or "high-functioning" autism, brain disorders that impair communication and social skills.

In 2000, Veritas established a School Within A School program to provide individualized and structured educational experiences for children with Asperger Syndrome and related autism conditions.

The program's focus, said executive director Mark Muir, is providing specially tailored instruction in communication and other life skills while integrating its students into the school's standard curriculum.

"That's what makes our program distinctive," Muir said. "To be successful in the real world, they need to be taught in the real world." Muir said students with Asperger Syndrome have average or above average intelligence but "need the additional support of School Within A School to be successful in a mainstream classroom."

Mills River's Melanie Hancock, mother of third-grade student Rebecca Hancock, said her daughter is thriving in the school's supportive environment.

"It's made her a different person. They love her here," she said. "And they are helping us help her - the stress is not as great as parents."

The program's leaders hope to double the current 12- student enrollment and turn the program into a template that other educational institutions can follow. "We hope this will become a model program for children with Asperger's," said Veritas Head of School Kay Belknap.

`I do a lot better now'

Autism is a lifelong neurobiological condition that is often diagnosed in early childhood. Individuals with the condition have difficulty understanding verbal and nonverbal communication and learning customary ways of relating to people and events around them.

According to the Autism Society of North Carolina, about 30,000 people living in the state have autism. Nationally, the number of people with the condition grew by 173 percent during the last decade.

One of the reasons for the increasing number of diagnoses is the growing awareness of the range of autism disorders, including Asperger Syndrome, said Catherine Faherty, a psychoeducation specialist in Asheville. But experts suspect there may be other reasons for the rising numbers that are not yet understood, said Faherty, who is with TEACCH, an autism treatment and education group that is a division of UNC-Chapel Hill's school of medicine.

Someone with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism doesn't have the same cognitive difficulties as an individual with classic autism, but faces some similar social and emotional challenges, said Dr. Greg Narron, a psychiatrist with Family Life & Learning Center in Asheville.

"These children can be significant contributors to society, but their developmental path is more difficult," said Narron, who is on the Veritas board of directors. "This program acknowledges their strengths and helps them find success among their peer group," he said.

The program's students receive instruction in social and communication skills each day, and are often accompanied by one of the program's instructors while attending regular classes at Veritas. Students also go home with a daily log that allows parents to follow their child's activities and make their own notations for instructors.

School Within A School seventh-grade student Chris Prechter said the additional guidance has helped him relax and succeed with his schoolwork.

"I was really stressed and didn't get the good grades I wanted," he said about his experience before joining the program. "I'd always get angry and frustrated. I do a lot better now."

Faherty praised the Veritas program for "helping children understand themselves, including aspects relating to autism." Many children with autism disorders are strong visual learners, she said, but don't have the same auditory capabilities. "The challenge for teachers and parents is to understand this unique style of thinking and learning and how the children interact with their environment," she said.

School Within A School Program Director Marlou deVera, a former job coach for adults with autism, said early development of social skills is critical to the student's future academic and professional life. She also has a 16- year-old son with autism in public school.

In Buncombe County, about 135 of the county school system's 25,000 students have autism disorders, said Director of Special Services Jane Stephens. An additional 1,227 students have learning disabilities, she said, such as difficulty with reading or math skills.

"There's a lot of different options just like other exceptional students," she said about how the school system approaches autistic students. "We want kids to be in the right classroom as much as possible. Depending on what level of intervention they need, they may spend all, part or not so much of the day in a regular classroom."

`It's like a gift'

Mark and Teri Muir founded Veritas' School Within A School after searching for a program they felt best served the needs of their son, Christopher, who is now an eighth-grade student in the program. The Muirs, who moved to Western North Carolina from Southern California and are co-executive directors of the program, combined elements of other programs to create School Within A School.

The program's Christian focus is critical to its mission, Mark Muir said. "It allows these kids to be accepted," he said. "And it helps the other kids learn to accept kids with differences."

As with other students enrolling in Veritas, at least one parent must sign a statement affirming his or her Christian faith. There are about 250 students in the entire academy, which offers a classical and Christian education and is in the former Fletcher Elementary School building on Cane Creek Road. Opened six years ago, the academy will have its first senior class graduate in May.

The annual tuition at School Within A School is $17,500, Muir said, though most students receive scholarship assistance. To cover a projected $250,000 operating deficit for the next two school years, the program is hosting a fund- raiser at the Grove Park Inn on Oct. 29.

Muir, the former chief marketing officer of a Fortune 500 company, said the joy of transforming the lives of kids through School Within A School has been a more satisfying endeavor. "That feeling is much more rewarding than the thrill of business success," he said.

Prechter, who said his favorite subjects are literature, math and theology, noted he has learned something special in the program - how to be himself.

"There's nothing bad about Asperger Syndrome or autism," he said. "It's just that your brain functions differently. It's kind of like a gift."

Contact Flynn at 232-2935 or MLFlynn@ashevill.gannett.com.

BOX: First Fundraiser Gala

On Oct. 29, the School Within A School at Veritas Christian Academy will host a special black tie (optional) evening to support scholarships in the school's program for children with Asperger Syndrome and related autism disorders. The goal is to raise $250,000 to cover the program's projected operating deficit during the next two school years. Office Depot is the evening's presenting sponsor. A reception and silent auction will start at 6 p.m.; dinner, entertainment and live auction with honorees Irwin and Betty Helford will begin at 7 p.m. Price is $500 per person; for tickets and more information, call (828) 681- 0546, or visit www.swgala@yahoo.com

WEB RESOURCES:

www.aspergersyndrome.org

www.autismsociety-nc.org

www.teacch.com

www.aspergers-whatdoesitmean.com

What Causes Autism?
Autism is a brain disorder, present from birth. What causes autism in specific cases is still unknown. It is known that the psychological environment in which a child grows up does not cause autism. Some research suggests a physical problem affecting parts of the brain that process language and information coming in from the senses. Other research points to an imbalance of some brain chemicals. Genetic factors are often involved. Some people have suggested that there are environmental factors at work and research is being conducted in that area. Autism may be a result of a combination of several "causes."

How Can People with Autism be Helped?
Autism is treatable. Early diagnosis and intervention is very important. Studies have shown that all people with autism can improve with proper individualized instruction. There are a variety of treatment methods available that may help improve the person with autism's ability to understand information and interact with others. Most people with autism become more responsive to others as they learn to understand the world around them.
Source: Autism Society of North Carolina

CITIZEN-TIMES.com: School program helps students with autism reach their full potential

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Thursday, June 02, 2005