On the Spectrum

Autism is called a Spectrum Disorder because it ranges from mild to severe. More severe forms are alot easier to recognize than milder cases because the characteristics are all there such as delay in or no speech and language skills, poor social skills and repetitive patterns of behavior.  Those with Asperger's Disorder for example, can sometimes be harder to recognize, especially in younger children since they have good language skills, can have average IQs as well, but difficulty with social skills. Because there can be difficulty diagnosing Autism and sometimes children have some but not all characteristics to meet the criteria for this diagnosis, there are times when children are diagnosed as Other Health Impairment(OHI) or Not Otherwise Specified (NOS). 

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding Autism in terms of what works and what doesn't to help those with the disorder improve. So far, there has been no conclusive evidence to show that gluten free diets, charcoal diets, or things such as seratonin shots will cure Autism or even help someone with Autism improve. Additionally, there is no conclusive evidence to say that vaccines cause the disorder. There are 3 facts out there that have remained true. 1- There is no known physical cause for disorder.  2- There is no cure.  3-The only proven techniques to help someone with Autism improve, have been behavioral and therapeutic interventions.

With interventions, the skills that children on the spectrum have can improve. Picture cards and visual aids often help those on the spectrum make sense of the world and help them organize and process what is being said or what needs to be done. Social groups help them learn what is appropriate in social settings. Speech Therapy can also help improve social skills, language and communication. Occupational Therapy can assist with sensory issues.

Autism is a complex disorder that is still being discovered and there is a lot more to learn about it. There are many resources and organizations now which support research and educate the public, so that we can continue to learn more about Autism:

Autism Speaks

Autism Society of America

Division TEACCH

National Institute of Mental Health

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Let's talk about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  ADHD is attention deficit with hyperactivity, so not only are children with this disorder easily distracted they are also very active. Young children with ADHD are usually in constant motion and have a hard time concentrating on activities.  

An article on Sciencedaily.com stated that over 4 million children ages 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, and discussed performance speed  on tasks among children with ADHD (in other words how quickly a child completes a task).  It also mentioned 'working memory' specifically. Working memory means a person's ability to process and recall information. An example would be to say the alphabet backwards.  Working memory affects both cognitive and language skills and children with poor performance in this area on standardized evaluations, such as on those conducted by speech-language pathologists and psychologists, often have difficulty academically in school.  

The main point the article made was the fact that children with ADHD have inconsistent performance on tasks, meaning they may do well one day, and poorly the next or even within the same day. It noted that levels of hyperactivity affect the response times children have. For example, the more hyperactive a child is at a given time, the slower the reaction time will be or the slower they are to respond to a problem or give an answer. It noted that the children with ADHD answered questions as accurately as their typically developing peers, however at times, it just took the children with ADHD longer to respond.  This is a good thing to keep in mind when working with children who have ADHD as there are many times when pressure is put on students whether they are being formally tested or called upon in the classroom, to give a response in a certain amount of time. We need to remember to give children a chance to come up with an answer in an amount of time that is appropriate for them.

This holds true with all children. So many times we are too quick to answer for children instead of taking a step back to let them process what we have just said, find the answer, and then give it to us. In this busy world, it would do us all some good to slow down a little, think before we speak, and let the kids do the same.

You can find the article here: 

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090324141047.htm

Picture Schedules

If you are like most people, then you rely on a calendar, a plan book, or to-do lists to survive.  It is comforting to know what is coming next so we can plan our days or weeks and we can see an end to all the madness (at least for a little bit until it starts all over again). 

Just as it is comforting for us to know what comes next, kids need that comfort as well. It is helpful for them to know what their day entails. Picture schedules are a great way to help.  You can make picture schedules for each day, for weekly chores, or for anything you wish. It works because it lets your child see the fun things s/he gets to do as well as the work.  For example, if your child really loves going to the park but loathes homework, if you have a picture schedule, then s/he can see that after homework comes something more enjoyable, like the park, dessert, or t.v. time. 

The pictures can be used for even more than just picture schedules. You can use a picture card to tell your child to wait, be quiet, not to interrupt or anytime you are tired of yelling over your children or repeating yourself.  The possibilities go on and on. 

To use individual pictures, print the pictures, glue them on a heavier stock of paper (I use a file folder) then laminate. If you don't have a laminating machine, try using clear contact paper. For schedules you can velcro the pictures onto a bigger piece of paper after you laminate them so you can change the schedules when necessary. Have a 'To Do' and a 'Finished' column.

There are some great websites which allow you to print pictures of daily activities, emotions and every day objects. In general, the websites listed below provide materials and picture cards for children with communication disorders or Autism. However, these aids are a great way to teach young children and have your child understand their responsibilities because pictures provide a visual support in addition to your words. 

The following links will take you to sites where you can find many pictures to help you make a schedule for your child.

http://www.dotolearn.com/

http://www.speakingofspeech.com/AugCom_Materials.html

http://elearning.autism.net/visuals/main.php?g2_itemId=524

http://www.visualaidsforlearning.com/products/index.htm

Sit down with your child and get creative. Have him/her help you choose the pictures and make a daily or weekly schedule and be on your way to a little less stress in your life. Let the pictures do the talking, so you don't have to.