Sensory Integration: Syndrome

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2012年9月18日星期二

8 Important Items to Help You Advocate For Your Child With Aspergers Syndrome

Has your child recently been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, and you are struggling to get your school district to recognize the diagnosis? Would you like to learn some important information to help you in your special education advocacy efforts, for your child? This article will specifically address things that you need to know to help you fight for special education services for your child.

Things that you need to know.

1. Aspergers Syndrome has its own category in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM IV) that is used for diagnosis. It is under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).

2. The American Psychiatric Association is proposing changing Aspergers Syndrome from its own category to within the autism category for the DSM V. The intent is to try and make the diagnosis of autism clearer. The decision will be made within several months (middle to end of 2010).

3. From an educational standpoint this is a wonderful decision, in my opinion, that will benefit thousands of children throughout the United States. Why? Many school districts have denied children with this disorder special education services because they state that the child does not have autism, and so therefore is not eligible. But in reality the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act state that a child must have one of 13 covered disabilities and have educational need. Aspergers is a part of the autism spectrum and should be a covered disability; though you may need to advocate for this.

4. Many children with this disorder will require help learning appropriate social interactions and social skills. This should be provided as a special education services for your child if they need it. It could be working directly with a school social worker or participating in a small group social skills class.

5. Small groups may help your child with their education and also to develop appropriate social skills.

6. Modifications and adaptations in the regular classroom may help your child keep up with their peers.

7. Sensory integration disorder is common in many children with this disorder, and shows itself in difficulty with lights, sounds, different foods and different fabrics. If your child shows this difficulty, ask your school district for testing by an Occupational Therapist who is SIPT qualified (has received specialized training in the area of sensory integration/processing disorder).

8. Many children with Aspergers may need Occupational Therapy also for motor clumsiness. Ask for specific testing in this area if your child shows need.

Keep these 8 items in mind when you attend Individual Educational Plan Meetings (IEP) for your child. They will assist you in trying to help your child receive a Free Appropriate Public Education!

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special education system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com.

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2012年9月11日星期二

How To Identify Aspergers Syndrome

It's possible that one of the most important treatments for children diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome, which is a kind of high functioning autism, will be sensory integration therapy. Children with autism generally have a great deal of sensory processing problems. As a result every type of stimuli will seem extreme for them. Whilst most individuals have some type of filtering system, children and grownups with Aspergers syndrome will have a difficult time when it comes to filtering external sensory information.

How to identify a sensory overload

Your child might not want to put his or her clothing on because they're too scratchy or perhaps there is a tag on the back. Besides that, your child might refuse to go to public places since they're extremely noisy, as well as the lights might be too bright.

On the other hand, there are also children who will constantly seek and crave sensory stimuli even when they are affected by it. These children will run around the house, constantly crashing into objects and will continuously be on the go. They need to touch every little thing, experience all they can and will never sit quietly.

Auditory Integration Therapy

Al therapist who is trained to help children with sensory problems may have numerous techniques. One is the auditory integration therapy. Research has revealed that listening to specific music CDs with certain pitches and frequencies can in fact alter the manner in which the brain will process information.

The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol

This Aspergers treatment will be effective when children have responsive sensitivity problems. This treatment method involves the use a surgical brush in order to comb the individual skin in a certain way and this would be done repeatedly each day at set intervals. This needs to be carried out by trained therapist and if done properly, it could minimize sensitivity to responsive stimuli.

For more information on Aspergers and Aspergers Treatment visit any of the links in this authors bio.

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2012年8月29日星期三

Asperger Syndrome and Sensory Overload

When my son had reached the age of 3 he was nearly impossible to handle. He would never go outside, refused to play with toys or go with me into the playground to play with the equipment there. He was scared when he was lifted off the ground and was terrified of swings and other equipment that would move. He was the only kid on the block who would never go on a kiddy-ride. He was unable to take a shower because he could not stand the water in his face, let alone go to the pool and swim! He was unable to get his hands dirty so playing with water and sand was impossible. He refused to put on new clothes due to the tags inside and was not able to eat solid food until the age of 3 and a half. I thought all three year old were this difficult to handle!

Apart from him being inside the house all day I was inside the house all day too. I was not allowed to sing, hum or whistle let along turn on a radio. He could not stand bright light or loud noises so he walked around all day with his ears covered with his hands. Even a simple thing as flushing the toilet was impossible due to the loud sound the water produces. I was unable to go out with him or visit friends with other kids. They were too loud. He would faint when the crowd on a birthday party would burst out in singing Happy Birthday.

For him this noise came out of the blue. A visit to the supermarket was a disaster due to all the loud noises and background music. On top of that he fainted about 6 times a day due to sensory overload. His nails and lips would go blue and he stopped breathing in, just out until his body went into complete shut down. He started this when he was a 3 month old baby. We are not talking about kids with breath holding spell who will faint whenever they don't get their way or want more candy. This was different and it was obvious to us it was related to sensory issues.

For us help started in the form of an ORT who visited us at home. She had specialized in Sensory Integration Therapy and explained me all about it. Since we felt we had noting to loose we started right away. It turned out the best thing that had happened to all of us! Even though the therapy is relatively easy to do and so much fun to participate in with your child, the results I have seen in my son were amazing. His therapy involved brushing, joint compression and sensory stimulation which have led to him calming down, being able to relax, eat solid foods and communicate with us in a much better way. He had so much fun doing it and it was never boring. After an initial 4 months of therapy at home he was able to go over to the practice of the ORT. She had a huge swing set up for him, tunnels to crawl in, lost of soft materials to play with, music and all other fun stuff to keep my active toddler entertained. The results were amazing:

He started using different kinds of words and more words then ever before, we could go out, visit other families and go to the playground. The first time he asked if he could go on a kiddy ride I cried. He took swimming classes and now goes to the pool once a week. But the best reward of all is: he has not fainted anymore from the day the therapy started. I strongly believe all kids with oversensitive senses can benefit from this therapy, specially those with autism.

Author is the mother of two children with Asperger Syndrome and has a degree in Social Sience. She has worked as a pedagogue educator for the past years to educate teachers, social workers and other parents on what children with Asperger Syndrome need in school or at home. For more information on Asperger Syndrome go to http://www.Asperger-Advice.com

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2012年8月28日星期二

Asperger's Syndrome Treatment - Six Therapies That Can Help Solve Your Child's Sensory Issues

Perhaps one of the most important kinds of treatment for kids diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of high functioning autism, is sensory integration therapy. What is sensory integration therapy? Well, kids with autism have a lot of sensory processing issues. This means that every kind of stimuli seems too extreme for them. While most people have some kind of filtering system, kids and adults with Asperger's syndrome have a very hard time filtering out extraneous sensory information.

What does a sensory overload look like?

Your child may not want to put on the clothes you laid out for him because they are too scratchy or there's a tag in the back. He may refuse to go into many public places because they are too noisy, or the lights are too bright. He may suddenly have a tantrum because the smell of someone's perfume is overwhelming him.

A Child Who Is Under-Sensitivity To His Surroundings May Also Have Problems

Conversely, there are also kids who are under-sensitive to sensory stimuli and are constantly seeking and craving it. They are the kids who will be tearing around your house, crashing into things and generally on the move all the time. They want to touch everything and experience everything, and can never seem to sit still.

What both of these categories have in common are deficits in the sensory processing system. And there are ways to treat them.

1. Auditory Integration Therapy

An occupational therapist who is trained in helping kids with sensory issues will have a number of tricks up their sleeve. One is auditory integration therapy (AIT). Studies have shown that listening to special CDs of music that have certain frequencies and pitches can actually change the way that the brain processes information. With this therapy, it's changing the way sounds are processed.

The person who is getting AIT listens to a CD made for them for two sessions of 30 minutes each per day, using headphones. Over a period of time, the music can actually change the way the brain hears the music, and make a person less over-reactive to loud noises, and more able to process sounds and language effectively.

2. The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol

The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol is a treatment for Asperger's syndrome when kids have tactile sensitivity issues. In other words, they have problems with touch. Kids with this problem often can't stand the feel of their clothes, can't stand to play outside because they might touch something weird, or jump if someone accidentally touches them.

This method of treatment involves using a surgical brush to brush the person's skin in a very specific way. This is done several times a day at preset intervals. It needs to be done with a trained therapist's supervision. When it is done correctly, it can reduce sensitivity to tactile stimuli.

3. Other Methods

There are many different tools that occupational therapists will use to help a child with Asperger's syndrome who has sensory issues. Many of these will be different for each child. A lot of them may look like playing, but it actually has specific goals and focuses on specific sensory systems in the body to change the way that system processes information.

Here are a few other techniques:

Weighted blankets: People with Asperger's often crave deep pressure, as it is calming to them. Weighted blankets provide this. This increases their ability to focus.
Trampolines, swing sets, and rocking toys: These can stimulate the vestibular system in a person with Asperger's. This can help either calm them down or stimulate them, depending on their sensitivities. Any activities involving movement can be helpful in this case.
Joint compression: This is a treatment an occupational therapist can teach you that can regulate a person's nervous system. It involves manipulating and pulling on joints in a certain way that acts to kind of reset the sensory system.
Sensory fidget bag: A sensory fidget bag can be useful to keep on hand. This should include anything that you can find to fill a bag with that your child can fidget with. Some examples are stress balls, koosh balls, feathers, slinkys, and so on. These sensations will give the child something to focus on, thus also having a calming effect.

As you can see, there are many ways that sensory integration issues can be treated. Sensory integration therapy can be a very useful treatment for children who exhibit specific symptoms of Asperger's syndrome.

Hopefully these tips can make life a little easier especially for children with Asperger's and their parents. In addition to these methods, there are many other tips and suggestions that can help your loved one live a fulfilling and happy life. A great site to find information to help children with Asperger's syndrome is the web site www.AspergersSociety.org. There you will be able to sign up for the FREE Asperger's Syndrome Newsletter as well as get additional information to help your loved one be happy and succeed in life.

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2012年7月12日星期四

Educational Services For Aspergers Syndrome

Aspergers Syndrome is one of the conditions that belong to the autism spectrum of disorders. It is a broad spectrum of developmental delays, conditions, or disabilities that includes autism as one of its symptoms. Along with others, they belong to a spectrum of disorders because any of these symptoms could combine with other similar symptoms with autism.

This condition is generally uncommon; it is known to affect about four hundred thousand families in the United States alone. Although the diagnosis of this condition is generally difficult, it gets easier at an early age, typically about three years old. Treatment is similar to Autism with behavioral modifications and lots of therapy.

The number one characteristic that is typical of this condition is their poor social skills. They may show social interaction that is not typical of an average child--it may be inappropriate at times and also quite minimal. They may be able to communicate but in repetitive words and phrases, and their movements may be unusual. They tend to develop mannerisms and movements that are too awkward for a common child. They also lack cognitive skills such as reading, writing, and solving math problems, but most of these skills are combated when they go to a special needs school.

What makes them different from Autism is that these kids usually do not have any delays in language development, although they may have trouble using it in social context. There are also no obvious delays in activities of daily living. These kids can bathe, eat, and dress like any other normal kid. They may even have higher intelligence than most kids of their age.

These kids can become the best that they can be with proper education and therapy. The symptoms may differ from one child to the next so they need to have the best care possible that is suited to their individual needs. This condition varies a lot so the choice of service is essential in determining which works best with your child.

As a parent, we all know dealing with a child with special needs is very challenging. Therefore we need all the help we can get to help them grow to be the best that they can be. Nurture their skills and capabilities through schools that offer techniques for children with special needs. They may need several sessions of physical therapy ad occupational therapy to further promote their functional abilities.

Treatment for this condition may include a lot of specialized education intervention, training in social interaction, sensory integration, behavioral modification, and parent education. All these managements are being assisted by a professional that a parent needs to work with in order to bring out the best holistic approach.

In New Jersey, there are several facilities that provide services for children with this condition. Centers like The NJ ABC's Center for Autism offer Applied Behavioral Analysis for children with autistic syndromes. There are also support groups that may lend a hand to you such as Asperger Friends in North Flemington, New Jersey. Because with Aspergers, you need all the help you can get.

Learn more about how autism centers assist autistic children with aspergers syndrome at the New Jersey Autism Center.

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2012年6月23日星期六

Asperger's Syndrome Symptoms - Is There Such a Thing As Asperger's Syndrome Treatment?

Asperger's Syndrome Symptoms can be as varied as they are wide, but that is of little assistance to those who are trying to recognize or diagnose Aspergers in a child, loved one, or themselves.

So what are some of the classic Asperger's Syndrome Symptoms?

Symptoms during childhood

Parents often first notice the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome during preschool years when their child begin to interact with their peer group and teachers. The following are some typical symptoms in children to be aware of:

Being unable to pick up on social cues such as body language, eye contact, and maintaining a meaningful conversation.

A distinct dislike for changes in routine.

An apparent lack of social empathy, often mistaken for age appropriate egocentric tendencies (most kids believe they are the centre of their own universes).

An inability to differentiate between changes in speech tone, pitch and accent that would otherwise convey a change in meaning. Aspergers children are apt to adopt the literal over the inferred.

Exhibiting a formalized, ritualistic speech seemingly advanced for their age. Your child may seem like 'the little professor'.

Unusual facial expressions and delayed motor development.

A pre-occupation with interests. This can often be difficult to distinguish from typical adolescent fascination. Look for an almost fanatically engrossed interest and knowledge base in subject matter to the exclusion of others, often spoken about.

Sensory integration dysfunction manifested by a heightened sensitivity to external stimuli such as noises, lights or strong tastes.

Whilst the condition is in some ways similar to autism, children with Aspergers often display normal to advanced language and intellectual development but latent social skills. Aspergers children are often described (somewhat unfairly) as 'smart kids with autism'.

Symptoms during adolescent and teen years

Many Asperger's syndrome symptoms persist through adolescence and teen years, and whilst rote learning can assist Asperger's sufferers in dealing with social situations, communication often still remains difficult. Teens with Aspergers often feel shy, or intimidated by social situations and approaching their peer group. They may be aware of their lack of acceptance but unsure as to the reasons why. This can trigger feelings of anxiety, of being 'different', and in extended circumstances, depression.

Often trying to 'fit in' may evoke feelings of frustration and be emotionally draining for teens with Asperger's. Their genuine nature may result in their being the subject of bullying.

If these are the symptoms of Aspergers how do we go from diagnosis to treatment? Whether your child is displaying Asperger's syndrome symptoms in early or later years, there are increasingly advanced methods to effectively deal with the symptoms typical of the disorder and avoid the pitfalls which historically have been indicative of the condition. Many are grounded in utilising rote learning of what might ordinarily be intuitive or naturally developed social growth and awareness. The use of pre-taught responses to certain situations can assist in the reduction of anxiety responses. There are in fact a large number of strategies which can be implemented to effectively deal with almost all situations arising out of Aspergers disorder, and whilst the time investment in overcoming the disorder can be significant, the life quality expectations of the sufferer can be equally advanced.

Want more information? Before spending thousands in consultancy fees, be 'in the know' by discovering insider tips about the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of Aspergers Syndrome Here

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Asperger Syndrome

Asperger syndrome is a neurophysiologic disorder that was accepted in the psychiatric community in 1994. It was identified by Hans Asperger, an Austrian doctor, back in 1944. Asperger syndrome and autism are examples of pervasive developmental disorders, commonly referred to as PDD, or PDD or Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

The DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association) identifies PDD as "characterized by severe deficits and pervasive impairment in multiple areas of development, including impairment in reciprocal social interaction, impairment in communication, and the presence of stereotyped behavior, interests and activities."

Children diagnosed as Asperger's have marked social inadequacies, meaning they have difficulty understanding and reacting to others appropriately. They have difficulty picking up nonverbal social cues such as facial expression and body language. They often have trouble maintaining eye contact. Quite often they have difficulty judging personal space. Asperger's children may also have sensory integration issues, such as only wanting to eat certain foods or wear certain fabrics. They also have difficulty with change or transition. Aspergers children tend to have their own set of rules, which may not be our rules.

Children with Asperger's generally have average and above IQ scores. They want to be socially accepted, however, because they are socially naïve and take things literally, they frequently get teased or bullied in school. It is difficult for them to make or maintain friendships. Their speech is sometimes characterized by repetition or abnormal inflections. Physical awkwardness is also common in Asperger's syndrome.

There is no specific medication to treat Asperger's, however, medication may be used to treat accompanying symptoms, such as anxiety, attention deficit, and obsessive- compulsiveness.

Carol Bottstein

Carol Bottstein is a school psychologist with 25 years of experience in special education.Visit Long Island Educational Corner at http://www.carolbottstein.blogspot.com for interesting and informative articles regarding parenting, mental health, education, self-improvement and other relevant topics.

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2012年6月1日星期五

Asperger Syndrome and Sensory Overload

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2012年5月23日星期三

Asperger's Syndrome Treatment - Six Therapies That Can Help Solve Your Child's Sensory Issues

What does a sensory overload look like?

A Child Who Is Under-Sensitivity To His Surroundings May Also Have Problems

What both of these categories have in common are deficits in the sensory processing system. And there are ways to treat them.

1. Auditory Integration Therapy

2. The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol

3. Other Methods

Here are a few other techniques:

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2012年5月17日星期四

Brain Training for Functional Disconnect Syndrome and Other Disabilities on the Autism Spectrum

We have discussed the way nerves communicate and how they decide when they are going to send impulses to other nerve cells. We know that groups of nerves collect information and fire together in pathways that stimulate distant parts of the brain. We also know that it is essential for different areas of the brain to communicate well with each other for us to be able to do the amazing complicated things we do with our brains.

The brain is divided into the left and right hemispheres. In these hemispheres the vast array of jobs that must be done are divided up and organized. Each hemisphere is also separated into special sections or lobes. These are the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. The parietal lobe is mostly concerned with sensation of the body and locating where things happen. There is a map of the opposite side of the body inside each parietal lobe. So the left parietal lobe of the brain feels everything on the right side of the body and vice versa. The same type of thing happens for the occipital lobes sensing vision, the temporal lobes sensing hearing and the frontal lobes controlling muscle movements on the opposite side of the body. The frontal lobe is also what we call the executive center because it is responsible for making decisions and carrying out actions.

Now, imagine you are in a toy store. A train on its track is making its way around the store chugging and whistling. You turn your head to see where it is. As it comes into view you see an egg on one of the cars and you want to pick it up. It sounds like a simple thing but when you really think about it, it involves the whole brain and is quite complex. First, the ears are stimulated, changing the sound vibrations in the air to electrical impulses traveling along nerves. The impulses are sent to the temporal lobe so we can know what we are hearing and to the parietal lobe so we can know from where we are hearing it. The temporal lobes compare all the different frequencies in the sounds and their relative volumes and figure out what that whistling sound is. At the same time both parietal lobes take information from the ears and compare between the two sides which one hears the sound louder and if the volumes are changing to figure out where the sound is coming from.

The temporal and parietal lobes then send their perceptions forward to the frontal lobe so it can decide what they are, what they are doing, whether the sounds are dangerous or not and what to do about it. The frontal lobe then fires the muscles in the neck and moves the muscles in the eyes in perfect sequence to pinpoint the position of the toy train and then track its trajectory. In order to do this, it needs the occipital lobe which is now receiving visual stimulation from the eyes and forwarding it to the frontal lobe. The sound from each ear, the sight from both eyes, and the position sense in all the muscles involved must be synchronized by an internal timer so that differences in lengths of nerves and processing times do not confuse the frontal lobe like watching a movie where the sound is delayed so you see the lips moving but the words don't make sense. I haven't even started to talk about what it's going to take to judge the speed of this train, time the movement of the arm, sequence the firing of the muscles in the arm and hand, and judge and re-judge the pressure on the egg so we don't break it.

Without communication, timing and sequencing within the brain we simply can not operate smoothly in the world. As we know many of our children are experiencing functional disconnections of these different parts of their brains that we may have previously described as "sensory integration problems", clumsiness, poor eye contact, unusually high pain threshold, difficulty following directions or so many other things. The Listening Program, the Integrative Metronome, the other therapies we do in our office and the exercises we have patients do at home are intended to connect or reconnect the different areas of the brain in the proper sequence so our kids can perform the majestic complexity that we all take for granted.

Dr. Martin Rukeyser DC, is a Chiropractor who lives and practices in Port Saint Lucie, FL. He maintains a solo chiropractic office called Life Chiropractic http://www.lifechiropracticpsl.com and is also one of the co-founders of the Brain Training Center of the Treasure Coast http://www.flbraintraining.com - a practice dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with Autism, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Aspergers, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Marty has long held a personal and professional interest in brain function and development and the connection between a healthy body and brain.

Dr. Rukeyser graduated Magna Cum Laude from Life University Chiropractic College in 1998. Prior to coming to Florida, he directed two clinics in a medically under-served community in in rural Mississippi. Dr. Marty, was raised in Long Island, NY and met his wife Ashley while in Mississippi. They have two sons, Ben and Jonah.

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2012年3月6日星期二

A Parent's Introduction to Aspergers Syndrome

Aspergers Syndrome (AS) is in the category of developmental disorders of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that is under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders or PDD. It is different from Autism because there is not a specific delay of language or cognitive development, but does share the clumsiness (tripping, bumping, dropping things, etc.) aspects, although these are not particular to the diagnosis.

Why call it Aspergers?

It is named after Hans Asperger who, in 1944, described children in his pediatric practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, were non-empathetic with their peers, and were physically clumsy. It is sometimes referred to as a high functioning autism.

Treatment

Aspergers Syndrome is treated mainly through behavioral therapy that is designed to work on communication skills, social skills, coping mechanisms, and helping with obsessions and repetitive routines. Most people with AS learn to cope with their differences, but may need support and encouragement to maintain their independence.

A typical treatment program for a child with Aspergers Syndrome includes:

The training of social skills for more effective interpersonal interactions
Cognitive behavioral therapy to improve stress management relating to anxiety or explosive emotions, and to cut back on obsessive interests and repetitive routines
Medication, for coexisting conditions such as depression and anxiety
Occupational or physical therapy to assist with poor sensory integration and motor coordination
Social communication intervention, which is specialized speech therapy to help with the pragmatics of the give and take of normal conversation
The training and support of parents, particularly in behavioral techniques to use in the home

Kids with Aspergers don't usually share the withdrawn isolation of children with autism and will openly, but often very awkwardly, approach and engage others in social situation. However, their inability see things through others eyes, and the tendency to go overboard going on and on about their latest obsession, makes them appear selfish, uncaring and insensitive toward other people. This is not necessarily true, they just don't realize how they are perceived or that other people have different interests and feelings than they do.

Many of the children with Aspergers will actually memorize reactions in specific social situations, and recite definitions or examples of emotion, but have a very hard time acting on any of that knowledge in a real situation. Or they will use a rigid application of the specific social rules they have memorized. This can come across as forced eye contact, or the plastered on smile, or laughing at the wrong time. They want friends and do seek out social contact, but over the years their failures in these situations can be devastating.

Kids with Aspergers will sometimes develop very focused and intense interest in something or some activity, that will completely dominate their time and their life, almost to the exclusion of everything else, and they will try to draw whoever they can into the same interest. This is usually seen as normal childhood interest and behavior at first, until the obsessive qualities become apparent and problems relating to anything or anyone else starts happening.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis uses the identification of the stereotypical and repetitive behaviors as a central part of how it is diagnosed, but confirmation is done by ruling out anything else that can cause the same symptoms. The motor behaviors that are observed are things like the hand flapping or twisting, complex whole body movements and walking on tip toes, repeating the same word or sound over and over again are all typical repetitive behaviors of AS.

Other Issues

Your child may display symptoms that aren't a part of an Aspergers Syndrome diagnosis, but still affect the child and your whole family. They may have perception difficulties, and problems with fine or gross motor skills, handling emotions, and difficulty sleeping. Many kids on the spectrum (Autism Spectrum) have trouble with SI, or Sensory Integration, and can be overly sensitive or under sensitive to sound light, touch, texture, taste, smell, pain, temperature and other things that stimulate the senses. It may feel soft and nice to you, but to them, it can be actually painful.

Children with Aspergers are more likely to have sleep problems, including difficulty in falling asleep, waking up often at night, and early morning awakenings. Aspergers is also associated with alexithymia, which means having problems identifying and describing ones emotions. My daughter certainly has emotions and feelings, but she has no idea how to describe them or even what they are, or why they are there. Very frustrating.

Special Education

Children with AS may require special education services because of their social and behavioral difficulties, although many attend regular education classes. Teens and tween with Aspergers may have difficulty with self-care, organization and disturbances in social and romantic relationship. They are usually very smart, but the inability to properly express and the awkwardness of social contact keep many from leaving home as adults, although some gain independence in work and domicile, even marrying and raising a family. Teen and preteen years are hard enough on kids without social difficulties, but can be very traumatic for a kid dealing with Aspergers.

Coexisting Conditions

Anxiety with AS is very common, and is usually centered on change or transition. That is why a consistent schedule is so important. Anxiety and stress during social situations is inevitable because of the constantly changing nature of humans and relationships and situations, there isn't a single right thing to do in every situation. Stress and anxiety will show up usually as a behavior, such as withdrawal, an obsession, hyperactivity, or even aggressive or oppositional behavior.

Depression, and other mood disorders, can be the end result of the constant stress and frustration of failing to properly socialize and make friends. Medication and behavior therapy can be used to deal with co-existing problems such as anxiety, depression, inattention, obsessive compulsion, and aggression.

Getting the family involved by helping them to understand what is going on with their child or brother or sister, will have a big impact on the child's future. It will also help with being able to deal with everything that is involved in dealing with a child with Aspergers Syndrome and bring some semblance of normalcy back to the family. Getting help early and involving the whole family as a built in support system has the best effect on long term outcomes for a child with Aspergers Syndrome.

Judson Greenman, advocate and father of four very special girls started these websites as a way of sharing the joys and challenges of Raising Special Kids - from one parent to another. See it all at http://www.my-special-kids.com and http://www.anieleirose.org

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2012年3月3日星期六

What is Aspergers Syndrome and How Do I Know If My Child Has It?

Are you the parent of a young child that may have some signs of autism but does not have a lot of them? Have you been told by a Doctor or special education personnel that your child may have Aspergers Syndrome (AD)? Would you like to learn about characteristics of the disorder so that you can pursue private evaluations? This article will be discussing the characteristics of this syndrome so that you will be able to advocate for appropriate educational services for your child.

This disorder was initially described by Hans Asperger in 1944. He found a number of cases whose clinical characteristics were similar to autism, but differed in the fact that the speech was less commonly delayed, motor clumsiness was much more common, and initial cases seem to only occur in boys.

In 1994 The American Psychiatric Association added Aspergers syndrome to its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, often referred to as the DSM IV. It is listed by itself in its own category and not under the autism umbrella, but under the broader Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

Characteristics of this disorder are:

1. Major impairment in social interaction which may show in lack of empathy, difficulty with spontaneity, difficulty in developing friendships with peers, ability to show social reciprocity which is back and forth communication, and impairments in eye contact, posture and gestures.

2. Restricted repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities. This can be shown by preoccupation with one area of interest that is abnormal in intensity or focus. The child may be very inflexible when it comes to daily routines or rituals, and also may show an extreme preoccupation with a part of objects.

3. While a child with AD acquire language skills without delay, they often have abnormalities in how they use language.

4. Children with this disorder may also have unusual sensory experiences, like sensitivities to light or sound. This disorder is called Sensory Integration dysfunction.

5. Motor clumsiness is another characteristic of this disorder. Children with this disorder may be delayed in learning skills that require motor dexterity such as riding a bike or opening a jar.

6. Children with this disorder do not show a significant delay in cognitive development.

7. Some children with this disorder are extremely bright with very high IQ's.

The best way to determine if a child has Aspergers is to have your child evaluated by a competent trained professional such as a Neuropsychologist or a Clinical Psychologist. Many school psychologists are not trained to diagnose this disorder, so it may be best to have your child privately tested. Two of the instruments that may be used are the Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised (ADI R), and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).

It is important to note however that this disorder may be Co Morbid with other disorders. This means that the child may have other disorders as well. These may be ADHD, Bi Polar Disorder, Learning Disabilities, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The earlier the treatment for this disorder and co morbid disorders, the better it will be for your child. Appropriate special education services can help your child be ready for post school learning and independent living, as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires!

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2012年2月26日星期日

Explaining Asperger Syndrome

Have you ever heard of Asperger Syndrome? Well, it is a known neuro-physiologic disorder that was accepted formally in 1994 after Austrian doctor Hans Asperger identified it in 1944.

Asperger Syndrome is not considered an illness or disease that can be given from one person to another. This condition is often present at birth and takes time before a person is consider showing patterns of Asperger Syndrome. This is a diagnosis for children that are in the world of autism. These are pervasive developmental disorder known as PDD, or Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Asperger Syndrome has severe deficits as well as pervasive impairment. Development areas that suffer include communication impairment, reciprocal social interaction impairment and other behavior, activity and interest presences that are associated with such a disorder.

A child with Asperger Syndrome has trouble socially including reacting differently than others and having trouble understanding certain things. Someone that has this won't understand various social elements as body language and facial expressions as well. They don't even do well when it comes to making eye contact and maintaining it. Another symptom is they have sensory issues including not being able to judge personal space and are attracted to certain foods or fabrics only. Asperger Syndrome sufferers also don't do well with change or going through a transition. They even go by their own rules no matter if they are instructed otherwise. Each person with Asperger Syndrome can have their own compensation of symptoms.

Most of the common symptoms include:

* Talking extremely well for their age yet having trouble communicating because they don't understand listening and talking go together.

* Constantly preferring to be with adults or older children rather than children their own age.

* Extreme criticism sensitivity.

Yet another element of Asperger Syndrome in children is they have a high or at least an average IQ score. These children will also have trouble making friends and keeping friends. They are often bullied because they have social issues since they have this condition that can lead to abnormal repetition issues and various awkward actions. Even their speech can take on abnormalities.

When it comes to treating Asperger Syndrome there are no medications for it directly. Nevertheless, such medication used for obsessive compulsive, anxiety and attention deficit diagnosis is often prescribed for this condition as well. Often as a person gets older the symptoms lessen and the person learns to cope with their condition. As it is a genetic condition, complete cure has not been found but coping with many of the associated symptoms has been helped by therapy and behavioral counseling.

• parent education and training

• specialized educational interventions for the child

• social skills training

• language therapy

• sensory integration training for younger kids, usually performed by an occupational therapist, in which they are desensitized to stimuli to which they're overly sensitive

• psychotherapy or behavioral/cognitive therapy for older children

• medications

Currently there are some schools that provide normal schooling for children diagnosed with this syndrome but the progress is dependent on the teachers, caregivers and parents while others receive education at special schools.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit www.childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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2012年1月25日星期三

8 Important Items to Help You Advocate For Your Child With Aspergers Syndrome

Things that you need to know.

1. Aspergers Syndrome has its own category in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM IV) that is used for diagnosis. It is under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).

5. Small groups may help your child with their education and also to develop appropriate social skills.

6. Modifications and adaptations in the regular classroom may help your child keep up with their peers.

8. Many children with Aspergers may need Occupational Therapy also for motor clumsiness. Ask for specific testing in this area if your child shows need.

Keep these 8 items in mind when you attend Individual Educational Plan Meetings (IEP) for your child. They will assist you in trying to help your child receive a Free Appropriate Public Education!

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