autism by JohannesIrfan


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         The Essential Guide to Understanding Autism
                        By Johannes Irfan

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Table of Contents
Chapter 2 – What Are the Factors that Contribute to Autism ....... 4
Chapter 4 – What Are the Symptoms of Autism .......................... 6
Chapter 5 – What Are the Speech and Communication Problems of Autism ........7
Chapter 7 – Autism, Toxic Metals, and Vaccines ......................... 9
Chapter 8 – The Cause of Autism Might Be Found in Autistic Mice ................... 10
Chapter 11 – How Is Autism Diagnosed .................................... 13
Chapter 13 – How to Look for Autism Signs in Infants ............... 15
Chapter 14 – How Can Families Cope With an Autistic Child and the Financial
Chapter 15 – The Difference Between Asperger‟s Syndrome and Autism ........ 17
Chapter 18 – The Fixation Behavior of an Autistic Child ............ 21
Chapter 19 – The Autism Society of America ............................ 22
Chapter 20 – Childproofing Your Home for Your Autistic Child . 23
Chapter 21 – Autism and Nutritional Supplements .................... 24
Chapter 23- Toilet Training the Autistic Child ............................. 26
Chapter 23- Difficulties of an Autistic Adult ................................ 27
Chapter 22 – Alternative Treatments for Autism ........................ 28
    Chapter 1 – What Is Autism
autistic child or adult would be considered mentally unstable or retarded.

difficult or impassible barrier to the child‟s communication process. Another autistic
on the outside.

       Can you imagine trying to communicate with your teacher or parent and the
words won‟t come out? You know the answer to the question and you know how to do
the task, but the communication and the rest of your body just doesn‟t come out. That
is why it is difficult for both teachers and parents to understand what autism is and how
to deal with it. The child cannot even communicate its wants and needs during play
with other children. A simple act of digging with a sand shovel can be an awkward
movement or grunt that would be totally misunderstood by the other child.

misinterpreted as a behavior disorder or an emotional disorder. Simple communication
but the socially accepted communication in which we communicate is not.

        According to statistics, almost four million children will be born with autism in the
next decade. The diagnoses of autistic children are becoming more refined, but think
about the number of children misdiagnosed in the past where there learning and life skill
accommodations were not met by professionals. Autism is a tragic disorder and many
parents should be given kudos for the extra time and energy it takes to raise an autistic
child. In this e-book you will learn the characteristics of autism, its symptoms,
treatments, and learning strategies that will help both you and your child. Though the
definition of autism is still sketchy for health care professionals and psychologists, you
will learn more about autism and have a more definitive approach when dealing with
autism as a teacher, parent, or someone who works with these special people.
    Chapter 2 – What Are the Factors that Contribute to
clear cause for autism though there are several factors that are common throughout the

then it cannot be stopped with today‟s medical knowledge. If the genes are isolated,
genetic screening before pregnancy can determine if the parents have a predisposition
to give birth to an autistic child.

        Environmental factors have been another theory that researchers have come up

Conditions such as tuberous sclerosis and congenital rubella syndrome has yielded
out to whether these conditions have percentages high enough to officially correlate

You can‟t blame the parents for the parents have no control over their DNA. If a family
this terrible disorder.
    Chapter 3 – Autism and Genetics

Collaborative Autism Project and the International Genetic Study have been studying
they have to look for the needle.

        Dr. Michael Dougherty of the American Institute of Biological Sciences argues
genetics and environmental factors. This could be true because outside environmental
changes affect both phenotypical and genotypical characteristics of an organism. He

cure. The gene‟s discovery will only allow the medical community to let parents know
    Chapter 4 – What Are the Symptoms of Autism
of social norms.

boy could not tell you what he had for breakfast or what his mother‟s name was but he


compare themselves to the other person or situation. Putting themselves in another‟s
words associated in the vocabulary of a person that age.

is facilitated by an understanding adult.
    Chapter 5 – What Are the Speech and Communication
    Problems of Autism
        Autism affects the speech and communication to some degree of all autistic
people. The communication varies and is usually contributed to the actual mental of the
brain to translate the communication and what social development the child has had. If
parents of an autistic child learn and practice methods that encourage the full use of the
communication skills that the child has, then the child will develop faster to meet their
mental ability. Some autistic children will never gain a voice. Some are silent and rarely
utter a sound while others know a few words or use grunts and noises in their effort to

        On the opposite end of the autistic spectrum an autistic child may have a very
rich vocabulary and are able to discuss some subjects in depth and with a great deal of
intellectual insight. Others will be able to only discuss specialized subjects that either
they have a great interest in or they have mastered the ability to communicate about
that subject. No matter what the severity of autism is, it is not the words that they have
trouble with. Most autistic children can pronounce words correctly but it how the
language is used to make a coherent thought.

       The language that you hear coming out of an autistic child‟s mouth may be
incoherent to you. The rhythm of the words or the order of the words might be totally
mixed up. As the listener you would assume that the child didn‟t know what they were
saying, but in the child‟s mind the message is clear; there is just a short between the
brain and how the words come out of the mouth. If a child asks for a glass of water, he
or she may have the sentence formed in their head, but a grunt or dislocated words will
come out of their mouth.

        The autistic child may repeat a phrase that they have learned to associate with a
physical action. The child may have heard, “Do you want a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich,” from his mother and will then associate that phrase every time they are
hungry. Instead of saying „I am hungry‟ the child will used the same associated phrase,
„Do you want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?‟ They may even use this phrase for
multiple purposes. It may be used when they have to use the bathroom or they are
thirsty. The language can be learned by a caring parent but all to often the child
becomes frustrated when adults or peers do not understand them.

        Other trait of language in the autistic child is the use of key phrases or key
sounds. For example an autistic child was witnessed starting every sentence with the
words, „I like fruitcake.‟ No matter what he wanted or what he was trying to say, he
would start the conversation with „I like fruitcake, what is your name. I like fruitcake,
where do you live?‟ This seems humorous at first but the child needed the phrase that
he knew to facilitate the other message he was adding to it. Other autistic children will
spell out a word they know like their name. For example they will say, „M-I-K-E, that
spells Mike, what is your name. That one bit of ingrained information that seems
disjointed is all they need to pull out the complete thought that follows. Remember when
dealing or communicating with an autistic child, have an open mind to what they are
communicating. Their words can or can not be taken literally and their meaning may be
the total opposite of what you are thinking.
    Chapter 6 – Autism and Body Language
        Now that we have learned that autism creates havoc with verbal speech and the
communication between the brain and how speech is produced, we now have to look at
how autism affects body language. Body language is the second form of
communication that humans use to express their wants and emotions. As with speech,
the autistic child has difficulty or no skill at all deciphering what a person is saying with
facial expressions or body language. If you want someone to come closer you wave to
them. If you want somebody to know your angry, you usually have a scowl on your
face. If you are sad or happy, you can see the emotion in your facial expression and
how you move your body.

        The autistic child does not have an understanding or either body language of
facial expression. They are in a world that is centered in themselves and the nuances of
a gesture or hand motion is lost to them. Most autistic children have a hard time making
eye contact during conversation. If the adult speaking or working with them does have
this knowledge of no eye contact, it can be very for that adult to understand what is
happening. It can be frustrating for both the adult and the child when that simple
knowledge can save a lot of grief. The child may be listening to you and maybe even
understand what you have said, but there attention and focus looks like it is on
something else.

        The autistic child may not even be looking at what you are thinking they are
looking at. Eye contact is a simple human reaction to communication and that reaction
patterns of an autistic individual.

        The autistic child will have trouble associating your voice and your words in
exactly what you want from them. Even their name may not be recognizable to them in
their brain and the response to your words may be slow or may not be attended to at all.
For this reason some autistic children who have not been diagnosed yet will have a
diagnosis of a hearing problem. This is not the case. The child just does not know to
respond to your words and if they respond it may not be in the manner that the parent or
other adult expects.

       The use of grammar in a sentence for mild autistic child is again a problem.
Personal pronouns and verb agreement sometimes do not meet what the adult wants
the child to say. You may say, „it is your birthday today,‟ and the child will repeat the
entire sentence back to you without changing the your to my. First, second, and third
person is not always used correctly or will not be used at all. Some autistic children will
be stuck on one view of person and will use it in every context. It takes patience and
time to be able to build a communication process, and even with both the autistic child
may never be able to communicate their needs.
    Chapter 7 – Autism, Toxic Metals, and Vaccines
       Thought some research disclaim that autism can spring from the use of vaccines,
doctors belonging to the American Academy of Pediatrics have found enough concern
that they issues a statement about nine years ago that goes against that research. The
statement of concern was about thimerosal, a preservative that is used in vaccines and,
believe it or not, contains mercury. Research has proved that mercury is very toxic and
can cause neurological and motor functions to misfire creating some pretty dramatic
disorders in children and adults.

        Not only doe‟s mercury cause motor and neurological disorders, it can also affect
the immune system and cause behavior dysfunctions. So what happens if you or your
child is vaccinated with a vaccine that contains thimerosal? Could a little of each
disorder come into the child and affect him or her in such a way that autism is
diagnosed. Look at the symptoms of autism and then look at the multiple disabilities
and disorders mercury can cause. This might explain the range of disabilities from mild
to severe in an autistic child.

       Even the Food and Drug Administration stated that some infants, depending on
how much thimerosal was in the vaccine and how long between each vaccine, may be
exposed to high levels of ethyl mercury. This difference in dosage and time between
dosages is another clue to the severity or mildness that autistic children suffer. It only
makes since that if a child has had a large dosage of ethyl mercury and has those
dosages close together, especially in the early development of the body and brain, than
that child would have more severity in their autism symptoms than a child who had less
mercury administered to them.

        If you compare the symptoms of mercury poisoned children with the symptoms of
autistic children, the similarities are amazingly close. So what comes first, the mercury
or the autism? The statistics alone are enough to warrant caution just because they
state that autism has been counted to have alarming increases since the early 1990s.
As the vaccines given to infants to prevent hepatitis B and HIB in children increased last
decade, so have the incidents of children being diagnosed with autism. Not only is this
curious, but the correlation of vaccines to autism is almost exponential.

       This seems like enough evidence to warrant an investigation into the link of
mercury preservatives in vaccines and the amazing amount of autistic and mercury
poisoned children that have been diagnosed. Parents of vaccinated children are seeing
their once intelligent, bright, and socially normal child turn into a child that is wrought
with fevers, night terrors, and severe behavior disorders that can be closely associated
to some behaviors associated with autistic children. Even polio and chicken pox
vaccines are suspect at causing autistic type symptoms and parents and doctors are
beginning to question the practice.

       The manufactures of mercury based vaccines have refused to provide research
about the link between mercury and autism and have declined to prove any evidence
that correlation does not exist. If you have an autistic child, look at their vaccination
records. If you see a vaccine that might contain ethyl mercury, contact the Center for
Disease Control to spur government agencies to fund more research.
    Chapter 8 – The Cause of Autism Might Be Found in
    Autistic Mice
       About ninety out of every ten thousand person born in the United States will have
a diagnosis of autism before they are three years old. Boys will have a significantly
higher chance of contracting these horrible disorders than will girls. The causes of
autism have not been determined as of yet, but researchers at the University of Texas
are coming closer than most have yet. They have found the traits of autism such as
poor social interaction and high sensitivity in mice. The researchers believe if they can
find the cause of the behaviors exhibited in the mice, they will be one step closer to
finding the cause of human autism.

       What the researchers can do with mice, they cannot do with human subjects.
They intend to examine the brain of this autistic mice and specifically the area of the
brain that deals with learning and memory. Though autism affects the ability to
communicate and interact with people around you, the researchers feel that the
chemical reactions in the brains of the mice will be similar to those who experience
autism. Proper communication is a learned behavior and your brain area that has the
job of producing memory and learning is supposed to allow you to accept this
information. Without the proper neurons or the interaction of chemicals in your brain,
the communication process will be lost.

       The researchers are focusing of the Pten gene because this gene has the history
of being associated with other brain disorders. The similarity of autistic traits within the
mice could be associated with the similarity of autism and brain disorders found among
humans. The mice studied showed that they were not as curious as other mice in the
pen. When a new animal was introduced, the autistic mice showed little interest. The
same goes with an autistic child. When a new person enters the home or the
classroom, the autistic child will be uninterested while the non-autistic children will show
great interest and even try to communicate with the new comer.

        The mice would not build nests nor would they look after their babies. They
would show disinterest in any of the normal goings on of normal mice. The mice
seemed disinterested in anything except their primal needs of food, water, and
defecation. When exposed to stimuli such as a loud noise or sudden movement like
being picked up, the autistic mice would act like an autistic child by overreacting to the
stimuli. The mice would scream and refrain from physical stimuli just as most autistic
children run from or cover their ears when over stimulated.

        The only behaviors that were not in correlation between the mice and human
autistics were the repetitive behaviors or the obsessive motions that most human
autistic children exhibit. The only other similarities were that the mice had a larger head
and larger brain volume that is traditionally a symptom of human autism. Researchers
believe that if they can find the gene responsible for the autistic like behaviors in the
mice the quest to find the cause and cure of autism may be one step closer. This
research proves that there is hope for a autistic sufferers and if not for them, then for the
thousands of autistic children that are yet to be born.
Chapter 9 – Autism: The Need for Increased Research
        Autism has increase 172% in the 1990s. Why? This disorder that impairs
language and impedes social skills is becoming a rising phenomena that is affecting
thousands of children, mainly males, in the United States and the world. The autistic
child is characterized by repetitive movements, obsessive desires, lack of eye contact,
and socially impaired or unacceptable behavior. Even though the autistic child may not
show these signs at birth, the symptoms will appear at about the age of a year and a
half, and the child will slowly loose what speech or communication they had gained

       To this date there is no cause or cure that can be determined. Though research
has speculated of genetic disorders or vaccine related incidents, there is no concrete
evidence that autism derives from any of these theories. There has been foundations
set up in the Colorado area that are beginning to gather data about autism. The start
was slow and the patience of parents with autistic children is wearing thin. The physical
and mental exhaustion of raising an autistic child is beginning to show on parents,
teachers, and medical personal.

       The parents of these children are spending thousands in special classes that
deal with speech, social skills, and behavior and there money is not returning the yield
of research that is needed to help this epidemic problem. Parents have spent hours
scanning the web hoping for a glimmer of hope from a researcher or parent that has
observed a breakthrough. The education and treatment of autistic children has reached
monumental records while the government has not put in a full effort of research money
into the coffer.

        In the early 1990s only a dozen or so doctors or scientists were totally devoted to
the study of autism. Society is just seeing the need for more research but the parents of
autistic children have seen and have desired the need for almost two decades. It is
estimated that the care for an autistic child will reach around four million dollars per child
during their lifetime. This includes the special educational services that are draining the
funds from our public schools. An autistic child who attends public school has a full time
teacher, a single paraprofessional assigned to them, speech therapist, occupational
therapists, behavior specialist, and psychologists.

       The annual government money spent on a special education child is six
thousand five hundred dollars. The money spent on the autistic child by the school
system sometimes cost in excess of ten thousand dollars. The money is pulled from
regular education classes, after school programs, and other programs that are vital for a
public school to educate its entire population. The money comes from your taxes, but
the government is doing little to facilitate research that could bring down public cost.

       This is only the public‟s contribution indirect from the government. Think about
the costs of the parents and the restriction of a right to live a normal life. These parents
and teachers should be applauded, but the call for more money for research from the
government has to be made. If you feel strongly about this, contact your state
congressman or representative and tell them. The public and private cost of autism will
rise as fast as the percentage of cases diagnosed. At a 172% increase, how the
parents or we as a nation afford not to fund research.
Chapter 10 – How is Autism Treated
treatment is an educational program that individually fits the autistic child‟s abilities and

has had in the parent‟s home and outside services. Mainstreaming the child into regular
behavior specialist who works on both the communication process and the behavior
associated with autism.

       There are advocates that autistic children should be brought out of the
be successful and maybe eventually learn.

come up with strategies to deal with the behavior.

child. For example, when puberty come along the autistic child will discover themselves
sexually and masturbation usually follows. The program must change to fit the new
behavior of masturbation and in a few years it must change again to teach the child the
appropriate behaviors with the opposite sex. The changes are not understood by the
child, but like Pavlov‟s dog, a conditioned response may be instilled in the child and the
proper behavior may be a learned response.
    Chapter 11 – How Is Autism Diagnosed
       Autism diagnoses are different than most diagnoses of other disorders. It may
take doctors years to finally gather up enough evidence for the diagnoses of autism.
Parents usually are suspect long before the diagnoses is given because they can see
that the child may not give them eye contact or that the communication process that the
child has learned has started to regress after the first year and a half or so of life. The
average age for diagnoses in this country is between the age of two and three and that
is where the symptoms start to manifest themselves.

       The difficulty in the diagnosis of autism is mainly due to the developmental
changes a child goes through during the first three years of life. When a child is
developing quickly the nuances of communication and social behavior may elude
doctors or even parents who are not specifically watching their child for autism. The
pattern of a child‟s development is ever changing and without a close eye and
experience, the onslaught of autism is almost impossible to catch. Even the slightest
social blunder may be that the child just has some odd quirks and the line between
these quirks and minor autism is a very thin one.

        Only the judgment of the doctor is the determining factor to label a child autistic.
Some autistic children have gone through their entire life with the label of emotionally
disabled or behaviorally challenged. Many doctors stay away from this label because of
the emotional impact on the parents or care providers and the chance of lawsuits if the
label causes adverse reactions later in life. There are no medical tests that can be
administered that would clearly define autism. The doctor‟s opinion is the only thing that
will label a child and put them in a category among special needs that hasn‟t even really
been defined or researched much.

        The criterion for autism is determined by a panel of doctors who compare related
cases and find a common symptom. Though the criterion is sketchy at best, right now it
is the only way some doctors can comfortably make a diagnosis. Most clinicians and
medical personal use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders to
classify autism and the basic guidelines only include the manifestations of
communication use and social behavior. Another guideline that is usually diagnosed as
compulsive behavior is the constant vigilance toward established patterns or norms.

        The autistic child will find their comfort zone in a specific path they will walk
around their house or at school. They may be schedule oriented in which they will
follow a specific schedule and will refuse to deviate from it. If a autistic child is made to
change their pattern they will lose control of emotions and behavior. Behavior exhibited
could be uncontrolled anger to verbal confrontation of an unpleasant manner. The need
to follow the specific pattern in built into their system as a way to deal with an ever
changing world.

      The one thing that the criterion does not cover is the fixation on certain things.
Some autistic children can memorize entire books if it is something that they really like.
One autistic boy in Wyoming could recite the entire series of Dr. Seuss books. He
would recite the entire book including the title and reference sections.
    Chapter 12 – Myths about Autism
        As with all disorders that people do not understand, myths and claims are made
out of ignorance and become apart of urban legend that confuses the public and puts
misinformation out there that could detrimental to the parent looking for an answer to
their dilemma. Autism is a disease with an unknown cause and an unknown cure. This
mysterious mental disorder is something for parents to be frightened about and the
myths that pop up on the internet or in conversation does not help the placate the
emotions of the parent who is facing life with an autistic child.

       One of the myths of autism is that autism is caused by an uncaring or distant
parent. This is an awful presumption that should be stifled when ever heard. Autism is a
neurological brain disorder that makes the child have anti-social or poor social habits.
The environment or relationship between mother and child has nothing to do with the
cause of the disease. The relationship with a distant mother may only the hinder the
timeliness of a diagnosis because she was not paying attention to the symptoms, but
the assumption that the relationship is the cause of the disease is false.

        Another myth that has circulated is that autistic children and idiot savants are the
same thing. Amazing feats of memorization or counting has been seen in very few
autistic children. Most autistic children fixate on a subject or a genre and become
experts in it, but others have no abilities at all. The fixation may be root of the myth and
the very few that exhibit these incredible mental powers are often exploited and have
been shown to wide audiences. The Tom Cruise movie „Rain Man‟ centered on a
autistic adult with counting prowess and this could be where the public passes on this

       A myth brought on by marketers and promoters of nutritional supplements is the
idea that special diets and nutritional supplements can cure autism. This may be great if
you are a parent that is desperately searching for something that will help their kid, but
the only thing a special diet or nutritional supplement will do for the child is to make
them a healthier autistic child. The autism will still be there, but as with every human,
the nutritional supplements and diet will only make the autistic child healthy and not
cure the neurological imbalance the exists.

       Another sad myth is that children with autism will never have the comfort of
human relationships. This is completely false. Autistic children just communicate
differently than others. They may feel love and hate but they cannot display the
emotion as the rest of society would expect it to be shared. Autistic adults have fell in
love, gotten married and even have had a series of successful relationships as single
adults. Autistic couples are common with high functioning autism and they more than
any one else understands the pain of not being able to communicate the emotion they
are feeling.

      If you hear somebody spreading these myths around, confront them and set
them straight. These kinds of myths dismantle what parents, teachers, and medical
professionals have been trying to build for years and that is a true understanding of
autism. Such falsehoods can shake the resolve of parents who have autistic children
and destroy hopes of finding the cause and a cure. The parents are desperate to find
both and these myths only dump on their dreams.
    Chapter 13 – How to Look for Autism Signs in Infants
       With the incidents of autism up 172% since the 1990s, parents are anxious to
find out if their baby has a chance to acquire autism. Seven out of every ten thousand
infants will develop autism within the first three years of life. The sad thing about the
should worry about and what symptoms they should ignore. Since the baby is
developing so fast, the symptoms do not usually manifest themselves until you see the
baby regressing from the speech and social skills they have learned so far.

       Remember that not one single behavior will point to autism, though a single
symptom should not be ignored. The diagnosis of autism is still largely undefined
because the autistic child can acquire various degrees of the disorder. The first thing a
parent should be aware of is loss of some speech or behavior that has been learned
and is now not demonstrated. For example is the words Daddy or Mommy was in the
vocabulary and for some reason they are used less and less, the child may be loosing
the brain function for memory and communication. If the words are dropped from the
vocabulary all together and no new words replace, it is time for concern.

      Another subtle symptom that could or could not be autism is the formation of two
sentence words by the second year of age. If a child cannot for simple sentences like
„Daddy go‟ or „Mommy love‟ it come be that your child is suffering from the onslaught of
autism. This is not always the case though. Your child may have another disability that
deals with speech and language or a learning disability and autism should not be
considered the object of the speech process, but is something to look at if you have
concerns that your infant has the ability to obtain autism.

        At an even younger age, around the first year, if your child does not say any
words or even babble, then your concerns might be warranted for autism. Remember
there are other disorders out there that manifest themselves in the same way, but the
autistic aware parent should count this as one of the major symptoms and should be
concerned. If your child displays one or any of these characteristics, than you should
take them to a medical professional. Remember from the previous chapters that
doctors who are unfamiliar with autism will be hesitant to diagnose the disorder. If you
are not happy with the diagnoses of your doctor, take your child to a few more so you
will have a clear conscious and a satisfied mind.

       Another thing is to watch your baby‟s body language and expression of emotion.
If you are warm and cuddly with your baby and your baby does not react the way you
have seen other babies, this could be a red flag for autism. Observe other reactions
such as severe stress over loud noises or sudden moves. If you are talking to your
baby and you get no response or you wave your hands in front of your baby and there is
no eye contact or reaction, there is probably something wrong. Even if it is just a feeling
that you have, you need to seek medical attention so you can find out if your baby has
autism or another disorder. There is no cure for autism, but an early diagnosis can not
only add to the base of knowledge about autism but at the same time can help get your
baby treatment as soon as possible. An early detection can also set the parents up with
consoling that they need to learn how to raise an autistic child.
    Chapter 14 – How Can Families Cope With an Autistic
    Child and the Financial Burden
        If your child has just been diagnosed with autism, you and your family are about
the have a life changing experience. After you get over the shock of an autistic
diagnosis you and your spouse will probably be overwhelmed with all the information
and misinformation there is about the disorder. Your doctor will probably suggest a
team of specialists who will take on the child‟s case that will probably change during the
child‟s lifetime as new symptoms appear or the child‟s age and needs change. The cost
of an autistic child for services and care can run close to $4,000,000 during the child‟s
lifetime and can drain savings accounts and put the family in heavy debt.

       The first thing the family needs to change is their opinion of insurance. Some
people will take a good job without insurance just for a good paycheck or other benefits.
This can‟t happen anymore. The parents or a least one of the parents has to have good
insurance from their employers. Without insurance your child will not get the level of
care that will give them the quality of life that your child deserves. The medical costs
and the supplemental costs of going to different therapists and clinicians can put your
bank account in financial shock and without insurance there will be little room for

        Another thing to worry about is that you will get little financial assistance from the
government. The Americans with Disabilities Act allows your child social security
benefits and welfare, but most people who receive these funds can barely scratch out a
living with today‟s economy. The supplemental money will have to come from the
parent‟s wages and whatever other financial options there are. In some cases there are
clinical trials or case studies that will pay for the treatment for your child, but these are
usually experimental and if your child is in the control group of the experiment, then any
benefits will be negated. The control group is the group where nothing new is done to
them or a placebo is given instead of medication. A clinical trial can help with the
finances but could be heartbreaking for the family if not benefit is seen.

        If you have the finances and the opportunity you might want to consider moving
outside of the United States. European countries and Canada have a different
philosophy in financing families with children with autism than does the United States.
The United States will spend millions in the public school system to have your child
taken care of educationally through special education programs. Since autism is a
unique disorder that is individualized most teachers, though they are trained, will not
have the same relationship with the child as the parents. European countries and
Canada siphon their monies in a different way. Instead of paying the doctors and
teachers, they pay the parents and let them choose the method of treatment and the
path of education. This will let the money go directly to the family and not a school
system that is poorly suited to devote this cash to the development and the treatment of
the child. Most of the time in public schools, autistic children are put with the mentally
retarded and severely disabled children who have totally different issues and learning
styles. If moving out of the country is not an option for you, you might want to find a
financial advisor that will help you plan for the future and the future expenses of your
autistic child. Stay insured and do not let your insurance lapse.
    Chapter 15 – The Difference Between Asperger’s
    Syndrome and Autism
       According to the DSM-IV classifications asperger‟s syndrome and autism are two
separate disorders. There is debate however because aspergers and autism exhibit
some of the same symptoms. The argument is that aspergers is a form an autism and
treatment. The argument relies on the idea that since there is no distinct criteria for
either disorder and they are both persuasive developmental disorders they should be
treated the same.

The argument about name is not just an argument on syntax, but an argument for
services and label. The services for an autistic child are far more extended than a child
diagnosed with asperger‟s syndrome. The group that wants to keep the labels different
look at the argument from a research based idea. They want to see both syndromes
separate because research and treatment will follow two different paths and the benefits
of one path might bleed over to the other. This way is there is a break through in
asperger‟s syndrome, that break through may help the autistic child.

        According to the DSM-IV the diagnosis for both disorders are very similar. The
clinicians who diagnosis the patient looks at the severity of the symptoms and diagnose
on the severity of certain symptoms and the lack of severity in others. This gives the
doctor some leeway in the diagnoses but also leads to the idea that the diagnoses is not
a stringent as it appears or needs to be. The DSM-IV proponents argue that there
needs to be more criteria in the guidelines for both disorders in order to make a correct
diagnosis and a correct treatment plan.

        The major distinction that now can be read from the manual is that autism, a
communication disorder, does not allow the child to communicate normally. This is
different in an asperger‟s child because the asperger‟s child may not understand the
communication that is presented to them. The autistic child understands but is not able
to neither respond to the communication nor give the proper response that is socially
acceptable. With an entire list of specifications for the disorder, it is sketchy that this
one ill defined symptom can be the separating point.

        Another sticky difference between the disorders is the patient‟s ability to have an
average intelligence. Some autistic children are mentally retarded. Though not all,
some have met the criteria that their IQ is below the measured rating of mental
retardation which is 69. The asperger‟s child cannot be diagnosed with the disorder if
they have IQ with is 69 points or lower. Most asperger‟s children have average to
above average intelligences. This is another argument. How many children that have
asperger‟s syndrome are diagnosed as autistic just because they have a score that
labels them as mentally retarded? There is room for a lot of misdiagnosis and because
of that there are a lot of children that are in the wrong treatment programs.

        If you are a parent of an autistic child that has a below average IQ, you might
want to look in to petitioning the diagnosis if the programs for as asperger‟s syndrome
child is more beneficial for your child. Just because your child has the diagnosis of
autism, the case can be reviewed and with time and patience, you can find a team that
will make an alternative diagnoses.
    Chapter 16 – Autism Assistance Dogs
        Your autistic child is not blind nor has a physical disability that renders them
helpless, but most autistic children do lack the ability to make safe choices. Parents of
autistic children are diligent, they have to be, but wouldn‟t be safer and give the parents
more peace of mind is there was an extra set of eyes watching their child. Now there is
a service that provides canine assistance to autistic sufferers. 4Paws, the first autistic
assistance dog agency, has dogs that can be placed with your autistic child and with a
doctor‟s approval no family can be turned away.

       One of the most disturbing phenomena concerning autism is the child‟s ability to
just run away. You can be washing dishes and as soon as you turn your back your
child can be gone. There are normal situations in which a autistic child can make very
dangerous. They can fall into a pool or run into traffic and you would hardly know they
were gone. An autistic assistance dog would alert you if your autistic child was to
deviate from their normal pattern. Either by barking or by gaining your attention
physically, the autistic assistance dog will give you enough warning to catch the child
before they put themselves into danger.

       Not only will the dog alert you that the child is missing but they will help you track
and find the child. The bond between the child and dog is something special and that
bond will instill the dog to protect and find your lost child. This relationship tends to be
odd for more autistic children because the bonding process does not happen
sometimes even if it is a human relationship. The communication process sometimes
even excludes the parent from a loving relationship. Testimonials from parents who
have received autistic assistance dogs say that they are amazed at how the animals
and children interact.

        Another benefit to both parents and the child is the parent‟s report that the child
has more feelings and compassion toward their dog then they do toward siblings or
adults. The parents also state that once the dog is placed in the home, the autistic child
shows less aggression and anger. In one case a parent said that there autistic child
stopped showing frustration all together. Before the canine assistant the child would
throw temper tantrums and physically attack the person they were angry at. Now the
child, when frustrated, goes and hugs his dog until the anger goes away.

       Another behavior that is trained to the assistant dog is to recognize repetitive
behavior. If a child is prone to hand flapping as many autistic children demonstrate, it
usually takes the touch of a parent to redirect the behavior. Now that is the dog‟s
responsibility. The dog will gently touch or nuzzle the child when the behavior happens
and the child will learn through conditioned response that they are presenting a negative
behavior and the behavior will stop.

       The only reason that a dog will not be placed in your home is if your home is not
suitable for the pet. The cleanliness of your home and your financial ability to own a pet
is severely scrutinized. Also the safety of the pet is looked at. If your child is so violent
that the dog may be injured because of a temper tantrum or other aggressive action, the
agency has the right to deny you a dog or to pull the dog from your home. If you have a
puppy that you would like trained to be an autism assistant dog, 4Paws does offer a
school in which you, the child, and the dog will be taught to work together as a team.
    Chapter 17 – Teaching Autistic Children
       If you are a parent of an autistic child you need to put your child in a structured
environment as soon as he or she is diagnosed. Studies have proved that a structured
environment that provides nurturing and teaching is the best method to start to teach
the social skills and behavior redirection that your child needs. This can be an
exhausting job for a parent that leaves no time for personal relaxation or freedom of the
stress it takes in raising such a child. A team effort needs to be extended from other
professionals that service the child to turn taking between siblings and parents.

       Your child will probably start formal public school at around the age of five or six.
Before this age, structure and instruction is critical for the child to development within
their abilities. You as a parent need to structure your day as well so that you have time
to deal with daily tasks and find some kind or recreation outside your child‟s life.
Recreation for the parents is important for the parent‟s mental well being as well as
quality of life. First you have to come up with a plan with realistic goals. You need to
know what activities your child will participate in what they will learn from it. You also
need to plan

        When teaching your autistic child, remember not to use a long strand of phrases.
It is best to give clear concise ideas that go together. You might want to add tags to the
meanings of the phrases. For example if you are teaching the difference from left to
right and the words left to right. Affix a piece of paper to yours or your child‟s hand with
words left and right on them. Most autistic children do not see in words, they see in
pictures. With the paper placed on the hands, not only does the child see the
movement of the hands but can associate the words left and right with it.

       After awhile you will notice that your child is good at something such as drawing
or building blocks. You have to be creative, but find someway of including what they
are good at into the lesson you wish them to learn. Maybe you are teaching them the
word me. Find a picture of your child and put the word me on it. Have the child draw a
picture of themselves and to finish the drawing have them write me on the picture. This
may be a repetitive process and you may have to change it up a little, but eventually the
concept will be learned.

        If you notice you child is fixated on something like a book, movie, or map, again
put that fixation to work with you. Earlier in this e-book the story of a autistic boy‟s
fixation with the Titanic was discussed. The teacher or parent could use characters and
actions of the Titanic story to reinforce behavior, concepts, or social skills. Again you
will have to be creative and this type of teaching is not the norm for most educators.
You have to think outside of the box as the child is trying to not only get the message
from inside the box, but to find the box in the first place.

        If you are teaching reading do not concentrate on one form of instruction. Some
autistic children can learn by phonics and some by sight words. Do not restrict your
method of instruction. Try both methods to see which one is right for your child.
Research has shown that a combination of sight words and phonics can be a very
successful for the non-autistic student and it might be a good start to get your child the
way to reading and comprehension.
        Sounds and visual distractions are other areas for concern when teaching the
autistic child. Sounds such as school bells are fire alarms can hurt their ears and cause
either a violent reaction or bad behavior. Record the sounds that the child should be
used to and then let them playback the sounds at the volume of their choice. When
they are comfortable with one sound, encourage them to increase the volume the
volume until they can take the sound at the volume it will occur. Visual stimulation is
also a problem for the autistic child. Place them at a desk with blinders and very little
visual stimulation except for the task that they are doing. Even the flickering of
fluorescent lighting can cause the mind and the eyes to wander from their intended task.

        If you are trying to teach eye contact during conversation, physical activity or
interaction is best. Swinging has been shown to increase eye contact. Only when the
child wants to swing should the parent or teacher use this method. As the child is
swinging talk to them. The motion that is fluid in front of them and their peripheral vision
will be to much for them to concentrate on. The swinging motion will force the child to
give you eye contact as you talk to them. This method takes a long time to work so the
teacher or parent has to have patience and perseverance.

       Don‟t just rely on sound and sight to teach your autistic child. You may want to
try touch, especially if the child is older and the other two senses are not helping. If you
want to teach your child numbers and he or she is not getting it. Try to make or buy
some plastic numbers. Give them a plastic number and let them hear the word of the
number. As they feel it, some connection might be made to the word and their
association of touch along with the verbal connection might be enough for them to learn
the word of a number. You can come up with many kinds of manipulatives, but if one
doesn‟t work then change the manipulative before the child learns the wrong concept.

        The chapter was started with the idea that the parent had to schedule teaching
time in their child‟s and their schedule. It might be a good idea to hire a nanny or baby
sitter particularly trained to teach a concept. It might even be for two to three hours a
day. This will give you time to get your daily tasks complete and at the same time you
know your child is being looked after by someone who is sensitive to their condition. A
good activity that might work well for a nanny would just be playtime. She could teach
concepts like taking turns, winning and losing, and following specific rules of the game.
The child could have a social interaction lesson while you go to the grocery store or get
your hair done.

         Remember the education and the educational schedule for your child is
important, but you have to have some „me‟ time. Even if you have the patience of a
god, anyone will be worn down by the constant attention to their child. If a child has
speech therapy for an hour a day, schedule yourself a nap, a reading time, or just time
to take a hot bath during that time. You have to break yourself away from being the
constant care giver. Sure you can do it, but the stress and mental anguish you would
suffer would not be a good thing for you or your child‟s education. You can‟t give up
eighteen or more years of your life just to be a hero to your child. You know you can do
it, but schedule time for yourself.
    Chapter 18 – The Fixation Behavior of an Autistic Child
        Fixation is a common characteristic in the behavior of an autistic child. The child
may be fixated on a book, a picture, a person, maps, music, numbers, or a movie.
Whatever the fixation, the high functioning autistic child will become a resident expert on
the subject. They will memorize and will be able to regurgitate in rote the exact amount
of information they are fixated on. They may even to be able to read music aloud by
sounding out the notes or something more simplistic, your child may be fixated by a
music artist and have all their songs memorized.

        Fixations can be a good thing. The old method of taking the fixation away from
the child has been replaced with the idea of using the fixation to facilitate learning. If a
child is fixated on a certain television cartoon, turn the sound off and let them read
through close captioning what is going on. If they all the words to the program they are
fixated on, they will soon begin to associate the words with actual audio sound. Not
only does this placate the fixation, but it uses the fixation to stimulate learning in a new

       A little know fact about communication and fixation was what the autistic child
looked at when they fixated. A research study that looked at video tapes of autistic
children interacting during play showed that most of the time during verbal
communication the child would fixate of objects instead of faces. When the child finally
gave the person talking eye contact, the item of fixation was the mouth instead of the
eyes. You can use this fact to be conscious of how your mouth moves when you are
talking. If you get a positive reaction from a word, it may not be the word that motivates
your child; it may be the position in which your mouth was in.

        The eye contact problem has been addressed by research and the fixation of the
mouth area mystery has been solved. Researchers say that the amygdale is
responsible for creating a fear by looking in a person‟s eye. Can you imagine not being
able to look anybody in the eye because your brain registers their eyes as a threat?
This is sad because for years teachers and parents have emphasized eye contact as a
behavior change when actually they were making the students learn to deal with their

        Remember that fixation may be much more involved than just an over exuberant
liking of one thing or another. The fixation may be a bridge between understanding and
association. The fixation can be manipulated to a learning experience that not only
contains the fixation information but adds everyday concepts to the fixation experience.
Use all the senses when presenting something about the fixation and the concepts you
want addressed. Let there be smells, visions, sound, and touch. If one sense does not
make the connection then maybe the other sense will pick it up.

       The fixation is not just misplaced attention to one subject. It is something that
they can grasp and of course they are going to like it when they are actually
communicating knowledge they are going to be successful at. Their brain has finally
found a place of function and normalcy. To stifle their creative and learning experience
by taking away their fixation may be a huge mistake. If the fixation is healthy and no a
danger to the child, then embrace it and expand on it. The fixation and the concepts
you teach in the alignment of that fixation can make your child‟s life easier and happier.
    Chapter 19 – The Autism Society of America
       The Autism Society of America or ASA is an organization that encompasses an
army of volunteers that staff a website that provides information on autism and collects
donations for research and other positive autism outlets. The ASA has not only vowed
to help in the education, advocacy, and treatment of autistic individuals, but they have
also vowed to help the parents and the experts facilitate information of autistic issues
and at the same time build a support group to help both autistic children and their

        The ASA has continued this mission in their mission statement which declares
that they will try to be the number one resource in the collection and distribution of
autistic information that is presented. They intend to keep the integrity of the autistic
individual intact as well as protecting the autistic community as a whole. They pledge to
have a respectful communication of ideas that are positive in the needs of the autistic
population and at the same time to disclaim any misinformation or myths that evolve
around autism.

       Stating in 1965 with a handful of parents, ASA has grown into the world‟s leadinr
in providing information, presenting research, and providing as much reference about
autism then any other source. ASA has over 200,000 members and at least 200
chapters in the United States and around the world. Not only does the ASA provide
information for the teachers, parents, and individuals with autism, they also have
created programs of public awareness. The more the public knows about autism, the
less chance misinformation or defamatory actions will take place.

        The ASA offers scholarships and rewards to students and individuals who are
actively participating in the ongoing research and collection of information on autism.
The scholarships may help the student or individuals pay for schooling or to continue
research. There are other scholarships that deal with just funding for schooling of
autistic students that need funds or who have excelled academically at a higher level of
learning. Awards also go out to autism organizations of the year, parents of the year, an
autistic student of the year, and the autism professional of the year. These efforts go to
recognize these individuals and to encourage more participation in the autism effort.

        The store at ASA doesn‟t have many items, only four, but if you are sincere about
autism they are of great worth. They offer a support autism research rubber wristband
that will tell the public about your conviction to rid the world of autism. They offer an
Autism for Dummies books which breaks down the mystery of autism in layman‟s
language. This resource can help both teachers and parents. They also offer a
reference guide for autism in Spanish. Autism is not localized to any race, nationality,
or religion. This guide provides information for the large Hispanic community that is
present in the world. If you are really into the goings on of the ASA, the 2005 and 2006
autism conferences on audio so you can listen to the discussions live.

        The site needs volunteers and supporters. Even if you are not an autistic parent,
the ASA can offer you the opportunity to be apart of something greater than the
individual. Sign up and participate today and maybe autism will be eradicated with your
effort or donation.
    Chapter 20 – Childproofing Your Home for Your Autistic
        When you raise an autistic child, especially in the younger years, you really worry
about their safety and their whereabouts. The autistic child does not react to normal
stimuli nor do they respond to verbal commands as quickly as a non-autistic child. Their
curiosity and lack of understanding of danger may put them in harms way more that a
normal pre-school child. There are certain things you can do to make your home more
autistic child friendly and these few precautions could make your household safer and
give you peace of mind.

       Locks and latches are the best thing to keep cabinets closed and locked from the
curiosity of your autistic child. Chemicals and cleaners need to be kept locked and
anytime there are in use, they need to be watched carefully. Lock away anything that
could be a source of harm to your child. This could include the knife drawer, your
sewing basket, chemical closets, and other things that you could foresee as a possible
harm for your child. There should be locks on anything of danger especially gun
cabinets and other things that would be a danger to anyone.

        Using a cordless or wireless phone is a good idea as you go through the day with
your autistic child. Talking on the phone and being restricted to one place during your
conversation will take away your concentration on supervision. Another reason you
might want to consider a cordless phone is to have the availability to call for assistance
if you are your child is in danger. The wireless phone will let you tend to your business
and also give you the assurance that help is just a phone call away.

        It may not be the greatest danger but you should bind up your cords from your
drapes and curtains. A curious mind can conjure all sorts of dangerous activities with a
hanging cord. They are in danger of hanging themselves or getting caught in the cord
and having a panic attack that could lead to dangerous behavior. If you have pets, an
autistic child could innocently injure them by tying them to the cord. Anything that loops
and could fit around the next should be put up out of reach or bound so that your child
can not use it in a dangerous manner.

        Not only does the inside of you house need to be childproofed, but the outside as
well. Watch your child around swing sets or tire swings. Again the danger of getting
caught in the chains or wrapping a rope around their neck is possible. Watch out for
lawnmowers and other dangerous lawn grooming equipment. The curious mind might
have watched daddy start and mow the lawn and the danger of the blades might not
have stuck in the mind as much as the process of getting it started. If you have a
fenced in lawn, make sure there is a latch and a lock on the gate. Autistic children have
a skill of disappearing when your back is turned and it would be easier to find them in
the backyard than having to search for them down the street.

       This information may seem redundant, but the reality is that your child may have
different motives than what you perceive. With the lack of communication skills and the
lack of social behavior, the child can put themselves into a lot of danger very easily.
Just use common sense and make supervision a number one priority.
    Chapter 21 – Autism and Nutritional Supplements
       Autism is a terrible disorder that cripples the abilities of some parents with autistic
children to reasonably discern between false hopes for cures and a research based
study. Most autistic parents have searched the internet, talked to doctors, and have
read scores of literature to find help in the treatment and the cure for autism. Their
searches usually ends up fruitless because at this time there in no cure for autism. This
is heart breaking news for the parents and sometimes it will send them down the road of
the unconventional methods that promise the moon but only delivers more bills and the
realization that the methods did not help.

        One of the most notorious claims that are made today, that have duped millions
into believing it, is that nutritional supplements can cure autism. These shysters have
taken the symptoms of autism like severe gastrointestinal problems and have spun tails
that just by adding nutritional supplements to the diet of the autistic child the child will
regain their cognitive skills and will be able to function normally. This is not true. All
you will get when giving your child nutritional supplements is a healthier autistic child.
There is no miracle cure and these companies are out for the dollar not for the cure.

        The Food and Drug Administration has issued a statement that: “Parents of
autistic children can be desperate and provide easy targets for unproven therapies.
Marketers of dietary supplements for autistic children contend that their products
promote more complete food digestion, thereby preventing neuro-toxic molecules that
contribute to autism. This is a false and unsupported claim.” To back this up there has
been no founded research that backs these claims nor has any medical organization or
association given even a hint of support. Even the Autistic Association of America has
down played nutritional supplements as a therapy.

        Educated parents in the scientific community, who have autistic children, have
made a grievance with the Food and Drug Administration. They believe that the agency
should not make a statement against nutritional supplements until the people who
believe in them, marketers and parents alike have a say. They have asked that a forum
be open to discuss home based research and they discoveries parents have made by
changing the diet of their children. Without proven documented research the success of
these parents cannot really be taken seriously by the scientific community. The sad
thing is that if there is success, the Food and Drug Administration may be swayed by
the pharmaceutical industry not to act of the information unless there is formal research.

       The research that has been done on the subject is very limited. After a review of
three research studies, all three seem to have a slant toward the nutritional supplement
industry. The words were written in a defensive tone that pushed the supplements but
gave very few actual clinical trails to the success. The data gathering method used was
mostly parent surveys. There were no laboratory or scientific method guidelines that
could give statistical data when correlated with a control group. Used in a qualitative
model, the opinions of parents and their observations were made the focus instead of a
quantitative model which would give statistics and the actual growth or retention of
growth of the autistic child.

      If these supplements were to work, they would alleviate some symptoms of
autism but it would not be a cure. It could be easily understood why parents see
improvement. If there son or daughter shows at least a notch of improvement, in their
mind the treatment works.
    Chapter 23- Toilet Training the Autistic Child

       Toilet training any toddler can be an adventuresome and tiring ordeal. There are
many methods that have hit the markets lately and these methods can range anywhere
between diapers that change color when wet to musical toilets that reward the child with
music when they use the potty. This task is more difficult when your child has autism.
When communication is a problem, as with most autistic children, letting an adult know
you need to use the bathroom can be almost impossible endeavor. Some autistic
children reach the double digits in age before they learn to ask for and to use the toilet.

       Most autistic children do not have the skill and sometimes to desire to mimic or
imitate a behavior. Just because the parents are using the toilet and they demonstrate
the behavior, the autistic child will refuse or not get the connection between the right or
wrong of toilet training. Most autistic children‟s schedule is full and when you add
something new to the schedule it usually upsets them emotionally. The addition of toilet
training to their regiment could cause out right rebellion and bad behavior because they
do not want to get outside of their normal daily activity.

       If you are having trouble toilet training your autistic child, you might want to
observe them for a few days before you try again. Watch and see if the child actually
notices when they soil themselves. Do they reposition themselves so that they are not
uncomfortable after an accident? Some autistic children feel natural in their own wastes
while other will react by taking off their clothes. If your child is ignoring their soiling,
consult with a doctor to see if your child has a medical condition that would prevent
them from recognizing the feeling they are experiencing.

       Now here is your part in toilet training. You need to relax and not stress over it.
Time will make it happen and your stress and high emotion will only cause the stress of
your child. Even the most conscious parent will overreact when they have to change
yet another diaper. If your child sees it‟s no big deal for you, then they can relax and let
the behavior come naturally. You do have to stay diligent to get the job done thought. If
your child is not toilet trained by school age, limitations may be set for opportunities for
education and further socialization.

        One method is to watch what your child does before they soil themselves. Write
down a list of what they do and when they do it. If you realize that your child gets up in
the morning and drinks a glass of juice and twenty minutes later they soil themselves,
then you have something to work with. If the child goes through the same routine, you
can put the child on the toilet during the time they normally soil themselves and see
what happens. Once you get the morning soiling scheduled, add on an afternoon and
evening. Pretty soon the body will work out the system even though the child does not.
It is repeated, routine behavior and eventually the child will be bought in.

       Does this sound like a lot of hard work? It is. Even parents of non-autistic
children stress and labor over potty training their child. Each parent will give you a
different bit of advice about what worked for them, but you as a parent of an autistic
child know what extra you are in for. Be patient. Try different methods and remember
that you have probably never seen a teenage in pampers. It takes time and patience.
    Chapter 23- Difficulties of an Autistic Adult

        That‟s right, autistic kids grow up. This entire text has been devoted to the
autistic child, but what about autistic adults? What kinds of difficulties do autistic adults
have when they are in our society, at the workplace, or raising a family of their own?
Many autistic adults work, go to school, and live a semi-normal life. There are autistic
professors at universities, autistic doctors, and there are some autistic adults that work
at Burger King. Remember each autistic person is an individual and has different
abilities according to their autism.

         One of the challenges the autistic adults have the face is assumptions about their
ability to do a task. An employer or co-worker will not assign a specific work related
task to an autistic adult employee because it is assumed that they cannot do the task or
will not do it correctly. These assumptions are picked up by the autistic adult and
emotional pain is felt when they are judged by their peers. They have a want and a right
to try any task that is put before another peer and not be prejudged.

       The world also has trouble with the autistic adult not being able to initiate a
conversation or other social interaction. Most autistic adults have trouble giving eye
contact and in the work place there are people that do not understand this and will be
offended because of it. Shaking hands and other social gestures are sometimes difficult
for them. Some adults will even avoid using the bathroom because the interaction in a
closed public restroom is to much for them to bear. The employer should be educated
on the behaviors of their autistic employee and precautions should be put in place to
avoid embarrassment and miscommunication.

       Hygiene is another problem for the autistic adult. Some autistic adults have a
hard time combing their hair or brushing their teeth. Sensitivity in these areas cause
them to avoid grooming or bathing all together. Some avoid and some just give up.
They know they have problems and after awhile it is easier to ignore them than to face
them at all. Simple chores like laundry may be ignored and the employees and other
adults in the workplace can make some pretty cruel comments about the cleanliness of
the adult.

        Eating and nutrition are sometimes a problem for the autistic adult. They will
refuse any food that offends their senses or gives them a bad feeling. Sometimes they
will not know how to prepare food and will eat less nutritious foods in substitute. The
act of deciding what too much food is and what is to little is another issue. Sometimes
an autistic adult will gorge themselves when eating, while another individual will eat just
enough to stay alive. Some autistic adults have quirks about what and how they eat.
Foods sometimes need to be separated from other foods or a mixture of foods will
cause a bad reaction.

        If you have an autistic child that is an adult or you are an autistic adult reading
this, the only way that the uninformed public to understand what autism is and how it
affects the individual is awareness and education. Hopefully the world will learn and
understand the special nature of an autistic child and adult and they can embrace the
uniqueness and understand their issues.
    Chapter 22 – Alternative Treatments for Autism

        As with most disorders and diseases there is always a claim from doctors that
there is an alternative treatment. These claims can not go unchecked. The doctors
who have tried alternative treatments may have found success and the treatment has
just not gone through proper channels to be approved. If you are a parent of an autistic
child, you might want to check into alternative treatments. If there is any chance of
success or improvement in your child‟s ability to communicate better or to have better
social skills there is no harm in giving it a try.

       One alternative treatment is the use of nalrexone. Nalrexone has had a few
reports of the positive change it has made in some autistic patience. Remember there
are levels of autism and the results for one child will be just about as individualized as
the disorder. Nalrexone blocks the actions of the endogenous opioids which are like the
endorphins that give pleasure to the brain. Research has shown that some autistic
children have a high concentration of these endorphins in their brain. The
improvements noted by observers of children with autism on nalrexone have included
increased eye contact, better social skills, and reduction of clumsy behavior that could
lead to self-injury.

        When trying to use behavior altering drugs on an autistic child, you really have to
look at the side effects associated with the medication. The side effects sometimes
outweigh the benefits. The autistic child is wired differently than most patients. The
child may need higher dosages of medication that can cause dramatic changes in their
liver functions or other vital organs. The medications may have to be monitored and the
dosages changed to get the desired behavior changes. More blood and lab work will
have to be done to make sure that the medications are not damaging any other tissue.

       The opposite might be true. People with autism have a more sensitive nervous
system than most people. A lower dosage might be required, where a high dosage
would overload the nervous system and have severe emotional and physical
consequences. A good indicator that your child has to high of a dose of medication is
that he or she will get up earlier in the morning. If this happens consult with your doctor
and reduce the dosage.

       Another treatment that may be unconventional is the use of acupuncture. Even
those skilled in this Chinese treatment state that autism is non-curable. They do say
that when they have treated autistic children with acupuncture, the parents report slight
improvement. The acupuncturists theorize that the benefit comes from the neurons that
the needles stimulate in the brain. There have been no research regarding acupuncture
and autism and the only reports have been the ones from parents. Again, most parents
are looking for anything that helps and sometimes the improvements are real and
sometimes they are just manifestations of false hope.

       As with any new treatment, you should consult with your doctor or your team of
professionals that are already assembled to help your child through treatment. Trying
alternative methods and medicines alone can set up both you and your child for failure.

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