I've noticed some troubling red flags displayed by my toddler son and fear he may have autism. I'm not jumping to conclusions yet and I made an appointment to see a pediatric psychologist to see if that's true. The waiting now is killing me. I'm wondering how I can deal with all of my emotions about this. I'm terrified of the diagnosis of autism. However, I know that if he does have autism, an early intervention and treatment is critical. when I first saw a list of autism symptoms, I nearly threw up because so many of them described my son. How does a parent cope with this?

i had a friend with a son who has autism and he was such a wonderful child! please just remember that so many people deal with autism and much worse and you CAN do it. just arm yourself with knowledge and know that there is a support system out there to help you.
good luck!

Well to start I'm fourteen, so I don't have any children

But my mum's friend had trouble conceiving so they had IVF and gave birth to a girl, later she discovered she was pregnant again, naurally, she was thrilled!

When she gave birth the nurses immediately noticed that there was something different about her son, he was diagnosed with Down's Syndrome. she seemed to cope well considering the shock and since my mum is a Special needs Assistant working in a school for the severe and profound she offered her much guidance and support.

She was coping really well and was very enthuastic when it came to teaching him things, and was always pround to show off his new talents. she began to notice things, he loved to sing and dance so she taught him loads of Norweigian songs, though he couldn't pronounce words fully he always recognises the song and humms along.

Sorry if this hasn't seemed relevant so far, but last year he was diagnosed with autism, so you can imagine the blow that took, but she still is so proud of what he can do and has such a great connection with him.

Stay strong and focus on the positives, he's still your son, and he will always love you ~*~

My grandson has autism. just remember he your child and he is special. There is Autism groups here local that can be a great help. we found out that local pediatric will not deal with it. you need to get with the Autism group to guide you how to get help you need. I truly hope your child does not have autism . but, If so there is people that will help you. you are not alone. If so, you need to start working working with the child a.s.a.p. Sooner the better, don't let the local pediatric hinder you for help. we went Thur this. we got outside help and now my grandson is doing great. The autism group was a great help on getting help for us.

Our prayers is with you and your family. Remember God gave you a special gift.

It's good that you are getting your child evaluated early so that IF there is a diagnosis of autism or another developmental delay, you can do early intervention and treatment.

The thing to remember with the list of symptons is a matter of degree so your kid could display some of the signs but it still be a part of typical development. Or caused by something else.

If your child does receive the label of autism or any developmental delay it will be difficult for you emotionally. I would encourage you to seek out local support groups for parents of children with autism AND to pursue agressive and intensive intervention, even though that may be exhausting, because the early it is dealt with the better the outcome for your child.

My son is 4 and is Autistic. I was in your shoes about 2 1/2 years ago. I first noticed something wrong when he didn't say a first word. He just babbled and made sounds but no words. Then he was delayed on a lot of motor skills and potty training wasn't happening. I took him to pediatrician and she suggested the notion of Autism. I went home and looked up the symptoms and same as you I cried and felt sick over it. I wondered why us? I had a good pregnancy and didn't drink or smoke or anything. we took our son to a Pediatric Neurologist and a psychologist. He was diagnosed and we started the Birth to three program and regular speech and occupational therapies. He is now in early childhood, speaking sentences with help and is doing well. It is ok to cry but intervention will help. Good luck and this will pass and you will learn to accept it and do the best you can.

Well, I have Asperger's, and it was very hard for my mom when she found out about my diagnosis. Maybe you should go to a support group so people can have empathy with you about it.
think about the positive things about autism. some of the positive things about autism are honesty, being able to think in pictures very well, and having a special interest. not that all autistic children have this, but these characterists can come from it.

deep breaths. my nephew has high functioning autism. at first we were all very worried by the label this put on him. but, he is 5 now, and has been diagnosed for 2 years. what this really meant for us, was that he didn't learn and interact socially like other children, and writing was difficult to learn, so WE readjusted. he excels in memory issues- directions, video games, songs. when he's excited he humms and/or flaps is hands. but it also looks just like he's a kid! the biggest challenge for us was his social interaction. he did not like new environments, and strangers, or new routines, was slow to talk, and did not take getting fussed at very well. once he was diagnosed, it really was a blessing. the was a special early pre-k that our school offered to give him a jump start of social interactions with other children, other than daycare, as well as one-on-one with teachers he grew to know and trust. he has really done well, with their help, and will be integrated into regular kindergarten- ready to ride the school bus no doubt! he is not cured, and never will be. you can really hardly notice, though. at first he looks like he's shy and in his own world, until he trusts you, then you can do no wrong. talk to your doctor, and local schools. be proactive about it, do the research, and know your rights. y'all will do well, you're on the right track!

I cried lots once we got the first diagnosis. Then I called our local autism society and got help. from there we got inot Early Intervention which was a godsend as we were already in speech therapy so we just added developmental and occupational. Then we went to 2 specialists the first told us our son was a behavioral case and we werent structured at all. The second confrimed hte high functioning autism diagnosis. He gave us info and counseling and listened to our fears. He helped me cope better than anyone.
The best piece of advice I got was he is still your son and the only difference between now and before you got the diagnosis was a label.

I have a special needs child and he didn't start walking until he was 2 1/2 or talking complete sentence until he was 6. He is now 13 years old and can't even spell his name or write anything or read. but he can sing (he memorizes all the words in a song) He watch movies and memorizes the whole movie that when he watches again he actually put in mute and says the lines himself.
If you child does have autism, this special child wil need much love. his progress may be very slow,accomplishments he may not show. He will require extra care, he may not run, play or laugh at the same time other child his age do. He will probably be labled different, helpless and disabled, but this child was sent to you from above, with child this comes stronger faith, and richer love. in caring for your gift from heaven. He is your special gift, care for him, love him and different with respect.
God will help you thru this. just believe.
Good luck, there will be times you want to throw you hands up in the air and runaway, but you won't.

The most important thing to remember is that this little guy is still your son regardless of whatever 'label' he winds up with.
The second thing you have to do, is to keep telling yourself (because it's true), that your initial feelings of shock, despair. helplessness, grief- whatever- will fade-eventually to the point where you will barely remember them. Please know that I am not attempting to trivialize your feelings and emotions- I would never do that to another mom in the ranks. I will tell you three resources that have been invalueable to me over the last 20 (oh my gosh- it's gone by SO fast!) years. The first is :The Autism Society of America
autism-society.org -lots of resources, and they can refer you to a parent support group in your area. I would like to interject here that parent support groups are great. you will find NO better resources than other parents- they have all 'been there, done that'. There are also two publishing companies that publish special needs books. they are: Woodbine House
woodbinehouse.com
and Brooke's Publishing
brookespublishing.com
They have the very latest books, and that's what you want.
Once you get back on the ground- when the initial emotions subside, you will want to educate yourself on everything about Autism. Learn what your rights are in regards to your son's education, what therapies you should be seeking, information about the physical and mental ramifications an Autism diagnosis involves, what alternative treatments are out there, and on and on and on. just remember- knowledge is power. oh, and a mantra that has always worked for me, as I have raised my son with Autism and my daughter with Down Syndrome- the whole educational aspect can be a war- you need to choose your battles carefully. this will make more sense as your son gets older. I so hope I haven't discouraged you. That is not my intent. All these things having been said, then, I will tell you with all my heart that raising my children has made me a much better, kinder, loving, understanding, tolerant, and definitely more patient person. both my kids are warm, loving, smart and funny- they make me laugh every single day. and when all is said and done, that's a pretty neat thing. God Bless you and your family. My thoughts are with you.

As a parent who too has a child with neurological disorder, I understand the fear, sadness and disappointment you may be going through. There is no magic way to take those feelings away. What helped me was learning as much as I could about the disability.
The more you learn what your child can do, the less you worry about the possible barriers you and your family may face.
They are many wonderful support groups for parents who have children with special needs. see if you can find one in your area. If not, start one.
The more proactive you are about the situation, the more control you will have it!
Good Luck!

My son is 3 and a nonverbal autist. He was diagnosed a little before he was 2. That was very fortunate as early intervention is the key.

My husband went through the whole grief process: denial, anger, bargaining and finally acceptance. I immediately went into "warrior mom" mode. I researched and read and became very involved with his treatment. To the point that I now work for the school district that educates him. I did grieve for awhile. It is important as the parent you do this. It is ok to mourn for the child you thought you had and envisioned. BUT do not stay in that frame of mind long because autism or no autism, he is your child and a blessing.

On the postive side here are some things our son has given our family (we have a total of 4 children):
*patience (couldn't we all use more of that?)
*unconditional love
*acceptance of all disabilities
*togetherness because we all work with him
*civic mindedness-we educate our schools and small community about autism
*responsibility for ourselves (because mom can't do it all!)

And these are just a few. I thank God everyday it is not cancer or some other incurable disease. I thank God I have been blessed and entrusted with this extraordinary little boy. Keep a gratitude list to refer to when the going gets tough and join a support group. they are all over the world.

Best wishes!

Just tell people that your autistic child is normal

You will grieve-every parent does. you had planned for and had a vision of what your child would become. That child is not going to come into being. Instead, you have a different child than you had planned for. There are no instructions on how to raise this child and there's fear because there is so much uncertainty. What's important is getting over the grieving as quickly as possible. It is not healthy for you or your child to dwell on things you cannot change.

Your child has not changed-he's always been who he's been, only now you understand why he has difficulties in some areas. now you can get him the help and services he needs. his childhood will be anything but typical and you will discover a creative resivior within yourself you never knew you had. as your child grows, you will grow because you will learn about life from a totally different perspective.

Trust me, it is not all negative. There's so much joy to be found if you look for it. many organizations put forth an image of autism being this unimaginable hell. I'm at a loss as to why they do this as it does nothing to help the autistics themselves, it only further propogates a false stereotype. It only adds to the stigma and that's probably why you're terrified of the diagnosis.

If your child is autistic, he has a developmental disability. this means he will develop on his own schedule and it won't mirror the development of typical children. Toileting may take a while, talking may take a while, reading and focus may take a while. Adding pressure to his development by trying to force something to happen will end in failure. Instead, nurture the abilities your child does have. Give your child a sense of purpose and self worth. this will pay dividends you couldn't imagine.

It takes extreme patience but you're in for a journey many people will never know. make the best of it and you will find what seems now to be impossible.

My child has Autism and related communication difficulties of Apraxia and Auditory Processing challenges. He first received a diagnosis of PDD-NOS Pervasive Developmental Disorder- not otherwise specified because he was young and didn't completely fit the criteria for a diagnosis of Autism. although he has continued to be social he is primarily non-verbal and has many difficulties including fine motor skills that are not the level of his same age peers. his diagnosos is now Autism with a secondary diagnosis of Communication Disorder. It is truthfully an emotional journey if your child receives a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum from PDD-NOS, Aspergers, to Autism. The bad news/good news is that you are not alone. Autism Speaks autismspeaks.org states that every 20 minues a child is diagnosed with Autism! The most helpful thing to do is connect with other families and state and national organizations that can point you toward the many intervention and treatment options available. ABA Applied Behavior Analysis is among the top methods for helping children on the Spectrum learn to learn and connect with their world. you can learn to be a therapist for your child and help develop a bond with them through the implementation of a home ABA program. Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism is an excellent resource to begin learning about ABA. Additional treatments that we believe in are a special diet GFCF Gluten Free/Casein Free (plus we also omit yeast, soy, eggs, artifical sweeteners); and supplementation of vitamins and minerals helps greatly make up for malabsorption issues, and further biomedical treatments that get to the root of the symptoms. Use the ARI or Autism Research Institute website to locate a DAN doctor near you for guidance in the Defeat Autism now treatment protocol.

Nobody ever said that parenting a child with autism is easy. in the face of what can be such an overwhelming challenge, it makes sense for parents to turn to people who have been there — other parents.

For Shannon Des Roches Rosa, part of being a good role model for other parents is to tell her story about how, at one time, she believed that vaccines were responsible for causing her child’s disorder.

Writing for the Gates Foundation, which is committed to providing life-saving childhood vaccines in Africa, Des Roches Rosa writes:

Early toddlerhood is when major vaccines like the MMR are given – and also when autism symptoms often start to manifest. Parents who see vaccinations and autism happen in tandem may easily mistake coincidence for causation.

I have been one of those parents.

I blamed my son’s vaccines after he was diagnosed with autism in 2003, when he was two years old. Mainstream doctors and experts couldn’t give me guarantees that he’d catch up to his typical peers — only possibilities achieved through hard work and expensive therapies. On the other hand, anti-vaccination pseudoscience offered confident answers about the cause of his autism (vaccines), and quick autism “cures.”

In desperation, I fell for the pseudoscience. my need to find a concrete way to help my son trumped my personal experience.

After keeping abreast of the science, Des Roches Rosa eventually came to terms with not knowing the cause of her son’s disability. and thanks to her life experiences, she knows how important vaccines are: “I used to live in West Africa, and saw the effects of polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases in my University of Ghana classmates,” she writes.

So how do parents provide caring support and understanding to other parents, while encouraging scientifically sound decision making?

Des Roches Rosa recommends the following.

How do you practice good parent role modeling?

It is true that a child’s symptoms of autism can be very different, still though, the parents almost always know if something seems unusual with their child. Autism shares similar symptoms with other medical problems, and that’s why it’s imperative that a professional assessment is performed to determine autism. keep reading to learn a little bit about autism symptoms – the more common ones, and even still these symptoms can be manifest differently in children.

For a normal infant, there is a natural need and tendency to want tactile attention from others; to be held and touched. it has long been one of the recognized symptoms of autism that the child will not want to be touched by their parents or anyone else. As you can imagine, the levels of stress can be very high in the parents when they realize their child reacts negatively to any kind of touch. There can be a variety of symptoms in the autistic child, it’s just that the symptom involving touch is seen in very many of these children. Even though efforts are underway to help children accept touch, it’s just not known if it will work in the long-run. Related, perhaps, to the touch aversion is the idea of personal physical space, and the autistic can become highly agitated if anyone crosses the boundaries.

Autistic children often have the symptom of not playing the kind of games other children enjoy. Ask any parent and they’ll tell you kids love playing roles, usually gender specific, and that kids will have imaginary friends and make-believe, magical places, etc. If you didn’t understand what was going on with the other children, or why they were doing something; then you would probably tend to avoid doing it. That’s the autistic child.

They also have difficulty communicating with and interacting with others, especially in groups. when autistic children do play, it’s more of something highly specific to only the child that they engage in. Typical kinds of behaviors seen are particular movements, or patterns of moving; or there can be playing with a special object or staring/looking at an object. so that is the common explanation when you don’t see autistic children participating in the same types of activities as non-autistic children.

Other common autistic behaviors include unusual rituals, very strong attachment to objects, and highly repetitive movements. that is why you can see autistic children doing nothing but looking, or staring, at any particular object – pick anything, and they do that for a long time. or they may develop their own personal rituals, such as walking around in a circle or moving their hands around in a certain way. the very real problem with these behaviors is there can be times when a child, or adult, can inflict injury on him or herself. for this reason, some people with autism are given medication to control their behavior or restrained to prevent them from harming themselves or others. This, however, only applies to people with severe symptoms of autism.

There are more symptoms that are considered common in autism, and that are seen frequently in the very young child. since all autistic people are different, treatment plans have to be individualized based on the symptoms and severity of each case. Only time and more research will eventually allow researchers to understand what causes autism, and hopefully if any cure can be found.

It’s a fact that parents really can tell when something is off with a child, even though autism symptoms can be quite different in children. Autism shares similar symptoms with other medical problems, and that’s why it’s imperative that a professional assessment is performed to determine autism. Our discussion centers on the usual symptoms found in autistic children, and these symptoms are not all expressed equally in all children.

The first symptom we’ll discuss is failure to imitate. a normal child will imitate almost everything they see right down to smiles and sounds. However most autistic children do or can not. Babies soon learn to smile when someone smiles at them. As we progress through life we learn to speak, walk, and act by watching the same actions of others. you won’t see an autistic child pick up this type of behavior although it is a normal part of development. These imitative behaviors are not often seen in autistic kids like they are in normal kids. Autistic children often do not develop the ability to speak until much later but can communicate in ways that may be difficult to understand by others. Another range of symptoms concerns a lack of understanding regarding communication with others such as observing body language or hearing/understanding varying tones in other people’s voices. the result is the autistic person is unable to detect signs in other people that related to various feelings and emotions. Also with communication, they do not understand language devices that are not literal. so successful communication will happen when highly literal words are spoken to them. there are high functioning autistic people, but they still seem to face the same challenge in this area of effective communication.

One symptom of autism is a fear or dislike of any changes in daily routines. Autistic people, from the lowest to the highest functioning, tend to like repetition and ritual. Movement and routine are basically self taught and self managed such as how they prefer to stand or certain types of movement. regardless of what the routine is, if you try to force a change they will become disturbed. taking into consideration how change affects the autistic person is an important factor in treating this condition.

There are more symptoms that are considered common in autism, and that are seen frequently in the very young child. the range of symptoms is different from one person to the next, and that is why any treatment for this condition must be constructed based on that person’s particular symptoms and situation. Autism research has been an ongoing concern for many years, and obviously more needs to be done so the disease can be unraveled and understood.

my baby does not cry. is this autism symptoms? baby hears and responds appropriately to sound.

Ask your pediatrician. My son is now 6, was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder at age 3. he did not cry much at all as an infant. without more information, I can't really answer your question, but if you are concerned, your pediatrician is the best way to go. also, the best piece of advice I have received from any doctor is this- "YOU and you alone are the only expert on your child…if you disagree with any doctor, don't assume you are wrong because you don't have a doctorate degree!"

It is hard to say whether or not the lack of crying is a red flag for autism. how old is your baby?

If it were me, I would first look at all developmental milestones, going by your child's age, has he/she reached those milestones he/she should've by now? or are some lacking?

A pediatrician is a good place to start voicing your concerns, however, most states have an early intervention program, something like a first Steps, or Head Start, they usually do evaluations for free or low cost.

Below is a link to page that will let you look age by age what developmental milestones your child should've met. if you have any concerns after looking at this, then take the page to your child's doctor, asking for some kind of referral to someone who can evaluate your child just in case there is some problem, better safe than sorry.

Any type of delay is easier overcome the sooner it is spotted.
emedicinehealth.com/infant_mi…

Hope this helps and Good Luck!

Lori

Get your kid tested. My brother was like that, turns out he just has a really high IQ.

Information about autism symptoms is always hot to discuss, below the article, news I found in the news site. Autism And Education – how Does Autism Affect Education In If you enjoyed this article by Jeff Schuman please visit our autism website today. you will find useful information about autism education, autism symptoms and even autism treatment so you can provide the most help for your child.

This article submitted by Willy. Feel free to comment but no SPAM. we hate SPAM and SCAM. If you have opinion, ideas or additional information about this topic autism symptoms, support us by submitting it and share together with your friends all over the world. Buy the ebook or tutorial guide, if you want to learn more. thank you.Source

The adult symptoms of autism are the same as in children.

Some people can aquire autistic-like symptoms after an extremely (and I mean EXTREMELY) stressful/frightening experience, but never autism itself.

However, a person can be autistic for their whole life, and only diagnosed in late teens/adulthood because they weren't really that obvious.

If autism is initiating itself during teen years, this further leads me to believe that autism is caused by environmental factors.

Autism symptoms in adults are the same as those in children.

varying difficulty in verbal communications
difficulty establishing friendships
lack of empathy
preoccupation with one subject or interest
a need for routine
body rocking
hand flapping

Try going to the Autism Society of America for the answers…here the link:
autism-society.org/site/PageServer

I thought it's something that you're born with. I've worked with autistic adults and it's very apparent that they had a disability.

Jun 2, 2010 Megan Weiler

Animals can Help with Isolation Symptoms – Chris ReynoldsAutism symptoms are discussed in the home environment. Learn how to set goals and communicate with autistic family members for management of their symptoms.

Many problem behaviors caused by autism occur due to communication barriers, regardless of functioning level. Overcoming these barriers comes with an understanding of the symptoms of autism. creating a positive environment at home is crucial to a person’s self esteem and desire to learn. Set goals and celebrate all progress made towards them. Great effort can yield great results.

Celebrate the Accomplishments of Family Members with Autism

Large and small accomplishments should be celebrated fully. When working towards a goal, recognize small progress made along the way. For example, if a person has trouble with phone skills, remembering their phone number or calling a friend they haven’t called before are baby steps that should be acknowledged.

Autistic individuals sometimes have difficulty with social cues and interpreting subtle facial expressions. Be animated when recognizing accomplishments. Remind the person how well they are doing and that the family is proud of them. Do not bring up the second step until the first has been completed. in this instance the next step is to invite the friend over for dinner or a movie. make the progress a rewarding experience.

Communicating with Verbal and Non-Verbal Autistic People

Autism can cause people to isolate from the world. Social withdrawal can be a difficult symptom to overcome, but communicating with others often helps. start with making eye contact. If the person is involved in a task don’t interrupt them. Approach the conversation without much emotion. People with autism perceive emotions differently and their focus on a particular project can be intense. They may become upset because someone is talking to them when they’re thinking.

If the person is verbal, use short simple sentences with clear meanings when speaking to them. Causing them to become frustrated can destroy a communication attempt. If the person is non-verbal try to communicate in any way possible, whether it be sign language or just body language. Put in a large effort to understand how their feeling.

Environmental Triggers of Problem Behaviors

Any type of behavior that has caused harm to the person or property is considered a problem behavior. Depending the functioning level of the person, a symptom of autism can be a severe dislike for unusual sounds, loud noises, types of lighting and certain textures. every person is unique and therefore different environmental triggers could be upsetting.

Due to lack of communication or understanding, a problem behavior may be an autistic individual’s only way to avoid an uncomfortable situation. Always be aware of the surrounding environment and learn what the autistic family member will not tolerate. the individual may learn to accept some stimuli, while others may need removal from the home.

Autism Friendly Activities

Walks in a park, mall, hiking trail or with a pet are great ways to encourage social interaction. Other activities such as, swimming, bike riding, museums and libraries are wonderful, but remember someone with developing social skills may not benefit from being in large crowds. Keep stimulation to a minimum. If something is too much for the autistic family member, help them relax with breathing or problem solving strategies before trying the situation again.

In conclusion, the symptoms of autism can be hard on everyone in the household. however, with a positive mindset and realistic goals, helping a family member live with their autism can have an immense effect on the person’s well being and self-esteem. Working towards these goals as a family can help strengthen bonds and open the lines of communication.

Sources

Cruey, G. (2008, Jul 1). Social Stories for Autistic Students. Retrieved June 2, 2010, from Suite101: autismaspergerssyndrome.suite101.com/article.cfm/social_stories_for_autistic_kids

Hosseini, M. (2008, May 26). one Family’s Journey With Autism. Retrieved June 2, 2010, from Suite101: autismaspergerssyndrome.suite101.com/article.cfm/one_familys_journey_with_autism

Koegel, R. L., Dyer, K., & Bell, L. K. (1987). the influence of child-preferred activities on autistic children’s social behavior. Retrieved 2010, from Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1286014/pdf/jaba00101-0041.pdf

• Animals can Help with Isolation Symptoms – Chris Reynolds

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Deputies Autism Training August 18th, 2010

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Deputies have a new element to their training, courses on Autism.

A handful of deputies took part in a class this afternoon.They watched videos and talked with experts about the facts surrounding Autism and also learned the signs and symptoms.

Research shows about one in 150 children is diagnosed with Autism.Deputies feel it’s critical they know how to better handle situations involving people with Autism.

Jamie Landry-Zimmer, an advocate says, “they’re going out into the community and helping the general population understand what Autism is and how to effectively treat someone with Autism and how to approach them, specific mannerisms, specific language.”

So far about 100 deputies have taken the class.

The Sheriff’s Office wants residents to get involved as well.if you have a family member with Autism you can register them in a data base for deputies.

For more information call the Sheriff’s Office at 504-278-7632.

Source: neworleans.com/news/local-news/456196.html

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