Holidays Should be Fun, Not Stressful

Holidays are Stressful — Especially for Children with Autism

1. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Start preparing your child with autism early. Show them images of the destination you will be traveling to…the hotel, or a picture of Aunt Mary’s house or whatever. Allow your child to understand where you will be going, when you will be leaving and what you will be doing once you arrive. Create a calendar of events…a sort of travel itinerary. Even if you are not traveling, this is still a good idea because routines will change. List what your child will be doing each day during the holiday, who they will be seeing, what time you will be leaving and arriving and how long you will stay. Be as detailed and specific as possible. The goal here is to allow your child to understand what will happen and to get used to the idea before the day arrives.

2. Build Excitement

Building up the excitement of the trip before you leave will help your child. Work with your child so that they are looking forward to the trip. Post a countdown timer on the refrigerator…it can be as simple as a yellow sticky pad with numbers counting down the days until you leave. Each day your child peels off one of the days (10 day until Thanksgiving, 9 day until Thanksgiving, etc.). Plan to have a special treat ready for your child…something they like. Perhaps a new toy, a favorite food or some activity. Once they arrive, they will receive the special treat. This can help motivate your child and create a positive attitude toward the trip.

3. Making Airline Travel Pleasant for a Child with Autism

Planes can be especially troubling for a child with autism. The seats are not very comfortable, they are VERY noisy and there is a lot of hustle and bustle getting on and off the plane. If possible, go to the airport in advance and walk around. This is especially important if your child has never been on an airplane or if he or she has not been on one lately.

Some airports will allow you to actually go through the security line in advance of your travel date. This way your child will understand what will happen. They may have to be patted down and have their bags searched…something that can cause a meltdown if the child is not prepared.

On the day of the flight, tell the flight attendant that you need to board first. Explain that your child has autism and need extra time. The airlines understand this need and are typically very accommodating. Bring snacks, books, headphones (the nose cancelling type are great) and soothing music for your child to listen to. Be prepared to keep your child entertained on the flight. Depending on the age of your child entertainment may vary from coloring books to Gameboy players.

You may also want to select seats either near the front or near the back of the plane to be closer to the restrooms.

4. Tips to Make Long Car Rides Enjoyable a Child with Autism

How long will you have to drive to get where you are going? Will traffic be heavy and make the journey longer than usual? Long drives can be very difficult for children with autism. They can get impatient and have a tough time sitting still.

Especially on trips that last longer than 2 hours planning is critical. If you know that you will be traveling a long distance, try to leave early. The more refreshed and alert your child is, the easier it will be for them to be patient and happy. Another option is to leave late at night where your child can sleep in the back seat.

The goal here is to make the traveling as comfortable as possible for your child. A favorite blanket, pillow or toy is important. Also, consider breaking your trip into pieces if you will have to travel long distances. Drive for two hours then plan on a rest stop…perhaps lunch or a visit to a park where your child can run around and burn off some energy.

The noise from traffic can be brutal for a child who is sensitive to loud noises. Again, noise cancelling headphones are great. I have a pair from Sony that are fairly inexpensive (I just checked on Amazon.com and there are pairs for around $30). And bring your child’s favorite music or a movie. If you have a DVD player (many notebook computers will play movie/DVDs) bring it. A familiar movie can be one of the best ways for your child to pass the time during a long car ride.

5. Hotel Tips for an Enjoyable Stay

This can be one of the most challenging parts of a long vacation. Children with autism often have a very tough time changing where they sleep. The bed is different, the room is not the same, the pillow is too high or too low…everything is DIFFERENT! And different is bad.

To help your child with autism get used to a changing sleep environment, start before you leave. Make it a fun event. Pretend you will be staying in a “hotel room” where the room is another room in your own house. Perhaps it is a brother’s or sister’s room. Maybe they sleep on a cot in your room. Perhaps it is an air mattress on the living room floor. The goal is to get your child used to sleeping in a different bed in an unfamiliar room. If they can handle this, this will help them cope when you actually travel.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES! Comment below and tell other moms your tips and suggestions!

Early intervention programs are mandated by the federal government.

1. physical development
2. cognitive development
3. communication
4. social and emotional development
5. adaptive development

Developmental Delays in Children with Autism

Evaluating your Child with Autism

Family needs will also be assessed.

• Interviews with family members and caretakers
• Direct observation
• Results from past developmental tests
• Medical and developmental history
• Doctors’ reports

Individualized Family Service plan (IFSP)

1. The child’s present needs: physical, communica­tion, social emotional and adaptive.
2. Family information: What are your resources? What are your needs and concerns?
3. If the services will be one-on-one or in a group
4. What services will be provided
5. When the services will be received, and how long each session will be.
6. Where the services will be provided—home or community. Since services are mandated to take place in natural environments, if there is an exception, an explanation must be included as to why.
7. What organization is coordinating the services, and who is paying for them
8. What steps need to be taken to transition the child out of early intervention into special education, when the time comes, if it is needed

What services are included in early intervention?

• Physical or occupational therapy
• Psychological services
• Diagnostic medical services
• Family training and counseling (how to deal with the disability)
• Instruction on working with the disability
• Speech therapy and audiology services
• Social work services
• Nutritional counseling
• Assistive technology devices

Will I need to pay for early intervention?

Where else can I look for support?

The central nervous system is strengthened, balanced and developed so as to enhance its repertoire of abilities.

Autism Therapy Focuses on Five Major Senses

These therapies focus on the five major senses as well as the vestibular and proprioception senses. Therapy for each person is different depending on their unique needs. Some people have observed that occupational therapy, which is the kind of therapy that sensory integration therapy falls under, looks a lot like playing; but it is a very specific, directed form of “playing” that targets the skills that those with ASD need to work on and develop and strengthens them.

Six Ideas to Help Those with Sensory Issues

The following are some ideas suggested by professionals about how to correct specific sensory deficits that autistic kids often show. These activities can be done at home or by a trained occupational therapist; at a school or in an office.

1. Balance suggestions

Swinging, rocking, and see-saws can help develop a sense of the vestibular system for those with an under active sense of the vestibular system.

2. Body awareness suggestions

For those with hyposensitive issues, you can try arranging furniture in such a way that your loved one can get around the room easier; put tape on the ground to show them where they should go; and talk to them about trying to stay an arm’s length away from someone.

3. Olfactory suggestions

For your loved one who is sensitive to smells, use unscented body care products, detergents and shampoos; don’t wear or allow perfume in the classroom; and try to make the places the person stays in most, including the house, as fragrance free as possible.

4. Sight suggestions

Eliminate or reduce fluorescent lighting, as it is often bothersome to many people on the autistic spectrum. Have your child wear sunglasses if they are sensitive to light. Use blackout curtains to keep the light out in a room. Use curtains or space dividers to create a visual distraction free workplace.

5. Hearing suggestions

Auditory Integration Training is a therapy developed in the 1980s. An autistic person wears a set of headphones and listens to different tones in different intensities, volumes, and patterns. The idea is to re-wire the brain and the auditory system; in effect, by listening to these sounds, chosen for very specific reasons, the system becomes more balanced.

Music therapy can also be helpful. And earplugs and a Walkman can be lifesavers for your autistic loved one in noisy situations.

6. Tactile Suggestions

Weighted blankets and sleeping bags can work great for kids who need to feel the weight of something on them.

Make sure to tell a tactile hypersensitive child if you are going to touch them beforehand.

Allow the child to brush their hair and teeth so that they can regulate how hard or fast they do it.

Gradually try to get them use to the feel of different materials and textures.

For additional insights and to better understand this special type of therapy and how it can help your loved one with autism, see Autism Treatment for Kids – What Is Sensory Integration Therapy?

Tell us what you think

If you have any experience with Sensory Integration Therapy, or if your child suffers from any type of sensory issues, please help others by sharing your story and tips that worked for YOUR child. COMMENT BELOW.

Routine is Important for a Child with Autism

It is very important to have a bedtime routine of some sort to cue your child in to the fact that it is time to go to sleep.

• Try to always have him go to sleep at the same time every night.
• Try to have some quiet time before he goes to sleep, perhaps reading a book together.

This gives you quality time together and relaxes him as he gets ready to go to sleep.

You can take turns reading, you can have him read, you can do the reading, it doesn't matter; it's just something to focus on before he goes to sleep. After the story is done, he knows it is time to go to bed; no bathroom trips are permitted after this time.

Story Technique

Another technique is to have him make up a story in his head. Tell him to lie down and close his eyes, and imagine a story. Have him tell it to you. It can be about a rabbit going down a rabbit hole, or a trip to Disneyland, or a fun outing with friends, or anything he wants.

This will give him something to focus on other than the racing thoughts that tend to keep people awake, and it will lull him gently to sleep. If he has trouble thinking of anything, you can tell him a simple story, ask him to imagine it in his head, and describe it to you—the sights, the colors, the smells, and the sounds.

Relaxation Techniques

If your child with autism is all wound up tight like a spring, chances are that he or she will not be asleep anytime soon. Until they wind down and are relaxed, sleep won't arrive.

Relaxation techniques can be a savior to help your child wind down and finally get to sleep.

Some kid with autism have a tough time explaining and expressing their needs which makes it tough for them to unwind and relax. It is quite typical of kids with autism to have high levels of anxiety…they tend to be worriers.

• A warm bath right before bed can be very calming. Some moms suggest putting a few drops of lavender oil in the bath…but be cautious of anything that might trigger a sensitivity to smell or touch.
• How about a massage? I love a nice neck rub. I used to have my son lie on his stomach and I would gently rub his back with an open palm. I would not really massage him as much as just relaxingly stroke his back and shoulders. He would often fall asleep right way.
• Establish a quiet zone. Your child will not be able to sleep if he hears the TV, other siblings playing, or the dishwasher running. Remember children with autism often have super sensitive hearing and can be distracted by background noises that you and I rarely notice.
• Exercise such as yoga can be useful. Some moms swear by it.
• Use your child's sensitivities to your advantage. Some children with autism are will focus on lights. A lava lamp or other type of slow moving light object can allow your child to focus all of her attention thereby eliminating the random, racing thoughts that may be keeping her awake.

With a little forethought and planning, bedtime can be pleasant and peaceful.

For additional information, see the article Understanding Your Autistic Child's Need for Routine.
 

Little did his mom know that was the last time she would see her son alive. Or that he would be shot to death by school officials in his high school.

Trevor's mom contacted me. You see she was a longtime reader of my newsletters. And she did not want another mom's child to die in school.

We hear about street violence, muggings, robbers…all kinds of things that might get our teenage child killed. But we don't expect him to be shot dead in the school in the office where teens turn for help. But that is what happened.

Shot Five Times at Close Range

Apparently Trevor had been a long time victim of bullying. Maybe he was at his wits end. Maybe he was calling out for help. We will never know. But on one fateful day, Trevor decided to bring a knife to school. What happened next no one will ever know for sure, but at the end of the day Trevor was dead…shot five times.

Now his parents are suing the school, trying to make something good come of this tragic event. They do not believe that the school's resource officer (who carried a loaded gun) was trained to understand their son with autism.

Does your child's school really understand the autistic mind?

It was well known that Trevor had autism, since he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and got special accommodations in the school. Trevor had spoken with Marcus Rhodes, the school police officer at his Myrtle Beach high school many times. But Rhodes did not understand how those with autism think or act. He was never trained according to Trevor's parents.

And the school had severely cut back on supervision of their son without telling the parents. So when Trevor brought a bayonet into his office he shot Trevor five times at close range.

Do you want police stationed in your child's high school without proper training interacting with your autistic children?

Does it make sense for a police officer to be stationed in a high school with a loaded gun and have to deal with special needs kids without a full understanding of how they act? Should police officers who are stationed in a high school shoot five times at close range to stop a 16 year old with a knife? A student who does not communicate well and has communication issues?

Bullying Appears to be the Root Cause

Trevor's parents did not know their son was being bullied. But at his funeral, many students told Karen, Trevor's mom that Trevor has been constantly bullied. But the school apparently did nothing about it. And never informed Karen or Tom Varinecz.

Many children with autism will not turn to their parents or anyone else for help if they are bullied. This is, unfortunately a common pattern. I have advised parents repeatedly to ask their children to tell them if they are being taunted, hit or called names at school. Most kids will not tell their parents or ask for help because they do not believe it will help…or they fear it may make things worse.

If you have a school age child with autism, ASK them if they are being picked on or bullied. And follow up with the school to make sure the school is aware of it and that it stops. Prevent tragedy before it occurs.

For extensive reporting of this event and videos from local TV stations as well as my personal interview with Trevor's mom, Karen Varinecz, see my newsletter, Autistic Teen Shot to Death in School.

What do you think? We want to hear your comments.

Many think that the increase in the number of measles cases is the result of parents' fears that vaccinations can harm their children…namely by causing autism. Dr. Gregory Poland of the Mayo Clinic is urging doctors to talk to moms and reassure them that the vaccinations are necessary.

A recent review of 1,000 studies on vaccines show minimal if any danger in causing autism [Vaccines can cause inflammation of the brain, fainting, and seizures. But autism? Apparently not]. Any side effects that were identified tend to be short-lived.

Where did the autism / vaccine scare start?

A study in 1998 by a physician in the U.K., Andrew Wakefield, M.D.,  was published in the medical journal The Lancet. Several years ago, The Lancet deleted the study from its internet archives and the British General Medical Council has concluded that the study was not just flawed by "fraudulent". Dr. Wakefield has since lost his license to practice medicine in the U.K.

But many parents still worry about vaccines and the additives such as thiomersal. Certain celebrity activists have continued to fuel speculation that vaccinations can cause autism…despite the fact that there appears to be scant, if any evidence to support this contention.

"A rising portion of the population is deciding not to immunize their children because of this controversy, and these children are now susceptible to the measles  virus," says Dr. Poland, a Professor of Medicine and director of the Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group.

Increase in measles outbreaks "Devastating"

Dr. Poland describes the current resurgence of measles as devastating.

"The campaign against the vaccine has caused great harm to public health across multiple nations, even though it has no scientific basis. There have been over 20 studies, spanning two decades, conducted in several countries. Not one has found scientific evidence of a connection between autism spectrum disorders and MMR vaccine," per Dr. Poland.

Not vaccinating – safe approach…or a time bomb waiting to go off?

Many parents have decided that the safer approach is not to vaccinate their children against measles…which is a safe approach as long as no one has measles. But once measles becomes common, children who have never been vaccinated become not only a risk to themselves but to others. Find out more about doctors and health plans.

So what do you think?  Let us know by commenting below.

At the Lehmann Center, a school for special needs kids in Lakewood, New Jersey, an 18-year old student got the chance to play the guitar. He has a disorder that makes it really hard for him to speak…and he has virtually no muscle control. His name is Anthony Leuck. Anthony communicates primarily through eye gaze or by spelling out words by using his head to push on a switch on a device that allows him to type out words. But today Anthony gets to play the acoustic guitar.

Anthony slides his knuckles over the digital image of a guitar on the I Pad. As he touches the screen he creates music…and a big grin shows on his face.

Anthony and lots more students are beginning to benefit from iPad devices used in classrooms all over the country. For those of you not familiar with the Apple iPad, it was launched in April 2010 and is selling like hot cakes. Three million iPads were sold in the first 80 days. 

Going High Tech to Help Children with Autism

The iPads can be customized to the particular needs of any given student. They are reasonably prices, very portable and light weight…a great combination for a device to move around from home to school or from classroom to classroom. With the iPads, a non-verbal autistic child, for example, can tap on a screen to tell his or her teacher what he wants, how he is feeling or maybe to just play a guitar.

"These children can access and enjoy everything a typically developing child would enjoy — they just have to access it differently," said Gina Shulman, a social worker working in the school. "We have that fine motor skill; we can take a finger and press all those tiny keyboard buttons and little tiny switches. Now, our children, with just a gentle touch, can color; they can play instruments."

The school system in New Jersey which Anthony attends bough 60 iPads to use to help special needs students this year after seeing the initial success from a few iPads last year.  Robert Klein, the director of special services said that an autistic student who started using an iPad last year "initiated, really, one of his first conversations ever using the iPad with staff."

How Do Schools Use the iPads for the Students with Autism?

Many people with autism make little if any eye contact. Making eye contact is tough to teach to a person with autism. But an application in the iPad is teaching and helping students with this challenge.

Another application allows students to express emotion…to tell us how they are feeling and what they want or where they want to go. Some of these apps are free but many cost from $200 or more.

“It’s turning out to be, really, a magical thing,” Klein said. “The disability is such that (children with autism) live within themselves. The iPads draw them out.”

A clever app allows students to type then hear what they typed spoken out loud. The opposite is also true. Students can speak into the iPad and it will type out their words as text.

Teaching Organizational Skills

Can an iPad teach organizational skills? Apparently yes. One application that is especially helpful for children with autism and Asperger's teaches organizational skills. For some reason, people with autism tend to have a great deal of trouble staying organized. Having to arrange myriad tasks in a specific order can be very difficult. Changing classrooms in school and organizing homework can overwhelm many children with autism.

To teach organizational skills, the app displays a series of bubbles on the iPad's screen which are used to organize daily activities, thoughts or homework assignments. Many children with autism are very visual. Being able to see their assignments in bubbles and move them around allows the brain to understand the organization better.

Apple offered a training session to help the school system with the iPads and applications. Schools have used technology in the past to help children with autism communicate. But these devices have tended to be much bulkier and much more expensive than the iPads which run around $500.

The special needs students who have benefited, so far, from the use of the touch screen iPads include those with autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD),dyslexia and auditory processing issues.

Apps for iPhones and other Smart Phones Help Autistic Kids

If you do not have an iPad, or cannot afford one, there are applications that you can use with your children that can help them that run on an iPhone or other smart phone like a Droid. While these are not practical for school use, many of these apps can be very helpful when working with your children from home, to help them communicate in the car, or to take on vacation.

Implications for Parents of Children with Autism

We are just beginning to see the amazing advances that relatively low prices and light weight touch screen tablets, such as the iPad can do to help our children with autism. Especially for children who have limited speech capabilities, this could be a Godsend. If your school does not offer these devices, bring this to the school's attention. And check out the Apple iPad app store to find applications that may help your child communicate and learn better.

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"We found that there was a decreased use of gestures like pointing, showing and giving," she said.

 

"At two years of age that was the main characteristic that differentiated children with autism from other children.

"These findings could really revolutionize how autism is screened for and help professionals come to an earlier diagnosis."

"So far, autism has been particularly difficult to diagnose in children under 3 years old. And experts universally agree that the sooner that a child with autism begins treatment, the greater the long-term prognosis is for leading a happy and successful life."

"This particular study is significant because they monitored 1900 children beginning at only eight months old," said Craig.

The researchers were able to look back over the seven year study and identify what were the characteristics of behavior that differed in the children who eventually were diagnosed with autism versus the children who never developed autism or Asperger's syndrome. Some of the kids who were eventually diagnosed with autism were the ones who had problems with gestures such as pointing and waving when they were eight months old.

Implications for Parents of Infants and Toddlers

Parents of toddlers should be seeing normal development such as pointing and gestures. If your toddler does not point at objects that he or she wants, or show other gesturing signs after 8 months, ask your pediatrician about this. And consider early screening for autism by a qualified specialist. Studies conclusively prove that the earlier therapy and treatment for autism begins, the better the long-term results can be.

For additional information see Recognizing the Most Common Autism Symptoms of Toddlers.

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The Institute of Medicine gathered experts to review the studies. The Institute of Medicine, which is part of the National Academy of Sciences, is a non-profit group outside the framework of the U.S. federal government. It provides independent guidance and analysis to improve health conditions. Their review indicates that few health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines.

Vaccines Can Cause Short-term Problems

The review committee did find that in rare cases, vaccines do cause problems including inflammation of the brain, fainting, and seizures. They also found less clear evidence that certain vaccines may impact allergic reactions and temporary joint pain. They also found convincing evidence that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine can lead to fever-triggered seizures in some…but that the effects are almost always without long-term problems.

Experts Say Report Disproves Claims of Autism Link

The report disproves claims made by the British physician, Andrew Wakefield who reported in 1998 that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine contributed to autism. The U.K.'s General Medical Council in 2010 revoked Wakefield's license to practice medicine due to glaring problems with his research.

One physician is saying that the lack of vaccinations is causing "devastating" effects.

What is your reaction? Share you comments below.

This is a question many more parents will be asking based on findings from a new study on siblings with autism. Odds are especially high for brothers and children with multiple siblings who are autistic.

New research shows that the likelihood that a younger sibling will have autism is much higher than originally thought. If you have a child with autism, there is a one in five chance that your new baby will have autism also.

According to this new study, 19% of children who have an older brother or sister with autism will be diagnosed with autism by the time they are three years old. This is substantially higher than original estimates.

“That is shockingly high,” said Dr. Wendy Roberts, one of the study’s co-investigators and a developmental pediatrician at Toronto’s Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

"I had seen from my own surveys that the percentage of families with more than one autistic child was high", said author Craig Kendall. "These new figures do not surprise me," said Craig. "It seemed obvious to me that either genetic or environmental issues in the family were leading to this."

It is generally believed that roughly 1 in 110 of children is on the autism spectrum. This can range from very severe autism to more mild forms such as Asperger's syndrome.

"Nearly all of these children will be challenged with communication issues as well as difficulty with social interaction," said Craig Kendall. "Early diagnosis and intervention, so that appropriate therapy can start is really important," said Kendall.

Implications of the Study

Any parent who has a child with autism should pay special attention to any early signs that may point to autism in younger siblings. For information on early signs of autism see "Autism Symptoms – Top Ten List Of Signs Your Child Has Autism"

Will my child have autism?

Younger brothers were more likely than younger sisters to develop autism according to the study. 26% of the male siblings versus roughly 10 percent of the female siblings developed autism.

Parents want to know what the odds are of a younger sibling developing autism if an older child has been diagnosed. The study does not go that far in helping parents with this information. According to researchers, the data cannot help families determine their specific risks.

In the study the statistics are averaged across the 664 children who participated. For an individual parent to assess their particular risk, the researchers indicate that they would need more information…such as specific genetic and environmental risk factors. 

In addition, researchers cannot tell how severe the autism may be if younger siblings are eventually diagnosed. Researchers are not yet able to predict severity…one child may have a very mild level while another may have severe limitations.

As a parent what should I do?

Parents who have one child with autism should carefully look for early symptoms in newborns and toddlers. If you have any questions about the development of your child, immediately bring it to the attention of your child's doctor. And for help in identifying early infant autism symptoms, see "Recognizing the Most Common Autism Symptoms of Toddlers"

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