Understanding and Diagnosing Autism

It has been said that autism is probably one of the most misunderstood ailments today. What makes it hard to categorize is the fact that there are many different degrees of autism. Some degrees of it are barely noticeable, which then becomes a big question mark as to whether a particular person is really afflicted with autism. On the other hand, some cases of it are severe enough to where the afflicted person cannot function in normal life on their own.

Autism does not indicate a lack of intelligence necessarily. Consider for example the movie “Rain Man” where Dustin Hoffman did an excellent job as he played the role of the autistic brother, socially inept with very poor social skills outside of his brother, but proved to be a gambler’s dream in the casino or anything to do with numbers. Studies have shown that a very common element for an autistic person is intense concentration on a particular topic, almost to the exclusion of all else.

Autism is very similar to Asbergers Syndrome, although it is accepted that Asbergers is the milder form of autism. Like autism, Asbergers is not a physical ailment but yet it can profoundly affect the manner in which the person interacts socially and with the environment around them. In both cases, people afflicted with these ailments tend to not be able to relate to the world around them, or in many cases to even be aware of things happening around them. They are typically known to take things very literally and at face value, lacking the social skills to “read between the lines” as we all learn to do as we mature.

Other symptoms of autism are a lack of imagination, or the lack of having an ability to imagine a different situation. Ideas and new concepts need to be repeated to people with autism over and over again before they can begin to grasp the idea or concept, and even then it might not sink in, depending on the severity level of the affliction.

In terms of social interactions, autistic people do not seem to be able to grasp the difference in things said based on facial expressions or tone of voice. In the same vein, they are frequently unable to add more meaning to what is said based on non-verbal cues or gestures, but instead tend to take things quite literally. One very interesting aspect is that they are frequently unable to or are very uncomfortable with making direct eye contact with someone who is speaking to them.

Autism is most frequently found in children and it is widely thought that many genetic factors play a part in this in terms of abnormalities during brain development. There is significant disagreement amongst scientists as to whether this occurs during pregnancy or shortly after birth. But in any event, researchers are agreed that the earlier that a child is diagnosed with autism, the better off that child will be in the steps that can be taken to work with the affliction and minimize its effects on the growth of that child during the critical developmental years. Most children can be properly diagnosed by age 2 or perhaps age 3, and your doctor can help you understand how to work with the child to minimize the detrimental effects as much as possible.

While there is not a wholesale “cure” for autism such as a cast that can be put on a broken arm, researchers are finding new ways to treat it. Some hopeful results have been seen by the use of certain steroids that have proven to successfully reduce or remove autistic behavior.

Various studies have shown that certain proteins in the body appear to be more likely to cause a child to be susceptible to acquiring autism than others. The problem with studies to date is that different proteins have vastly different effects on different individuals, so it is very difficult to narrow down exactly what proteins may be suspect. Interestingly enough, there is a significantly higher percentage of boys with autistic spectrum disorders than girls, where some studies have found that ratio to be higher than 3 to 1. Equally interesting is the fact that even with this ratio, girls with autistic spectrum disorder tend to be much more severe. This is thought to be because girls normally have better verbal skills at an earlier age than boys, whereas boys are better at visual and spatial tasks.

Jon Arnold
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/understanding-and-diagnosing-autism-69921.html

My Child is Autistic—where Do I Go From Here?

My Child is Autistic—Where Do I go From Here?

By Carmel L. Mooney

Perhaps no day in a parent’s life is more traumatic and chaotic than the day they first realize or are informed that their child has an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

For my daughter, it was evident to me what was wrong, immediately following her profound vaccine injury. I had no time to grieve or process my feelings when I got the confirmation from medical professionals of what I had feared most. For me it was no real shock to see the diagnosis on paper. I had already witnessed my beautiful, happy, intelligent, affectionate, singing and smiling toddler quickly fall into a dark abyss of anger, frustration, and isolation. I knew what was wrong. But still I was faced with the daunting task of navigating a complex system of professionals and procedures to get the diagnosis I knew she needed in order to best facilitate the care she would require.

What followed were months of sleepless nights of research, phone calls to the best doctors the country had to offer, and long stressful airplane flights around the nation on a quest for solutions. For most parents this period of overwhelming information and searching for answers comes during severe emotional stress, exhaustion, and sleep deprivation. Often well-meaning family, friends and even health professionals are at a loss as to how to support or educate the family in crisis as they wade through reams of information and misinformation trying to find viable options, resources and hope.

Here are some starting points to consider as you will likely be juggling several balls at once as you explore services and therapies for your child, which may include Speech therapy, Occupational therapy, auditory processing therapies, ABA therapy, and more.

Statistically the children with the best outcomes have been treated with the DAN! protocol and DAN! physicians. You will find a list of practicing DAN! physicians and stories of hundreds of children no longer on the spectrum because of successful bio-medical interventions and treatment at www.generationrescue.org.

DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) is an organization founded by the Autism Research Institute. It is of critical importance to note that DAN! physicians are classically trained medical doctors who apply their training to treat autism spectrum disorders bio-medically using the latest DAN! protocol. Keep in mind that while the number of these doctors is rapidly growing each year it may take three to six months or more to obtain an appointment with some DAN! physicians.

Here is an affordable and do-able action plan to implement while waiting to see a DAN! doctor and for therapies to start:

1. Reduce the toxic load from your home environment. Most autistic children are wrestling with various toxicity issues and are predisposed to magnified ill-effects from environmental toxins, so lower your load at home first. Opt for organic and chemical-free cleansers, fibers, bedding, clothing, and products whenever possible throughout your home.
2. Invest in a balanced multivitamin and mineral supplement. Several companies manufacture specific supplements for children with ASD. Some of the better-known supplements used by DAN! doctors are from Kirkman Labs. They are available without prescriptions.
3. Consider adding cod liver oil to your child’s food or juice. Cod Liver Oil is an excellent source of Vitamin A. Often parents of autistic children find immediate improvements in eye contact and calmness from simply implementing Cod Liver Oil to their child’s diet. Nordic Naturals Orange Flavored Cod Liver Oil is a brand often recommended by doctors for its purity standards.
4. Begin using probiotics. Probiotics provide the stomach with “good” gut flora. One well-know probiotic is Acidophilus, another yet is Bifidum. Most ASD children benefit from daily supplementation with probiotics, particularly the ones with leaky gut or yeast issues.
5. Lipoceutical Glutathione. Glutathione is one of the body’s most potent and vital anti-oxidants. The majority of children with ASD are critically low in Glutathione. Most DAN! Doctors use this as one component of the DAN! Protocol. It is often dispensed in a transdermal cream or as a liquid in a bottle that is well absorbed by the body. You can purchase Lipoceutical Glutathione over-the-counter from Wellness Pharmacy: 1-800-227-2627. A large percentage of parents report immediate improvement after introducing Lipoceutical Glutathione.
6. Find a local physician who is familiar with the Defeat Autism Now! Protocol, and plan out a series of medical tests and treatments.  Some physicians will be open to medical testing and biomedical treatments, but others will not. Search until you find one who is willing to help your child, as opposed to one who wishes only to monitor the severity of your child’s problems. Take your child to a physician who supports you and respects your viewpoint, goals, and objectives.
7. Attend one or more parent support groups.  Parents and caregivers can be a valuable source of support and information.  There are over 200 chapters of the Autism Society of America, over 70 chapters of FEAT, and other informal parent support groups. Consider joining or visiting at least one.

It is important to note that every child is treated differently by a DAN! physician based on that child’s individual medical needs. As Dr. Raj Patel, MD, a DAN! doctor from California states, “Each DAN! practitioner has a slightly different approach. We are working with a syndrome, not a single disease. Five different kids with one label may have different problems underneath.”

The key is to get plugged into a DAN! doctor as quickly as possible so that they can guide you though the treatment plan your individual child requires.

There is something you can do as a newly diagnosed parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Research, arm your self with the latest knowledge, and take action.

Carmel L. Mooney
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/my-child-is-autisticwhere-do-i-go-from-here-682889.html

What is Autism and How Can It Be Discovered and Treated

Autism is a general term that is used to cover a number of disorders known as Autism Spectrum disorders. These disorders affect the ones that have them in their interaction and communication with others. Autism was discovered in 1943, but there were very few cases back then. The number of people that suffer from autism greatly increased since it was first discovered, and so did the doctors’ and the media’s attention on the illness.

Autism can affect anyone, no matter what age, sex, or race they are, and at the moment millions of people, both children and adults are suffering from one form of autism or another throughout the world. If one member of the family has one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders then the whole family will feel the repercussions, financial and social problems will occur and furthermore, it is a great chance that the children of the person who has Autism will also have it because it is transmitted genetically to the ancestors.

The Autism Spectrum Disorder term covers a wide range of affections with different symptoms and manifestations. For example, someone suffering from autism may be a person that doesn’t speak and socialize at all. This was encountered in many cases of autism.
Children with autism don’t understand what the others are saying, cannot interact with other children and cannot play with them. The affection seriously affects the behavior, some of the patients developed an aggressive defense against anyone who tried to communicate with them, others appeared to develop a special sensitivity to the environment and its changes.

How can autism be detected, does it have any specific symptoms? Well, it’s up to the family and the ones around someone with autism spectrum disorders to discover his/her condition. In the children’s case the family or the teacher should be the first to notice that a child has a different behavior. These are the signs that can make you suspect a child of autism:
-the child starts to speak at an older age, later than the other children
-he focuses on one single object for hours sometimes
-he can speak words, but until the age of 2-3 years old he does not say a sentence with more than one word in it
-some of the children with autism spectrum disorders don’t even respond to their own name when it is called
-the general behavior of the child indicates that he is withdrawn, indifferent and lonely.

A child that was discovered to suffer from autism must follow a special treatment. He must go to a special school where only children with autism learn. There is no known cure for autism, so the only thing that can be done is to help the ones with autism spectrum disorders live a better life.

Unfortunately, the number of people suffering from autism spectrum disorders is continuously increasing. Until the doctors discover a successful treatment, society and family must do anything they can to help them integrate. There are many websites and support groups that try to help the ones with autism.

More informations about autism causes or about child autism can be found by visiting http://www.autism-info-center.com/

Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-is-autism-and-how-can-it-be-discovered-and-treated-54735.html

Autism Causes – Important Things You Wanted To Know

Autism is a mental disorder that is a challenge faced by many families the world over; many feel that learning to pinpoint the cause of autism can help lead them towards eliminating the source and preventing autism from occuring and though this is a hope held on to by several scientists, it is not possible to link the cause of autism to a single reason. This is the reason why there is no absolute cure for Autism yet despite extensive medical research.

It is not fair to blame parents of an autistic child to keep the flame of hope alive regarding a cure for the illness that is controllable, but not curable yet and seeking answers that can benefit their child, but the truth is, there is no absolute answer for this predicament just yet.

While Autism is a disorder that has been studied the world over with expert medical professionals evaluating the symptoms and treatment methods to offer best training and control of the condition, its chief cause is yet to be identified, though genetics does play a major role in defining a child suffering from Autism. The best way, in the light of all these facts, is to understand the true nature of Autism, what it means to a child to be autistic and finding ways to make the adjustment of the autistic child to the world around him or her, an easy, happy, normal and fulfilling one.

Educating caregivers of an autistic child about the disorder, equipping them with the knowledge of making others around them aware of the nature and scope of the illness and training them to help their child cope with the possibilities of living with autism are necessary to bringing about a healthy and positive upbringing for the child concerned. Learning about causes of autism is not as important then as is the need to bust any myths regarding Autism, such as poor parenting or neglect or even malnutrition is wrongly believed as being; these are just not true causes of Autism and parents must make an effort to educate themselves about Autism and also others around them.

Scientists are working to establish facts regarding Autism and bring them to light to make more people aware of the true nature of Autism as a brain disorder that has several limitations, but can be overcome to a great extent through timely counselling and therapy, including joining a support group and involving the child affected in interesting and varied programs that are age and skill-level appropriate for them, for many autistic children displaly an uncanny aptitude for math, music or art that should be encouraged.

The brain is larger in autistic individuals and due to this fact, medical experts opine that their nerves and other parts are constructed differently as compared to average individuals; thus, autistic children have an immunity issue as well due to the disorder: at times, autism may have been caused due to impromper vaccinations given to the child’s parents, though this is just a strong possibility and not a definite source of autism. It is still under the scanner.

Thus, as things today stand, the causes for autism are associated with genetics rather than mal-nutrion, bad parenting or vaccinations, which are either myths or have provided inconclusive evidence and it is felt that families need to concentrate on improving the quality of life for the autistic child by being informed about the condition, learning to cope with it in the social context and help enhance the autistic child’s future.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-health-articles/autism-causes-important-things-you-wanted-to-know-709434.html

Did You Know These Facts About Autism?

There have been many conditions thought history that have been mistaken for something else, and before the human mind was understood, many with mental disabilities were placed in jail. They were deemed a threat and were then heavily medicated. Today, we have a greater understanding of what some people go through, and although different from everyone else, we know there is an underlying reason for it. We know do our best to help people like this instead of persecuting them. When looking back through the history of autism, it is obvious that though it was given a name in the early part of the 1900s, it was largely misunderstood by people for a long time.

Some believe that autism was first noticed as a condition around 1911, but it wasn’t really anything other than a theory at that time. A Swiss psychiatrist by the name of Eugen Bleuler is thought to be the first to use the term. The word ‘autism’ meant ‘an escape from reality’ and was based on behaviors he observed in adults and it was attributed to schizophrenia. Though that was false and misleading, it was a step closer to putting a name to a condition that was largely misunderstood.

New information was found from one of the earliest recorded studies of children with autism. From 1938 to the year 1943, a doctor by the name of Leo Kanner studied the behaviors of eleven autistic children. The children he chose to study were ones that seem to withdraw from interaction with others as early as age one. The type of autism that he recorded and named was what would be considered ‘classic autism’ and is often referred to as Kanner’s Syndrome.

These children were thought to have different characteristics than those classified as mentally retarded. However, at this time it was still largely misunderstood. Some believed parents were to blame, and these children were often removed from the home and placed with others to see if they would ‘recover.’

It wasn’t until the 1960s when the disorder was finally being studied and understood for what it really is and the impacts it has on a person. The finger pointing at parents of autistic children reduced as understanding grew, but there was and still is in some cases a lot of misinformation about autism, and many parents feel the need to defend themselves, as if they’ve ‘done something’ to their child.

Higher functioning autistic children and adults are often said to have Asperger’s. This condition was documented by Hans Asperger in 1944, but was not something that gained wider awareness until later in the 1980s. He described this condition as ‘autistic psychopaths’ and some of the blame was put on the mothers of these children, claiming that they were cold and heartless. Though we know today that this is not true, it was widely accepted at the time.

Since then, PDD (pervasive development disorder) has been studied and is now more understood. PDD is a blanket term for the spectrum of autistic disorders that are now known today.

The history of autism is a rough one, but that can be said about many of the conditions that affect the mind and the personality. Though more understanding exists today, there is much that is still misunderstood.

Perhaps the most important thing is that parents are no longer blamed for the conditions of autism, and that more treatments are available to help a child with this condition. Recently thinking suggests Autism is an auto-immune condition, and that it can be genetic. There is no cure, but there are programs that can increase communication and socialization skills in some children and adults.

Hopefully by understanding the history of autism we can take steps to progress treatment programs further.

Rachel Evans
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/did-you-know-these-facts-about-autism-133827.html

Defining Autism and New Autism Studies Results

The reported cases of autism seem to be sweeping the country like never before, and autism is frequently seen on the news and in special TV reports. Is there an epidemic going on or is it just that autism is now gaining more visibility? Recent studies indicate that as many as 1 in 162 children have autism to some degree.

The tough part about autism is that it is difficult to diagnose. It’s not like a broken arm where you can take an x-ray and determine yes the arm really is broken. Rather, much of the diagnosis of autism is somewhat subjective, although there are definite signs to indicate that a child has autism or autistic spectrum disorder to some degree. The other tough part is that the degree of autism varies from child to child. The very mild form of autism is known as Asperger’s Syndrome. But regardless of the severity, an accurate diagnosis as early as possible is extremely important, since the child can benefit greatly from different educational methods that are employed for autistic children.

Signs of autism or indications that might lead you to think your child has ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) would be a very unusual response or a lack of response at all to noises and other people. Autistic children do not care to be socially involved with other children or adults, but rather they seem to live in their own world. Another sign is that affected children are engrossed with a toy or particular object. Engrossed may not be the right word however, it is more like they are totally 100% focused on that object, for as long as hours at a time, even an inanimate object.

Autistic children do not like a change of routine. If your child is subject to temper tantrums for what seem like insignificant events, you should examine the change that occurred which may have spurred the tantrum, since autistic children can get very upset and unsettled when their regular routine is interrupted by something else.

There is neither a known cause for autism nor a known cure. It is primarily thought to be a neurological condition and it is not thought to be hereditary. Many people believe that there is a correlation between autism and mercury contamination. The mercury contamination goes back to the normal childhood vaccinations that all children receive before they enter school. There is a preservative that has been used in some of these vaccinations known as Thimerosal which is almost 50% mercury. Although the dangers of mercury are well known, its link to autism is still just a theory and is not supported at this point by any scientific evidence.

A more recent report states that scientists in New Jersey have asserted that children who have been diagnosed with autism seem to be unable to metabolize key fatty acids that fight brain-damaging inflammations. This is an interesting find, although as yet unsubstantiated, since it is known that autism has a tendency to scramble the signals going to the brain and cause them to be interpreted incorrectly. More studies are being conducted, but if this latest study can be validated, a virtual cure for autism could be as simple as a “therapeutic cocktail of fatty acids”.

Like anything else, early diagnosis is a key ingredient to finding the help your child needs to fight autism and get the necessary help, particularly during elementary school education, where special schools can provide the type of environment needed by the autistic child, whereas normal public schools are not equipped to provide that type of one-on-one special handling for a particular student.

Jon Arnold
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/defining-autism-and-new-autism-studies-results-134203.html

Learn to Help Autistic Persons As Early As Possible By Understanding the Signs of Autism

The disorders that affect the behavior and the way that an individual interacts with others are very hard to understand and therefore to treat. Because we know so little about the brain we can’t determine what causes developmental disorders or what is the best thing we can do to help people with one of these affections.

Autism is a general term used to cover all the mental disabilities. At the moment the only thing that we know to be right about autism is that the sooner autism is discovered the better for the person that suffers from it. If an autistic person is not treated right and taken care of things can go pretty bad, because autistic are irresponsible, for them crossing the street when the traffic light are red is not wrong, for example.

So the key to helping autistic people is to learn the signs of autism and detect them as soon as possible. But it’s pretty hard to recognize the signs of a disorder like autism, because the individuals with autism act & react very different from each other so doctors can’t tell exactly how this affection manifests.

If you are a teacher or if you are going to be a parent it’s very important to learn what the most common signs of autism are so that you recognize a child with the disorder as early as possible so that he can be helped. The world is a frightening place for autists so they need special care before something wrong happens. That’s why it’s important to know the signs of autism and discover it early.

Most autistic children don’t interact socially with other children, they almost don’t talk at all because their language skills are poorly developed. They seem to have obsessive interests for certain objects, which causes them to stare and focus at something for hours.

They are also withdrawn and indifferent to what’s happening around them, avoiding all contacts with other people, even eye contact. Some of the parents who have autistic children said that in the beginning they just thought that their child smart and calm, because he wasn’t demanding attention or crying like the others, and he liked to play alone for a long time. Only later when they realized that the child should have started talking a long time ago they started to suspect him of autism.

Other common signs of autism are that some of the children with autism often move repeatedly in the same way, rocking back and forth for example. Autistic children do not like to play with other kids at all and they are very sensitive to bright lights and loud noises.

These are the most encountered signs of autism but remember that this affection is special and each individual with autism behaves differently. But seek professional help if you suspect your child to be autistic because the earlier he is discovered, the more things can be done to help him.

More informations about autism symptoms checklist or about signs of autism can be found by visiting http://www.autism-info-center.com/

Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/learn-to-help-autistic-persons-as-early-as-possible-by-understanding-the-signs-of-autism-61825.html

Autistic Teenagers – How To Make Adolescense More Peaceful

Puberty brings along not only bodily changes but mental ones as well and all children are affected by this transition phase in their lives, including autistic children. However, as opposed to the terrible teens phase experienced by average children, autistic children entering puberty have little or no control over many situations and can tend to heighten emotions and reactions so that it is distressing for parents who don’t quite know what to do!

An autistic child too, undergoes many bodily changes much like average children though these are limited in certain ways but can otherwise lead to some serious consequences, which is why parents of autistic children need to be aware and alert about these physical and mental changes in their ward.

Some hormonal changes can be good for the autistic child, some bad; but, all in all, teenage years bring some scary side-effects when combined with autism, a neurological disorder. One of thes includes the onset of seizures, which some children have experienced as kids but others may not till adolescence sets in; in either case, these may continue frequently or infrequently, bringing violent or hitherto unknown reactions in the autistic teen due to new levels of hormones in the body.

Perceptible trembling or violent shaking may be observed in autistic teens, which is nothing to be alarmend about; instead, doctors’ advice should be sought on dealing with the situation in a calm, mature and sensible manner by the child’s caregivers. At times, these seizures may not be apparent with some autistic teens experiencing these in different forms as opposed to that described in books. It is very important to consult a doctor when seizures are noticed in an autistic teen or preferably, beforehand, so you are equipped with the knowledge of what to do when such a thing happens to your child. For other types that occur subconsciously, the seizures may affect bodily functioning of the child and can go unobserved due to being small in nature, which can lead to distressing situations later, so awareness is essential to observe and report these to the medical health expert.

Closely monitoring your autistic child’s behavior and bodily changes and taking him or her for regular medical check-ups during puberty is very important for the child’s wellbeing through the teenage years and is strongly advised to parents.

All changes associated with adolescence are generally not negative and some good can come out of these new, raging hormones for your autistic child as well: these include an interest in new learning and skills, such as art, music or math, which should be encouraged besides some autistic children even show marked improvement in behavior on reaching adolescence.

Learning new hobbies, skills and self-improvement in various aspects of life can all be good results of puberty setting in for autistic children with right guidance, parental support and patient hearing that timely and proper education about dealing with their teen years can benefit parents willing to learn about the disorder and its effects on autistic children.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-health-articles/autistic-teenagers-how-to-make-adolescense-more-peaceful-709435.html

Autism Statistics are on a Rise

 

According to Autism statistics given by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Autism Spectrum Disorder is on a rise and is now the sixth most commonly classified disability in the United States.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex developmental disability and neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain in areas of social interaction, communication, and causes development of unusual behaviors and interests that begins at birth or within the first two-and-a-half years of life and affects the way a child sees and interacts with the rest of the world. Autism Spectrum Disorder was also added as a special education exceptionality in 1991 and autism statistics indicate that more children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes, and cancer combined.

Statistically 1 in 150 children will be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder with an estimate that 1 in 104 of those children will be males. With that being stated, males are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder than females, as well as an estimate of 67 children are diagnosed a day.

There is not a complete population count of all the individuals diagnosed with autism in the United States. However, using the autism statistics given above, we can estimate that if 4 million children are born in the United States every year, approximately 24,000 of these children will eventually be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

By evaluating these autism statistics it can be concluded that autism is currently the fastest growing developmental disability, with a 10% to 17% annual growth. Assuming the occurrence rate has been constant over the past two decades, we can estimate that up to 500,000 individuals younger than 21 have autism. However, many of these individuals may not be classified as having autism until school-age or later. Because behaviors related to autism are usually present before the age of 3, it is important to make sure the individuals are being identified and are receiving appropriate intervention services as early as possible. The earlier treatment can be started the better for the child. Not only is it better for the child, but cost of lifelong care can also be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention.

 

Shawn Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/autism-statistics-are-on-a-rise-673698.html

Curing Autism – 3 Treatments To Help Your Child

A lot of parents and guardians of autistic children often ask themselves whether autism can be cured. Unfortunately it cannot be cured. You might often see many ads on products and books that offer cures for autism, but they are only misleading you. There is no actual cure for autism. There are only treatments that can make it easier to live with autism. Here are a few treatments to help autistic people.

Therapies

There are a number of therapies available that help treat autism. Physical, occupational, speech, behavioral, music, drug, play, music and many other different types of these therapies can make a difference in an autistic child’s life. These therapies are not cures for autism but they do make life easier for an autistic child. It will teach the child different ways of coping with the autism.

Alternative treatments
Today, many alternative and natural treatments are gaining popularity. These include using herbs in the place of prescription medicines. Unlike traditional medicines, herbs do not cause any side effects. Mineral and vitamin supplements are proving to be good treatments for autism. If you are giving any natural product to your child, ensure that your doctor is informed. There are a few herbs that react negatively with prescription medicines. Do not forget that these minerals and vitamins are not cures but only treatments. They help treat certain autism symptoms.

Nutritional Methods
There are a few people who prefer to treat autism by regulating the diet. Elimination of certain food items that cause sensitivities is a method. A few food products that need to be removed from the diet include Dairy, Gluten and artificial des. Removing these foods that are responsible for the sensitivities will help in the removal of the particular behavioral problem. Test your child for possible food allergies. Find out from your child’s doctor how to go about allergy testing. Such information can let you know what food products are causing behavioral problems in your child. This also can give you a clear picture of what food stuff to eliminate from the diet in order to treat autism.

Although there is not yet any cure for autism, the different treatments available help with the symptoms to a great extent. Make sure you do not try out too many treatments at one go. Try them one by one. It should take only a few months to determine if the particular treatment is working positively. There is absolutely no treatment that gives results overnight. Inform your doctor in case you are adopting a vitamin or herbal treatment. The doctor knows best what works and what does not. Very often herbs can cause negative reactions in conjunction with medicines. Therefore it is for the best if your treatment team knows what exactly is going on. This helps ensure your child is getting positive treatment.

There are many products that will say that they can cure autism but do not waste your time and money on them. If there really were a cure, your doctor would tell you, not some person on television. If you child is autistic, give him or her a good consistent treatment. This can lead to positive results.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-health-articles/curing-autism-3-treatments-to-help-your-child-739433.html

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