Autism

Resources for Adopted Child with Asperger’s Syndrome

Submitted by FaithA on Wed, 05/26/2010 - 06:39

Boys by tree (c) Lynda BernhardtI have a couple of friends with children who have been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. One friend has known about this diagnosis for a few years, and the other’s child was just diagnosed.

Asperger’s syndrome is a very high functioning form of autism, and children with Asperger’s syndrome can grow up to be very successful adults. In fact, I know one adult with Asperger’s syndrome who is a very successful engineer. He has a lovely wife and children and is, by all accounts, a successful member of society.

My friend who has been dealing with the Asperger’s diagnosis for a while has been attending various seminars to learn how to better manage her son’s symptoms. Through these seminars, she has learned that there is a lot of grant money available for children with Asperger’s syndrome to help the children learn how to develop their social skills.

Temple Grandin, Cows and Autism

Submitted by AngelaW on Sun, 02/07/2010 - 22:37

temple grandinSaturday night I saw down with my family to watch a biopic for Temple Grandin. I have been reading about Dr Template Grandin for years and years. I expected to love it ... and I did. It is a must-see movie.

Temple is a highly successful 62-year old woman with autism. She invented a career for herself in the cattle industry. She has transformed how autism is seen and how cows (and many other prey animals) are handled.

The movie quickly moved from "4-year old Temple being diagnosed with autism" to "33-year old Temple with a masters degree  in animal science."  

Sensory integration disorder was clearly explained. This is such a hard issue for people to understand. I still remember issues that happened in first grade. So I explained SID to Natasha's  first grade teacher. Seriously... the teacher thought that I was making it up... to excuse Natasha's bad behavior. (ARGH!)

Toe Walking Could Indicate Special Needs

Submitted by JuliaFuller on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 01:26

 

Toe walking or walking on the ball of the foot can be common in children who are learning how to walk. However, most children outgrow toe walking by two years old. Those who continue toe walking after age two may have formed the habit of toe walking known as idiopathic toe walking. However toe walking can also indicate other more serious conditions. You should watch your child for symptoms or signs of underlying condition such as cerebral palsy, autism, short Achilles tendon, or developmental disorders.

Do Parasites Cause Schizophrenia

Submitted by JuliaFuller on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 20:19

 

Dr. Glenn A. McConkey and his fellow faculty members from the Biological Sciences department at the University of Leeds are making exciting discoveries about the causes or triggers of schizophrenia. Their team has linked a parasite to schizophrenia that also causes toxoplasmosis. While other research has indicated a correlation between schizophrenia and toxoplasmosis, this is the first study to prove that the parasite could be a source for the neurotransmitter dopamine. This is due to an enzyme that is produced by the parasite that actually aids and increases in the production of the brain chemical dopamine. This helps to explain why dopamine blockers such as haloperidol are helpful in treating schizophrenia. If that is not exciting enough for you the team is looking into the role toxoplasmosis may have in causing autism, Parkinson's disease, and Tourette's syndrome.

How Will Adopting an Autistic Child Affect My Family

Submitted by FosterMommy on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 20:31

child reading

Adopting a special needs child with severe autism may be more of a commitment and life-changing event than a family may realize during the planning and visiting phase of adoption. Invitations from friends and extended family members may stop suddenly when these people realize that you have an autistic child. For some reason, parents of “normal” children act like autism may be contagious and they do not want their children playing with your special child. Because the repetitive behaviors of autistic children may seem strange or disruptive to teachers, you may find that your child is not welcome in local clubs, playgroups, or even church classes. You may hear things like, we just are not equipped to deal with an autistic child.

Michael Savage.. Autism Due to Bad Fathering

Submitted by AngelaW on Tue, 07/22/2008 - 10:38

Michael Savage has a national radio show. During a July 16, 2008 show (you can listen to above) he called Autism a "fraud" and "racket". He called children with autism "moron", "brat", and "idiots". He claimed that fathers just weren't doing their job. He said:

The Environment, Your Kid And ADHD

Submitted by VirginiaC on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 18:24

PollutionAre you poisoning your kids? No, of course you're not--well not intentionally. But maybe that's exactly what you are doing with every swipe of your household cleaning product or spritz of lawn care spray. And maybe environmental toxins, not biological factors, are playing a role in your child's learning disabilities.

Anybody who's been reading me for a while knows that I have a deep interest in environmental toxins on kids. All kids, yes, but adopted kids in particular because they often spend their early