Why Do Babies Like To Sleep On Chest
Many babies find a crib too vast to sleep well in it. The reason they love to sleep on your chest or in your arms is because of the cradled feeling and probably your heartbeat and warmth that you provide. For some families, co-sleeping or bed-sharing is an option and to do that safely, you can use a Dock-A-Tot.
What Is The Treatment For Autism
There is no cure for autism spectrum disorder but a comprehensive treatment plan can help a child reach his or her full potential. Treatment plans depend upon a child’s age, the diagnosis and severity of the symptoms, any underlying medical problems, and other individual factors.
Treatments for autism spectrum disorder includes therapy, medications, and school support for children:
- Therapy
Try To Focus On The Things He Or She Is Good At Rather Than The Things Theyre Simply Not Wired To Be Good At
One of the benefits of being in a relationship with someone with ASD is that they are exceptional at certain things, though this varies from partner to partner. My client often recollects the way that she studied English literature in college and often dreamed of a man who could recite Shakespeare without faltering and her mate had all 154 sonnets memorized. Remembering these special facets of your partner can help when you feel particularly frustrated in your relationship.
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Can You Be A Little Autistic
No, there is no such thing as being a little autistic. Many people may show some characteristics of autism from time to time. This may include avoiding bright lights and noises, preferring to be alone and being rigid about rules. This does not make them autistic.
However, a person can be mildly autistic. Mildly autistic people are unable to understand the body language or emotions of the people around them. However, they have normal intelligence and can carry their day-to-day activities.
Is Everyone A Little Autistic
A spiky profile of strengths and weaknesses and a neurotypical profile.
A lot of the Autistic people I know have at some point been told by a well-meaning friend or associate that everyone is a little Autistic. As an ADHDer, I was once told we all struggle with memory sometimes, dont we? No doubt these statements are intended to be empathetic and make the person feel accepted and understood, but thats not how it is usually received, let me explain why.
Unbeknownst to the people who say it, it is actually a very controversial statement. To people who have experienced being othered and ostracized for their differences it sounds flippant and minimizes our experiences. If everyone was a little Dyslexic, Dyspraxic, Autistic or ADHD then why would neurominorities experience the exclusion that they do? It’s a little bit like saying to someone with chronic cluster migraines that “we all have headaches, don’t we?” And the answer is no, we don’t all have headaches like that.
Neurominorities have been empowered through the neurodiversity movement. We have gained self-confidence and ownership of our identities through accepting that our brains are different and that that difference is okay. So, when someone who has not experienced any great hardships due to their more balanced cognitive abilities tries to claim that they are a little bit Autistic it is not surprising that we feel they are incorrectly trying to claim a piece of our hard won identity.
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Problems Processing Physical Sensations
Many individuals with autism have sensory difficulties. They may find specific noises, tastes, smells, or feelings intolerable. Noisy public places can lead to emotional distress, as can uncomfortable clothing or unwanted touches. These issues can be disruptive and stressful, but according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, autism symptoms can improve over time as children with mild autism learn to regulate their own behavior through work with professionals.
When Autism Strikes More Than Once
What about “multiplex” families who have multiple children with autism: how do their personalities compare? Several studies have found that multiplex families tend to have more conversational and social difficulties than:
- families with one child with ASD, or
- families with a child with a different developmental disability, or
- families with typically-developing sons and daughters.4, 8, 9, 12
Is that because they are more likely to have genes related to autism? Or is the stress of raising multiple children with autism causing them to seem more impaired? To address that question, some researchers asked the parents about their preferences and habits before they had children, and the “multiplex” parents still showed more autistic-like traits, as a group.8, 9
However, those researchers found that one autistic-like trait rigidity seems to be affected by the mere fact of parenting a child with special needs. All of the parents of special needs children studied including those who have a disability other than autism showed more inflexibility or a narrower range of interests in two studies.8, 12 That was even true of parents of children with Down Syndrome,12 which is not inherited from parents in most cases.13 “It could be that this personality style is most reflective of the demands of caring for a child with a disability, where adherence to routines is commonly necessary,”12 stated one of the research teams.
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Do Autistic Babies Watch Tv
Kids with autism are more predisposed to watch screens, he explained. Kids with autism symptoms may use screens as a soothing device, instead of turning to a parent. That may lead a parent to engage less than they would otherwise like to, Bennett explained. The study was published online April 20 in JAMA Pediatrics.
The Autism Risk For Families With Certain Traits
Looking at it from another angle, does the presence of a certain level of autistic traits in one or both parents increase the chances of having a child with autism?
Yes, according to a research team that included psychiatrist John N. Constantino, the developer of a questionnaire for measuring autistic traits, the Social Responsiveness Scale. The risk of ASD in a child rose by 52 percent if one of his parents had a high score on the questionnaire, and by 85 percent if both parents had high scores.14
The team found higher scores in both parents of children with autism more often than would be expected by chance alone. That points to the possible role of assortative mating. That’s a scientific way of saying people tend to choose partners who are like themselves, whether they are aloof or sociable. This study did not directly address whether the parents’ occupations had anything to do with this. Its data happened to be drawn from a huge study of U.S. nurses, a profession popularly believed to attract caring and empathetic people.
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Can Social Anxiety Be Cured
Social anxiety treatment must include an active behavioral therapy group, where members can work on their “anxiety” hierarchies in the group, and later, in real-life situations with other group members. Social anxiety is a fully treatable condition and can be overcome with effective therapy, work, and patience.
What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder Previously Called Autism And Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the following:
- Difficulties in social communication differences, including verbal and nonverbal communication.
- Deficits in social interactions.
- Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities and sensory problems
Many of those with ASD can have delayed or absence of language development, intellectual disabilities, poor motor coordination and attention weaknesses.
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Who Decides How Disabled We Are
Disablement is not as simple a concept as some might think. Is everyone disabled? No. Can the degree to which you are disabled change throughout your life? Yes. Whilst the phrasing might be a little awkward it is for this reason that someone might actually refer to themselves as a little bit Autistic. To give an example I have a Dyspraxic colleague who often wonders if she is also Autistic. This could be because there is some overlap between the two conditions, but it could also be that she is actually Autistic but not in a way that has ever warranted further investigation, most likely because as a female her need to withdraw to decompress from sensory overwhelm was typed as “introverted”. If we move beyond narrow definitions, she identifies as neurodiverse, with experiences and traits that make her feel aligned with a broader range of experiences than one diagnosis can explain.
Disability is not a competition and we should certainly not be fighting amongst ourselves as to whose experiences are more valid than the others. I believe we have become so used to a position of needing to fight for our rights or for limited funding that we are sometimes doing this in places where it is not needed, to the detriment of others.
Thank you to Helen Doyle for her essential contribution to this article.
May Have No Interest In Interacting With The World Around Them
For the neurotypical child, the world is full of bizarre and wonderful things that they have never seen or encountered before things that naturally pique their curiosity and draw them in. The normal response to a new experience or discovery is typically wide-eyed wonderment, dismay, amusement and inquisitiveness.
Children with ASD respond to the world very differently. You might notice that your child doesnt really respond with eye contact or normal outward signs of curiosity when you try to get their attention. Perhaps they dont even turn their head in your direction when you say their name. They might not point at objects, show a normal level of curiosity, or attempt to engage you by showing you their toys and drawings in an effort to share their interests and elicit a positive response.
A lack of responsiveness to stimuli and a lack of interest in trying to seek parental attention is a pretty common sign that a child may fall somewhere on the spectrum.
Children typically learn through imitation. Even at an early age, the neurotypical child will begin copying adult behaviorsyou might catch them pretending to cook, holding an object up to their ear as if they are talking on the phone, or pretending to feed and care for a doll.
Children on the spectrum may also have adverse reactions to normal physical contact, such as a hug, holding hands, or being picked up off the floor and held.
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You Find It Difficult To Socially Read People
Autism is, in its many forms, often about looking at the world very literally. And that means social situations can seem extremely weird, because there are a lot of unspoken rules, assumptions, communications, and other messages in any social situation, many of which may pass the autistic person by. If you feel perpetually as if you’re getting it wrong in social situations and don’t know why, you may simply be “socially deaf” to these kinds of cues.
What Are The 3 Main Symptoms Of Autism
Autism causes and risk factorsAbnormal Body Posturing or Facial Expressions.Abnormal Tone of Voice.Avoidance of Eye Contact or Poor Eye Contact.Behavioral Disturbances.Deficits in Language Comprehension.Delay in Learning to Speak.Flat or Monotonous Speech.Inappropriate Social Interaction.More items
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Understand The Autism Spectrum
Autism is a neurological disorder that impacts a person’s communication styles and behavior. Prior to 2013, doctors used many terms to describe disorders like this. Now, they are all grouped under the heading autism spectrum disorder .
Three levels exist within the autism spectrum.
- Level 1: This is the mildest version of autism, but people with this disorder still need help with social interactions, planning, organizing, or changes in routines.
- Level 2: This intermediate level of autism also comes with difficulties in communication, planning, and changes in routine. People at this level need more help than those with a milder form of autism.
- Level 3: This is the most severe type of autism, and people with this condition often require substantial help. Some never live independently, talk freely, or connect with strangers.
Within this formal framework, even people with so-called mild autism need support from family members, friends, and therapists to handle everyday life. Those who don’t need assistance won’t qualify for the diagnosis.
For some families, these rules are too restrictive. They know something is unusual about the way their loved one communicates or behaves, and theyd like more information to understand those differences. Some researchers agree with them.
What Is Finger Posturing In Autism
posturing for example, holding hands or fingers out at an angle or arching the back while sitting. visual stimulation for example, looking at something sideways, watching an object spin or fluttering fingers near the eyes. repetitive behaviour for example, opening and closing doors or flicking switches.
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A Parents Guide To Autism Treatment And Support
If youve recently learned that your child has or might have autism spectrum disorder, youre probably wondering and worrying about what comes next. No parent is ever prepared to hear that a child is anything other than happy and healthy, and an ASD diagnosis can be particularly frightening. You may be unsure about how to best help your child, or confused by conflicting treatment advice. Or you may have been told that ASD is an incurable, lifelong condition, leaving you concerned that nothing you do will make a difference.
While it is true that ASD is not something a person simply grows out of, there are many treatments that can help children acquire new skills and overcome a wide variety of developmental challenges. From free government services to in-home behavioral therapy and school-based programs, assistance is available to meet your childs special needs and help them learn, grow, and thrive in life.
When youre looking after a child with ASD, its also important to take care of yourself. Being emotionally strong allows you to be the best parent you can be to your child in need. These parenting tips can help by making life with an autistic child easier.
When You Have An Interest It’s Intense And All
Obsessions are a very common part of autistic experiences. They tend to involve learning everything possible about one particular thing or range of things, from television shows to objects to people. It can either be an entire topic or something seriously specific, too. It’s not the same as being a super-fan, though a “special interest,” as it’s termed for the autistic, is an integral part of your identity and how you live your life, and is pursued in every avenue possible. One study calls them “intense, interfering, and idiosyncratic,” which sounds like a trio of children’s book characters. And pursuing your special interest is also deeply comforting.
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What Are The Next Steps
Signs of autism are usually evident by 4 years old. If youve noticed signs of autism in your child, its important to talk with their doctor to get them screened as soon as possible.
You can start by going to their pediatrician to explain your concerns. The pediatrician can give you a referral to a specialist in your area.
Specialists who can diagnose autism in children include:
- developmental pediatricians
Emotional And Behavioral Difficulties
- You have trouble regulating your emotions and your responses to them.
- Changes in routines and expectations cause outbursts or meltdowns.
- When something unexpected happens, you respond with an emotional meltdown.
- You get upset when your things are moved or rearranged.
- You have rigid routines, schedules, and daily patterns that must be maintained no matter what.
- You have repetitive behaviors and rituals.
- You make noises in places where quiet is expected.
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New Symptoms That May Appear During Adolescence
Autistic children can often find adolescence very difficult. Although they have the same hormones as all other teenagers, they dont naturally develop complex relationships and arent able to interpret or engage in the more types of relationships which develop as children get older. They can be prone to isolation and low moods, which can appear very intense and be difficult to read.
Signs Of Autism In Girls
The ratio of boys to girls diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is 4:1. However, there is some evidence that autism is going undiagnosed in girls, particularly those who are at the higher functioning end of the spectrum.
There is discussion around whether girls and women with autism may display different symptoms to boys and men, and that the current diagnostic criteria may be biased towards boys and stereotypical male behavior. Girls and women may also be better able to mask difficulties with social interactions than boys, and this may delay a diagnosis. New diagnostic criteria may be needed to assess ASD in girls and women. Past theories, including controversies such as the extreme male brain, may have led to under-referral and under-diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in girls and women.
Signs that a girl may have autism include:
- Difficulties with social interactions however, differences from typical autism symptoms may include:
- Better grasp of emotions and ability to make friends than boys
- May mask lack of intuitive understanding of social situations by repeating role-plays seen in real life or film/television
- May be able to make friends but find difficulty keeping them
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