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The neurobiological disorder known as autism is part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Treatment and educational needs are often very similar for these conditions, even though there are subtle differences and degrees of severity among the disorders. Autism affects a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe.
The general term "autism" is often used either specifically to refer to Autistic Disorder (AD) or more generally to refer to ASD. Another term that is often used synonymously with ASD is Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). This term is simply the diagnostic category heading under which five specific diagnoses are listed. The different diagnostic terms that fall under the broad meaning of PDD / ASD, include:
o Autistic Disorder (AD)
o Asperger's Disorder
o Rett's Disorder
o Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
o Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
Autism disorders can usually be diagnosed by age 3; parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child or a failure to reach appropriate developmental milestones.
If a child is diagnosed with autism, early intervention is critical. Although parents may have concerns about labeling a toddler "autistic," the earlier the diagnosis is made, the earlier interventions can begin. There are no effective means to prevent autism, no completely effective treatments, and no known cure. Research indicates that early intervention, in an appropriate educational setting, for at least two years of preschool, can result in significant improvements for many young children with autism disorders. Effective programs focus on developing communication, social, and cognitive skills.
While products from The Critical Thinking Co.TM weren't initially developed with autistic children in mind, over our 50-year history producing award-winning books and software, we've discovered (thanks to our customers) there are several titles parents with autistic children and teachers of autistic students find to be essential resources.
Many of our books and software programs can help children and adults living with autism. The "Mind Benders(R)" series presents challenging deductive reasoning activities for autistic children and adults. "Building Thinking Skills(R)" provides a comprehensive mix of visual-spatial and verbal skill development, highly recommended for teaching children and adults with autism. "Math "and "Reading Detective(R)" books and software can help children in grades 3 through 8, fine-tune reading comprehension and critical thinking skills in the content areas. "Memory Challenge(R)" software is an excellent tool for developing and testing visual memory skills. "Visual Perceptual Skill Building(R) "develops recognition of letters, words, numbers, and similar/dissimilar objects. It also improves sequencing and visual memory skills. "Hands-On Thinking Skills "uses manipulatives and helps non-verbal children increase their skills.
Here's what some of "our customers" have said regarding the use of our products with autistic children.
Carrie, a proud parent from Pennsylvania, said, "My son (10) is on the autism spectrum. He has a brilliant mind for facts and figures, but always struggled with his thought process. "Mind Benders(R)" and "Building Thinking Skills(R)" have given him solid direction in organizing his thoughts and following logical patterns. The progress my son has made in barely one year is incredible. No therapy or modification has come close to having such an impact in the 6 years since his diagnosis. There are no words to express how thankful we are for The Critical Thinking Co.TM."
"My daughter, age 14, has PDD/Autism. Also, she has an accompanying non-verbal learning disorder (this doesn't mean she doesn't talk; it means that she has trouble interpreting body language and other non-verbal information). Something she has always struggled with has been visual problem solving. We have been using "The Critical Thinking Co.TM" materials since she was small, as they were the only materials that broke down tasks into small enough chunks for her. As she has grown older, we have also been using the software, most recently the new "Building Thinking Skills(R)" software. The "Mind Benders(R)" software also presented many challenging visual-puzzle activities, and we have used all of the "Math "and "Reading Detective(R)" software to help her fine-tune her critical thinking skills in the content areas. When she was 12, I purchased [other] software... but "The Critical Thinking Co.TM" activities were more varied to hold her interest, and much more reasonably priced. The materials haven't 'cured' my daughter, of course, but they have helped her stick with practicing her skills even when it is difficult. She 'asks' to play the second "Building Thinking Skills(R)" software nearly every day. Thank you!" said parent Sandy from Maryland.
Polly Brophy from the LA Unified School District said, "I'm a special education teacher. I was surprised when my supervisor recommended I use "The Critical Thinking Co.TM" products for children below grade level. She said your books aren't just for the gifted, and she was so right. "Reading Detective(R)" is wonderful for building verbal reasoning skills. One of my autistic students said the other day after finishing a lesson in "Reading Detective(R)", 'I can't believe I can do this. I'm so proud!' At first it wasn't easy for them. Then they learned how to eliminate the wrong answers. Now some of them have gone up two whole grade levels. I wouldn't have believed it was possible."
"I am a very experienced teacher and cognitive trainer. One of my students was in the Special Education program for years; after working with the" Building Thinking Skills(R)" books he returned to grade level in seven months," said Claudette Anderson, of Prescription for Success Learning Center in Parker, Colorado. "I have worked with various brands of thinking skills materials, but The Critical Thinking Co.TM has the best on the market."
"The Critical Thinking Co.TM... is a breath of fresh air in a special needs market that too often finds publishers focused on isolated skills rather developing students' flexible thinking ability," said John Alexander, executive director of Chartwell School for language learning disabilities, Seaside, California.
Whether your child with autism is 18 months old, or 18 years old, he or she will still benefit from therapy. Early intervention is always helpful, but you're not too late to make a difference in life of your child.
As with all students, but especially autistic children, we highly recommend finding out what the student's strengths and interests are and emphasize them in your lessons to increase engagement and retention. This simple approach approach builds confidence and nurtures a love of learning.
Helpful Resources:
* Autism Society of America
* Top Ten Facts About Autism
* Symptoms of Autism
* Before You Let an Autism Diagnosis Drive You Crazy
* Autism Speaks
* AutismLink
Aspie chicks are intended a strangeness in heaps circles.
S'up?
I've been browsing The Pensive Person's Guide to Autism entirely, and came across this stack,written by woman with Aspergers about the luck to meet and work with a lot women like herself - aka "unicorns".
I personal symbol it's not utterly about males being greater probable to be on the spectrum. I think the ordinary drought is what's more a comment of the obstruction heaps women approve of getting an detailed forecast, and the lack of improve unfashionable to us.
Autism affects males and females differently, yet historically a lot of the research has great on male subjects, so accouterments intended to be stereotypical autistic traits may in point of fact be plain to the male autism experience. So females, with our different ways of being autistic, steadily fly under the radar.
The universal thinking is that acquaint with are four autistic males for every one female, but I think key point is that acquaint with are four males DIAGNOSED for every one female. In imitation of that we're still diagnosing people in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond who missed out whenever you like they were younger in the function of we just didn't value about the kingdom, we should realise that the forecast rate doesn't crucially spark the commonness rate.
"I'm happy to be invited by Talia to post on her blog. As an introduction, here's an article that will give you some dexterity into my values about the treat succession."
Deconstructing 'Psychobabble' and the Legends of the Therapy Structure
My clinician equals might look indirectly at the senior title. A selection of would build a improved eyebrow. But my professional field, mental health check review or analysis, is snowed under by the awfully barriers to articulacy as the legal profession. We shut in all hardened legalese that unnatural us to hire an attorney for observations. Instance vital to shut in a language to communicate with members of our profession, I think we do our patients a disservice at the same time as we "mystifying" the succession of review by using psychobabble.
BUT When IS MY DIAGNOSIS?
In over seventeen living of thing with patients on their mental health check, one of the greatest aid I've inclined them is telling them that they are not "mad" or "crazy." OK, now my man therapists are cringing! But the reality is that that is on a regular basis a patient's biggest fear - they shut in begun to think of themselves as crazy. Distinctive people wouldn't be having these symptoms or crazy thoughts! When serves to perpetuate this is the review field's group on a medical methodical succession. Mental health check diagnoses are by and large categorized by "disorders." And these diagnoses shut in made their way into popular enhancement - talk shows, magazines and blogs. For holder, the latest diagnosis du jour is bipolar clamor. I greet teenagers call each significantly "Bipolar!" as an byword. In my professional experience, very few people in the customary common people honestly go on from bipolar clamor. All people, exceptionally teenagers, experience mood swings. We shut in become too dedicated of categorizing each significantly in this way.
In my practice, I back time in an crucial session with a apathetic to explain the methodical principle. Having the status of we on a regular basis work clothed in an insurance system that requires us to give patients a diagnosis to enlighten treatment and to seize fee, it is a call for. Unless a apathetic has surefire signs and symptoms of, say, a depressive clamor, I nearly regularly rely on a methodical manner of "cash disorders." Furthermost of life's stressors - problems in a primary relationship, work stress, health check concerns, drain away, etc. average some cash. It's a run of the mill life succession to get used to to those stressors or learn effective ways to run. Realm can fervently understand this span and are less unnerved or astounded by it.
Do I shut in to come see you 3 times a week and lay on a couch?
The demonstration in a feature of a apathetic treacherous on a idiom in a therapist's workroom has become a clich'e and one of the oodles misrepresentations in the media of the analysis succession. Load portrayals shut in us believing that every shrink is a bespectacled man with a goatee furrowing his brow and asking, "How does that make you feel?" I can truthful say that I've never asked a apathetic that question!
Because of some of these faulty depictions, it is vital for the apathetic who is new to review to feel typical and shut in some understanding of the succession. We are all exceptional at hush if we shut in some tradition of what is as it should be of us in new situations. It is clearly right to ask your shrink questions about the succession - "How on a regular basis will I see you? When will we talk about?" Any shrink who is disinclined to at least place of birth your questions or who makes you feel awkward is not do something his/her job.
Repression, Scenario, Validation, OH MY!
The jargon I educational in graduate file to see how the human intelligence works are not very useful to the lay familiar. But they shut in made their way into the customary public's report. Who hasn't turned on a talk show and heard a "talking keep control" psychoanalyst use the senior buzzwords? If telling to a apathetic what is spoils place in say, hump, is upright to that patient's understanding of their behaviors, I might use that word in a treat session. When the apathetic is misplacing their anger or "extrapolative" that anger onto the misconduct person, it might be upright for them to understand the succession. But just throwing on the subject of the natter is not irritating.
Manifestly, contemporary are times in review that explaining a patient's absorbed processes isn't upright or reasonable. Habitually this can fill in in the apathetic over thinking their role and can be counterproductive. But mystifying the succession can be literally counterproductive.
Openness
The absolute point is that the psychotherapy/counseling succession must be sociable. Until somewhat recently, the decoration of mental health check review was banned, cloaked in take down and mystery. Appreciation to the awfully media that on a regular basis gets it misconduct, the customary familiar has a notably clearer understanding of mental illness and review. It has become notably exceptional right to explore review and to luxury it openly. My concern is that by using "psychobabble" and perpetuating mythology about the succession, we professionals cling on to to pitch up barriers for people who need our martial. "NANCY L., LISW, LICDC"
(c) Weepy Well-Being Blog.com, http://www.emotionalwellbeingblog.com
