Trying to Understand Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (also referred to as Autism Spectrum Conditions, Autism Spectrum, and Autism) is something that six out of every thousand children in the United States have been diagnosed with. Many times this condition is very misunderstood and some parents don’t even truly understand what the signs of it are.

During this article, you’ll learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder, its symptoms, and how it’s managed. At the time that this article was written, all of the information provided below was scattered around the internet which urged us to bring it into one easy-to-understand article.

What are the different types of Autism Spectrum Disorder?

There are three different primary forms of Autism as well as two uncommon conditions. Over the years it became know that the symptoms aren’t always the same and branching it off would help treat Autism Spectrum a lot more efficiently than having one broad diagnosis.

The three main types of Autism are:

Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified

Otherwise referred to as PDD-NOS, this is the moderate form of Autism. It’s diagnosed when a patient doesn’t have as severe of a case as Autistic Disorder and it’s not as severe as Asperger’s Syndrome.

Asperger Syndrome

Asperger’s Syndrome is the least severe form of Autism. It’s also commonly referred to as high functioning Autism since it causes one to talk about their favorite things non-stop. Also, Asperger Syndrome is found three times more often in boys than it’s found in girls. Read the rest of this entry »

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Autism Symptoms – Top Ten List Of Signs Your Child Has Autism

When the symptoms of autism first appear in your child, it can be very scary, but with early detection and treatment, much improvement can be made. Below are the top ten symptoms of autism that your child might exhibit that can indicate an autism spectrum disorder.

Autism Symptoms Checklist

These symptoms can indicate not only autism but also Asperger’s syndrome. Asperger’s syndrome is a milder form of autism. The autism symptoms below typically are those that we look for in toddlers but they can apply to older children as well.

  1. Failure to respond to their name. If you call your young child’s name, and he or she does not respond, this is not a good thing. At a certain age, your toddler or young child should recognize…and respond…when you call their name.
  2. Avoidance of eye contact. This can show up very early, it can even be one of the autism symptoms recognized in infants. Babies, later diagnosed with autism, often avoid eye contact with their mother. In addition, many autistic babies do not want to be held or cuddled. The mother may wonder if she is doing something wrong and may not realize–until much later–that autism is to blame, not her. Along with this is the tendency to not watch people’s faces when your child does speak. Read the rest of this entry »
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Gluten Free Or Not Gluten Free – Autism

Good nutrition equals good health. People with autism or on the spectrum have a hard time with nutrition. Individuals who have autism have distinct likes and dislikes controlled by their dysfunctional senses. This makes good nutrition a struggle, having negative consequences for the person with autism or PPD’s over all health. Most people on the autism spectrum have a normal IQ. With poor nutrition, many with autism spectrum can not function normally. Persons with autism and PPD love the crunchy McDonald Chicken Nuggets and French fires–or the Tyson chicken nuggets. For many with autism spectrum disorder, this is the only thing that they will eat, which offers very little nutritional value. Also, pop, and the fizz in their mouth, is something someone with autism loves, loving the sensation in their mouth.

With the food they eat being so poor in nutritional value, and without a variety of food (nor all the groups of food), the person with autism’s body can not receive the proper nutrients or calories for growth, body function, and brain function. The question is then: what do you do as a parent/caregiver, to help you loved one with autism? Gluten free has been the diet of choice to “cure” autism. This would be fine if the person with autism or PPD would eat anything and was not selective about their food. The person with autism will not eat anything; the person with autism will eat hardly anything, making it hard to impossible for people with autism and PPD to eat gluten free. The senses of taste, smell, and touch are high in the person with autism and PPD, as a caregiver tries to sneak in the foods that have no gluten; the microscope of the person with autism will analyse it and reject it. Read the rest of this entry »

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