Are We in an Autism Epidemic?

One in every 68 children in America is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to data from the U.S. Center for Disease Control.

This is a much higher diagnosis rate than about 10-20 years ago. Scientific American cites the rate from 1993 to 2003 as one ASD diagnosis for every 2,500 individuals. That’s a major increase.

So are we experience an epidemic of autism? At a glance, it looks like it.

An early study investigating the issue linked autism to vaccines. But this study has since been disproven, and ten of the 13 researchers on the project have denounced its findings. Most notably, as vaccine numbers have remained the same, autism diagnoses have continued to rise.

Since then, additional studies have indicated that the increase in cases of ASD may be inflated. One such study was performed by the Child Development Center in England. By investigating autism diagnoses over a closed time period in the same area of the country, the researchers found that when the same criteria for diagnosis is used consistently, there is no increase in the rate of diagnosis.

Another study by psychologist Paul Shattuck at the University of Wisconsin-Madison observed that as the rate of ASD diagnoses increased, the rates of diagnosis of mental retardation and learning disabilities decreased.

A third study from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that when the parents of children diagnosed with autism were asked if their children exhibited specific symptoms of autism, the number of children who met the criteria for ASD remained consistent over time. A Danish study had similar findings, concluding that about two-thirds of the increase in ASD diagnoses in Denmark were because of how the disorder is diagnosed.

It’s possible that there has been some rise in cases of ASD, but the most up-to-date science indicates much of the apparent epidemic is in fact due to changes in how ASD is diagnosed.

Can Diet Cure Autism?

The myth that diet can cure ASD may have stemmed from the belief some people hold that autism is linked to certain types of foods—particularly, gluten and casein. These are proteins found in foods such as wheat, barley and oats; and milk, cheese and yogurt, respectively.

Many parents of autistic children have tried eliminating these foods from the autistic child’s diet completely. Anecdotally, many of these parents report a reduction of symptoms using this method.

However, scientific research into the effects of this diet have shown no difference in symptoms between consuming casein or gluten, neither, or both of these substances, when executed in a double-blind experiment. Researches said that it’s possible the diet may help certain subgroups of people with autism, and more research would be necessary to determine whether this was the case.

While this elimination diet does not have negative effects, parents of children on a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet need to be mindful of the nutrients this removes from their child’s diet and be sure to replace them from alternate food sources to support their child’s healthy growth.

5 Reasons Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper is Thought to Be On the Spectrum

Is The Big Bang Theory’s starring character Sheldon Cooper on the autism spectrum?

Co-creator of the show Bill Prady has side-stepped attempts to label the character. But the question keeps coming up, because a lot of fans of the show see startling commonalities.

“On the Spectrum”
To say someone is “on the spectrum” refers to Autism Spectrum Disorder—a single disorder with a wide range of symptoms and severity that used to be considered separate disorders including autism and Asperger’s syndrome.

The question of whether the quirky and quite particular character of Sheldon is on the spectrum is hotly debated, and has come up in fan panels and media interviews ever since the show’s first season.

The show’s co-creators have declined to label Sheldon with this term—Prady says he got his inspiration for Sheldon not from the autism spectrum but from a computer programmer he once worked with. However, that was long before awareness about the spectrum was established. Some argue that it’s entirely possible those co-workers were in fact on the spectrum, but didn’t have the terms to diagnose it.

Either way, Sheldon has been held up as a great example of a person on the spectrum thriving in everyday life. How does Sheldon show traits of being on the spectrum?

  1. Struggles with communication— Some of Sheldon’s funniest moments come from his literal interpretations of people’s comments, and his inability to interpret sarcasm. People on the autism spectrum often have difficulty understanding expressions of emotion, taking expressions too literally and struggling to read people in conversation.
  1. Extreme attachment to rituals—That’s Sheldon’s spot on the couch. When a guest is sad, you offer them a hot beverage. Wednesday is comic shop day. Much like Sheldon, individuals on the spectrum can be extremely rigid in their rituals, and have an extreme distaste for change.
  1. Disconnect from others—People on the spectrum often struggle to make emotional connections or to handle demonstrations of physical intimacy … something that becomes a significant hurdle for Sheldon in his friendships and his relationship with Amy.
  1. Extreme likes and dislikes—Much like many on the autism spectrum, Sheldon is extremely enthusiastic and loyal to the things that he likes. His dislikes, on other hand, can become a disruption for the entire Big Bang Theory crew.
  1. Brutally honest—Another common trait associated with being on the spectrum is brutal honesty. As any of Sheldon’s friends know, he doesn’t parse words when sharing his opinion, so if you don’t want to know, don’t ask—or even let the subject come up. His inability to lie or keep secrets has led to many a quandary on the show.

Even if the show wants to avoid putting a label on its character, that Sheldon Cooper demonstrates characteristics that many who are on the spectrum, or have loved ones on the spectrum, can relate to.

And that’s a wonderful thing. While people on the spectrum have some unique challenges, they also often share some genuinely positive traits, too—much like Sheldon Cooper, they can be extremely honest, loyal, intelligent, and dependable.

The Benefits of Playdates for Autistic Children

For children with autism, it can be a challenge to make social connections with peers. For their parents, helping these children learn to play with others well is a common challenge. But like most things in life, children with autism can improve their skills for playing and socializing with practice.

Which is a wonderful thing, because learning to play does more than keep a child busy for an hour or two. In fact, play helps children build important skills that will help them succeed and thrive throughout their lives.

What are these skills that we can build through play? Here’s a look at some of the ways autistic children benefit from play dates.

Play is a “safety zone.”
Playtime is a place where children can try out different things, such as life roles, without consequence. This lets them explore what they see in the world around them.

Boosts confidence.
Autistic and typical children alike gain confidence through play. Because they have worked things out in this “safe zone,” they are able to more confidently engage in real-world situations.

Improves ability to interact with new people.
Warming up to new people can be especially challenging for kids with autism, but play dates provide a great way to help your child start getting to know new people regularly. With time, this has been shown to make meeting new people easier for autistic children.

Practices important social skills.
This includes social expectations such as sharing and taking turns, which are instilled early but can be challenging for kids with autism to act on.

Helps identify social skill deficits.
When your child has play dates, observe how the children interact. Notice where your child seems to struggle, get stressed, or have trouble interacting appropriately. This can be a great way to learn how to help your child grow even more.

When arranging play dates, plan ahead to give your child time with many different kinds of peers, both autistic or other special needs, and typical kids. Engaging with typically abled children is important for learning age-appropriate social skills.

You can help your child prepare for play dates by talk about what to expect several days in advance, and again shortly before the other child arrives. Put away any toys that your child may not be ready to share so they don’t cause an issue, and to start, stick to activities your child knows well and enjoys—s/he is already doing on new thing! Shorter play dates are better to start, even just 30 minutes or shorter, to help your child adjust.

Over time, your child will become more comfortable in play dates, and be able to do more. Along the way, they’ll build important skills that will help them make friends, adjust socially, and live happy, full lives.

How To Get People Involved

Are you inspired to join a cause or start one in your community? That’s great—there are so many different make a positive difference. Odds are, you don’t intend to do it all by yourself—not only can you make a bigger impact with others’ help, but it’s also more fun.

But how do you get other people involved?

It’s one thing to be motivated yourself, its quite another to motivate others to join you. Regardless if you’re looking for donations for your next fundraising run or volunteers to help build a house—asking for favors is usually uncomfortable for most of us.

 

But, no matter. A few simple steps can make it easier, both for you to ask and for others to say yes.

 

  1. Give before asking.
    Before you can build a community around your cause, you’ve got to be part of a community. That means contributing to something and building genuine relationships. Regardless of the cause, people are more willing to join in when they care about you and feel connected.

You don’t need to start form scratch to do this, though. What groups or communities do you already engage with?

 

  1. Make a personal ask.
    People are more responsive to requests when they are addressed on an individual level, rather than when part of a group. Who doesn’t appreciate being singled out as valuable?

So when you want to get people involved, take the time to invite them personally, one-on-one, and if possible, in person. Don’t forget to share why you want that person involved, and how much it would mean to you.

 

  1. Be clear about what you want.
    Whatever it is that you’d like a person to contribute to your cause, be sure to be clear and specific. If someone is not sure about what they’re being asked to do, they’ll usually just take a pass, instead of risking committing to something they didn’t intend to. 

 

  1. Make it easy.
    This tip might sound obvious, but it gets overlooked all the time. The easier you make it for people to complete your ask, the more likely people are to help you.

So before you ask someone to support your cause, think about it: What can you do to make it easy for people to do what you’re asking?

 

  1. Show the big picture.
    Most people have a desire to give back and help others out … but you have to show them that their action will, in fact, make a difference.

Be clear about the problem your cause is trying to address, what your effort will do to help, and how what you are asking the other person to do fits into that effort. For example, don’t just say that a $20 donation helps you meet your goal of $5000—explain that their $20 can provide food for a child in need for a week.

 

  1. Recognize people for their contribution.
    People need to feel valued. After someone gets involved with your cause, thank them for it. This can mean calling them out in a meeting for their contribution, including their name among your donors or volunteers, or a simple phone call to say “thanks.” 

 

7. Spread Your Passion

It’s easy to get inspired to contribute to a cause. But it can be harder to ask others to get involved, too. But there’s easy steps you can take to make asking for involvement easier … and to make it easier for others to say “yes” when you do.

 

 

With these simple tips you’re sure to gain lots of support for your cause—your passion will be contagious.

15 Tips for Teaching the Highly Functioning ASD Child

The needs of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the classroom can be very different from those of typical students in the class—even high-functioning ASD students require extra, and often, different kinds of support compared to typical students.

ASD students have unique challenges including difficulty reading social situations and making friends; adapting to changes in their routines; and remembering complex ideas or directions; among other things.

These unique challenges of ASD students require a different kind of support than the typical student, and often more support. Here are some ways that teachers can give their high-functioning ASD/Asperger’s student support to help him/her succeed in the classroom:

  1. ASD students can benefit from opportunities to socialize with other students—when the engagement is structured, such as offering a group game to play.
  2. Seat the ASD student next to an appropriate buddy who can share notes and provide a friendly, patient presence.
  3. Give your ASD student directions in writing when working independently.
  4. Offer visual cues like underlining or highlighting to help draw the child’s attention to the most important parts of test directions or homework assignments.
  5. Break complex or long projects into simpler tasks.
  6. Break down worksheets and long tests so there are fewer questions on each page. This gives the ASD student more room to write, while also letting him/her digest smaller amounts of information at once.
  7. ASD students often have very strong interests in certain areas. Implement those interests to keep them engaged while learning new concepts.
  8. If possible, work with your ASD student on keyboarding skills and let him/her take notes on a laptop instead of with pen and paper. Many ASD children have difficulty writing, which does not improve with practice.
  9. Provide a written/illustrated schedule for the ASD student to help them navigate through the day. If there is a change to the normal schedule, give the student early and frequent warning of the change.
  10. Allow the ASD student to fidget—such as chewing gum, doodling, or squeezing a ball—as this can actually help him/her maintain focus.
  11. When you see the ASD student getting restless, move so that you are positioned nearer to his/her seat, and offer reminders to stay focused as needed.
  12. Be clear about expectations for any activity before the ASD student begins. Have the student repeat the directions in his/her own words.
  13. A visual record of accomplishment, like a progress chart, can help reinforce appropriate behaviors.
  14. The ASD child may sometimes struggle when there is a lot going on around them. Provide a “quiet time” space s/he can go to for a time-out.
  15. Talk to other students in the class to help them understand the ASD child’s differences in a positive way, embracing differences.

When you find that things are running smoothly for your ASD student, this doesn’t mean that s/he is “cured” or that the issues have disappeared—it means that you’ve found a way to cope with those challenges that work well.

It can be difficult to predict when an ASD child will have outbursts sometimes, and it’s completely normal to feel frustrated at times. Be patient with the ASD student, keep communication open with the student’s parents. With persistence and understanding, these tips can help your ASD student find success.

Understanding Asperger’s: A Teacher’s Guide

Students with Asperger’s syndrome present a unique set of challenges—challenges that many teachers are not provided with the appropriate training for. This can make welcoming a student with Asperger’s into the classroom seem daunting.

Fortunately, there are a lot of resources available to help teachers fill the gap and educate themselves, so they can make learning a positive experience and help students with Asperger’s feel comfortable and empowered, while managing the disorder’s more challenging traits.

Here, we’ve pulled resources from the Internet’s most authoritative Asperger’s resources to serve as a guide for teachers seeking to learn about Asperger’s and how to support students with this condition in the classroom.

What is Asperger’s Syndrome?

Asperger’s syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). PDDs are a set of conditions that affect a person’s ability to develop basic skills, such as the ability to engage socially and use the imagination.

Children with Asperger’s are typically of average or even above-average intelligence, and although they can struggle to communicate, they have close to normal language development.

Kids with Asperger’s may act eccentrically or make repetitive movements, struggle with change to their routine, and have coordination problems. However, they are also extremely enthusiastic about their interests and highly talented in particular areas such as music or math.

Learn more:
Asperger’s Syndrome, WebMD

Asperger’s in the Classroom

Because students with Asperger’s tend to be highly intelligent, they usually function well in most aspects. However, they struggle to relate to other students, make friends, and participate in group activities in the classroom.

They are also prone to outbursts or tantrums, which can seem sudden, but are likely related to their struggle to communicate or to cope with a busy environment, etc. It can help a student with Asperger’s to cope if you can provide a “quiet space” s/he can retreat to when feeling over-stimulated.

Students with Asperger’s become anxious in unstructured settingswhere people are moving at random, and struggle with change to their regular routine—such as a substitute teacher.

Learn more:
Understanding the Student with Asperger’s Syndrome, OASIS @ MAAP
Challenges for Asperger’s Students, My Aspergers Child

Helping Asperger’s Students Succeed

Because of the unique challenges discussed above, students with Asperger’s syndrome have different support needs in the classroom compared to typically-abled students. There are a lot of ways teachers can modify their lessons and approach to help Asperger’s students succeed.

For example, it can help students with Asperger’s to have visuals that illustrate their daily schedule, and to get as much warning as possible of any upcoming change to the normal routine. They tend to take language very literally, so avoid slang or metaphors when addressing a student with Asperger’s, and give directions in short and direct sentences. Keep an eye out for when the student shows signs of feeling overwhelmed, and help the student break away for quiet time to regroup.

These are only a few of many ways teachers can help students with Asperger’s find success. Teachers should also be aware of all relevant laws and tools available to them, such as the school’s special education specialists and the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Learn more:
Classroom Tips for Students with Aspergers, School Behavior
Teaching Strategies for Asperger Students, Johns Hopkins School of Education
Individual Education Programs, Organization for Autism Research 

Promoting Understanding with other Students

Because students with Asperger’s struggle to make social connections, they have a hard time connecting with their peers and forming friendships. In their eagerness to make friends, they can develop a willingness to do almost anything to participate—something their peers may sometimes take advantage of. They often cannot discriminate between positive play and mean-spirited actions against them.

Research has shown that when students are given clear and accurate information about Asperger’s, they are more sympathetic to and accepting of peers with the disorder. Take the time to educate the other students in the class about what Asperger’s is, emphasizing the value of diversity and highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of those with Asperger’s.

Meet with the school psychologist and the student’s parents beforehand to ensure everyone is on the same page about what to say, and don’t disclose the student’s name during the talk unless the parents and the student both agree to it.

Learn more:
Helping Kids Understand Aspergers, School Counseling by Heart
6 Steps to Success for Asperger Syndrome, Organization for Autism Research
Helping Peers Support Students with Autism, Autism Speaks

Working Together

Parents can be your best ally when it comes to addressing issues and finding what will work best for an Asperger’s student in the classroom. It’s best to maintain regular communication with the parents, and don’t be afraid to ask questions—most likely, they’ll be impressed that the teacher is putting forth the effort to learn more.

Teachers should also take advantage of additional support resources available to them, too. Most schools will have a school psychologist and special education specialists who can provide additional insights into how to help an Asperger’s student succeed.

There is also an abundance of information to help teachers understand and support students with Asperger’s online.

Resources:
Teachers and Administrators, Autism Speaks
An Educator’s Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome, Danya International Inc. and the Organization for Autism Research
The Complete Guide to Teaching Students with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism, My Aspergers Child

Unique Challenges, Unique Strengths

A student with Asperger’s brings a unique set of strengths and challenges to the classroom, for themselves, the teacher, and the class overall. But with patience, education, and understanding, a student with Aspergers can do well in a traditional classroom setting.

What is PDD?

Pervasive developmental disorders (often shortened to PDD) is a term used to refer to a group of conditions that cause a delay in the development of basic skills. These basic skills most commonly include the ability to socialize, communicate and use imagination. People who have a PDD often struggle to understand the world around them. 

Examples of PDDs include:

  • Autism
  • Asperger’s syndrome
  • Childhood disintegrative disorder
  • Rett syndrome
  • PPD, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)

Though PDDs are typically present in a child very young, but most commonly become evident around the age of three, when it becomes clear that the child is not keeping up with their peers’ development milestones.

PDD symptoms can range from mild to severe. They often include difficulty with communicating verbally, difficulty with gestures and facial expressions, difficulty relating to others, difficulty adjusting to changes in routine, repetitive behavior patterns or movements, sensitivity to sounds, and more.

According to WebMD, an estimated one in 88 children has a PDD, and it is more common in boys than girls. The outlook for a person with a PDD can vary significantly depending on how severe the individual’s symptoms are. However, though most will have some issues with socialization throughout their lives, many can reduce their symptoms and enhance their functionality with therapy and early intervention.

The Skin Cancer Prevention Guide

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, according to the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. Over 2 million cases are treated in the country each year—that’s more cases than breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer combined. In 2004, treatments for non-melanoma skin cancers alone cost $1.4 billion.

Although some skin cancer risk factors can’t be changed, there are a lot of ways to can protect yourself and reduce your risk. Just take care of yourself by following these prevention tips.

  1. Know your natural risk factors.
    There are certain risk factors that are out of your control. For example, people with fairer skin are at higher risk than those with darker skin, and men are at greater risk than women. You’re also at greater risk if there is a history of skin cancer in your family, or if you’ve had skin cancer before yourself.
  1. Protect from UVs
    One of the best ways to avoid getting skin cancer is to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. When you go outside, cover up with clothing and hats as much as you can.

Whatever skin isn’t covered, be sure to apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 for every day, and SPF 30 for extended periods outside. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside, and reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after getting sweaty or wet.

  1. Stay in the shade
    Even better than protecting yourself when you’re in the sun, just stay out of it whenever possible. This is especially important during the hours when the sun is the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you’re not sure how strong the sun is, just look at your shadow—if it’s taller than you are, get inside.
  1. Check your skin monthly
    When a case of skin cancer is caught early, it can make a big difference in how serious it is and how easy it is to treat. A quick monthly self-check can help ensure you’re aware of any potential issues before they’re big problems.

All you need to check your own skin is a full-length mirror and a handheld mirror. Take your clothes off and check your skin all over your body, using the mirrors to check areas you can’t easily see on your own. If you find an abnormal mole or other mark, see a doctor.

  1. Get an annual checkup
    Even if you don’t find any abnormalities in your self-checks, see a doctor once a year. The doctor will take a medical history, then check your body for signs of skin cancer and note the size, shape, color and texture of any areas in question. If a doctor suspects cancer, s/he may recommend further testing.

Prevention and Early Detection are Key

One in five Americans develops skin cancer at some point in their life, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. But if you follow these steps, you can significantly reduce your likelihood of being one of them. Even if you do develop skin cancer, following these tips will help you ensure you find it early and address it quickly.

Using Awareness Days To Raise Funds

Do you have a cause you support? Do you want to support the cause, but have no money to donate yourself? Do you want to earn money and have fun in the process? If you answered yes to any of these questions this article is for you. We will discuss several ways to earn money using national awareness days as a catalyst for garnering support and raising public awareness of the issue that you support while still making the process fun and easy. What is more, you will not even have to worry about calling donors to ask them for money, as no one likes telemarketers and the likelihood of reaching your goal when using that method is very low.

 

Do Something You Love

If you have an activity you love doing, you can use it to earn money on an awareness day. For example, if your passion is knitting, you can knit scarves or shawls in the cause’s colors such as pink for breast cancer awareness and then sell these shawls on National Breast Cancer Awareness Day. If you love to run, then it would be entirely possible to organize a race or marathon on an awareness day. This combination of activities you love and the boost in support brought out by the awareness day will ensure that you will earn money for your chosen cause as it is quite clear why you are knitting scarves or running a race.

 

Do a Cook-off

Everyone likes food! Another idea for your cause’s awareness day is to host a cook-out. Charge an admission fee, and then let people eat free. Charging the admission price per plate or bowl is the best way to do this. That way, if people would like seconds or thirds, they will need to pay the admission fee for another plate. For this to work successfully, it is necessary that the admission fee not be a lot of money, perhaps five or six dollars at the most. You would be surprised how quickly the money adds up. To get people interested beforehand, send out questionnaires asking what sorts of foods people would want. That way you will not have a lot of leftover food that no one will eat.

 

Earning money for your cause can be very easy if you have good products you have made or services you can render. But doing something special on your cause’s awareness day makes the likelihood of meeting your donation goal even higher. People associate concepts and colors with events in their mind. If you do something to earn money for your cause on an awareness day, there will be no doubt at all where the donations are going.