All About Autism

[helplessmum3]

When I goes for my evening school, my husband take care of him.


My son prefer me most of the time when both of us together he will look for me first.

[specialboymum]

helplessmum3:

Mashy, thanks will try to check on toys r us.


Schweppes,
My English is very limited. I still dun quite get it the definition on wiki:(.

I'm very worry about the lebal . Something to me like ex convict.

Will this lead to no insurance coverage & etc.

Hi helplessmum3, your kid is still very young and there is a long road ahead of you. Like what others mention, just take it one step at a time. Don't over-stress yourself about the future. Just focus on helping him to overcome his current problem.

Family support is also very important for working mothers.If need to, don't be shy to get their help.

With regards to the label. It is not entirely a bad thing, for example in my boy's case, without it, I won't be able to get the AED support in school, which is crucial in helping him to settle in mainstream education. The disadvantage of the label is of course the social stigma, the unwanted sympathy etc. For this, it really have to depend on us, the parents to correct the misconception the society have on special kids like ours, so that they can eventually integrate into the society, live independently and with dignity like any other normal folks.

[helplessmum3]

Specialboymum,


Does yr child get bullied in school. Is he able to identify danger?

[schweppes]

helplessmum3:

Mashy, thanks will try to check on toys r us.


Schweppes,
My English is very limited. I still dun quite get it the definition on wiki:(.

I'm very worry about the lebal . Something to me like ex convict.

Will this lead to no insurance coverage & etc.

hi helplessmum3

Basically autism affects a child's social skills (learning to make friends and interact with others), communication skills (may not be able to communicate effectively) and some behavioral issues (this varies from child to child).

I know the term \"neurological disorder\" sounds like a big scary word. Basically, to put it very very simply, it's like there is a \"missing link\" or a disconnection in the brain. As u know, the nerves in the brain \"communicate\" with each other. So when there is a disconnection, the nerves don't really \"talk\" to each other. Imagine it as a broken telephone line.

With proper therapies and early intervention (this means getting help early), the aim is to help the child to connect better. There are many types of therapies out there, for example, the common ones are:

- speech and language therapy => helping the child with communication skills
- occupational therapy => helping the child with his senses; learning how to function better
- social skills => learning how to behave and make friends in society
- special diet => avoid dairy products or wheat if the child is lactose or gluten intolerant. This means that the child may get a tummy upset or his behavior may change drastically if he drinks milk, takes too much sweets/ sugar, etc

The above are the common therapies. If there is a diagnosis of autism, the doctor or psychologist will recommend the next course/step of action.

Sometimes u will hear the term ASD which means autism spectrum disorder. Basically it means that autism has a range - from low functioning to high functioning autism.

With the right and early intervention, an ASD child WILL IMPROVE. Maybe results are not immediate, but there will be improvements over time.

[mum_sugoku]

helplessmum3:

Schweppes,


I been to kkh already now waiting psychologist assements.

Just get to know here autism is brain demage. U are sharp to spot me. Yes I tot I eat something wrong n do wrong to cause my son like this..

I'm very very scare and very sad.

I don't think autism is brain damage, because there are people known to be suffering from autism attaining great acheivement in their lives.. and here's one such example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin[quote]Grandin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Richard Grandin and Eustacia Cutler. She was diagnosed with autism in 1950. Having been labeled and diagnosed with brain damage at age two, she was placed in a structured nursery school with what she considers to have been good teachers. Grandin's mother spoke to a doctor who suggested speech therapy, and she hired a nanny who spent hours playing turn-based games with Grandin and her sister.

At age four, Grandin began talking, and making progress. She considers herself lucky to have had supportive mentors from primary school onwards. However, Grandin has said that middle and high school were the worst parts of her life. She was the \"nerdy kid\" whom everyone teased. At times, while she walked down the street, people would taunt her by saying \"tape recorder,\" because she would repeat things over and over again. Grandin states that, \"I could laugh about it now, but back then it really hurt.\"

After graduating from Hampshire Country School, a boarding school for gifted children in Rindge, New Hampshire, in 1966, Grandin went on to earn her bachelor's degree in psychology from Franklin Pierce College in 1970, her master's degree in animal science from Arizona State University in 1975, and her doctoral degree in animal science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1989.[/quote]

[helplessmum3]

schweppes:

helplessmum3:

Mashy, thanks will try to check on toys r us.


Schweppes,
My English is very limited. I still dun quite get it the definition on wiki:(.

I'm very worry about the lebal . Something to me like ex convict.

Will this lead to no insurance coverage & etc.

hi helplessmum3

Basically autism affects a child's social skills (learning to make friends and interact with others), communication skills (may not be able to communicate effectively) and some behavioral issues (this varies from child to child).

I know the term \"neurological disorder\" sounds like a big scary word. Basically, to put it very very simply, it's like there is a \"missing link\" or a disconnection in the brain. As u know, the nerves in the brain \"communicate\" with each other. So when there is a disconnection, the nerves don't really \"talk\" to each other. Imagine it as a broken telephone line.

With proper therapies and early intervention (this means getting help early), the aim is to help the child to connect better. There are many types of therapies out there, for example, the common ones are:

- speech and language therapy => helping the child with communication skills
- occupational therapy => helping the child with his senses; learning how to function better
- social skills => learning how to behave and make friends in society
- special diet => avoid dairy products or wheat if the child is lactose or gluten intolerant. This means that the child may get a tummy upset or his behavior may change drastically if he drinks milk, takes too much sweets/ sugar, etc

The above are the common therapies. If there is a diagnosis of autism, the doctor or psychologist will recommend the next course/step of action.

Sometimes u will hear the term ASD which means autism spectrum disorder. Basically it means that autism has a range - from low functioning to high functioning autism.

With the right and early intervention, an ASD child WILL IMPROVE. Maybe results are not immediate, but there will be improvements over time.

Schweppes,
i some how get it clear now.thank you so much.

i only know the speech therapy,

do you know any good social skill therapy & OT ?

[helplessmum3]

mum_sugoku,


these pple are so great… but they are historical people.

jus wonder at current or present, will there be such.

I’m sorry. if I’m not being tactful…

[schweppes]

helplessmum3:

i only know the speech therapy,

do you know any good social skill therapy & OT ?

I only know of 2:

Bridges in Communication => for speech and language therapy (SLT)
Hand-in-Hand => for OT

For group sessions, sometimes social skills can be incorporated in the OT or SLT. It depends on each centre's or therapist's prog for the child. For info, KKH also has its own in-house OT and SLT, so u may want to consider going to them too.

Maybe other parents can help recommend other SLT or OT to helplessmum to give her more options. Tks

[helplessmum3]

mashy,


KKH doctor, only see my son for less then 5mins then she conclude might be autism..

i was like uh? shock! She say yr son is playing himself , thats autism sign!!

OMG. tat is quick!

I told the doctor, my son have little interaction like , if he wan biscuit he will bring the biscuit to me & say \"i wan biscuit pls\" or if bread, he will say \"i wan bread pls\" or if he want cookies,he will say, \"i wan cookies pls\"...

When he finished his cup of water, he will bring me the empty cup & say \"finished\"

KKH Doctor replied me,\" that is Parriot bird\" ?!?!!

my son was holding a paper clock & he walk near to the real clock looking up and say clock clock. KKH doctor continue, tat Autism sign... ?! ...

Maybe tat my son habits tat i have been doing with him, cuz whenever he say to himself things, i will reply far far away & looking at laptop and say Ya clock clock... so he always think it tat i always there to answer him even though he dun have to look at me & i dun have to look at him...

HIAZZ>>>>>.

KKH Doctor jus assume tat my son dun have imaginary play.

What is imaginary play?

my son at times will use the water bottle teats to put on his ear & say \"TI\" act like thermometer in clinic. is tat consider imaginary play?

what are the imaginary toys should i buy for him? Animal farm?

What is interaction?

when my son is having cookies, i go to him and say \"mummy wan cookies pls , ugh & open my mouth, he will feed me his cookies & smile.

at times, my son will bring up a shape & look at me & say \"Circle\"...and wait for me to say again...

KKH doctor say tat these are routines

Things that the doctor never ask us is my son motor skills

My son can climb up stairs, down only few steps then he will look for me to help me goes down further.

My son can self feed with spoon, my son can drink from cup but at times does has accident like spills. he can run, he can walk & he can climb..


hopeless. helpless.... cluelesss....

[jedamum]

helplessmum3,

think you should get second opinion.
regarding ‘imaginary play’, the need for this play is quite real.
my ds2 lacked the imaginary play aspect and suffered in his speech development (on top of his ‘near-deaf’ experience).
i blame myself because i don’t know how to play with my kid nor expose him to play cooking, or make believe back then. imaginary play engages the imagination and also builds on speech and interactions.
acting like doctors etc is part of imaginary play.
even power ranger figurines are also imaginary play.
other imaginary play includes dollhouse, farmhouse(figurines), cooking (playdoh etc) etc. what is important is the play partner ie you.