A Message to Parents

Dear Parents, I am finally back after a long silence for almost two years. It is very hard to disengage myself from thinking and writing about...

Archive for February, 2013

Brain Connections Differ in Kids with Autism

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

A simple way to define autism is to describe it as: a different brain wiring. We have been repeating this as a metaphore or an analogy to get a better understanding of the condition. Today a research in Boston Children’s Hospital has published an amazing finding by using EEG to track the electrical cross-talk of

Animals Help Children With Autism Interact Better

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

I wrote an article entitled: “Dogs Can Help Your Autistic Child “: autism-tips.com/?p=797 to emphasize the benefits of having a dog on the autistic behavior. A very recent research from Australia has shown an increased positive social behaviors in the presence of an animal. The research was run on kids aging between five and thirteen

Autism Shares Genetic Features With Psychiatric Disorders

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Autism, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia, have in common variations in two genes. The two genes are involved in the balance of calcium in brain cells. This finding opens up an important new approach to drug treatment for these conditions and diseases. It is believed that the calcium

“Pretending” A Skill That Can Be Aquired

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Anecdote A problem on a Math worksheet asks students to draw a rectangle with dimensions larger than the regular paper dimensions. The directions give the length and the width of 2 sides (20 inches by 15 inches). Studnets were asked to find the length of the other 2 sides. Which are understandablely the same as

Behavioral Therapy Can Impact Brain Function

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

PRT (Pivotal Response Therapy) has shown a remarkable positive change in social behavior. A research including UCSB graduate student discovered a positive change in the brain activity of autistic children after receiving behavior therapy. fMRI (funcional Magnetic Reasonance Imagaing) at Yale University’s Child Study Center measured the impact of PRT pioneered by UCSB on both:

Folic Acid and Autism

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

A new study from Norway claims that women who took Folic acid before and in the beginning of their pregnancy are less likely to have children with autism. Lack of Folic acid has also been tied to brain and spinal cord birth defects. Dr. Pal Suren from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, who led the research

A Poem for All Autistics of The Earth

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Autistic or Artistic? Autistic?… Oh, you mean artistic, I know you are born holistic. Sometimes you turn ballistic, But your big heart is always humanistic. Honesty is your characteristic, And your nature is so authentic. I like you when you become adventuristic, It reminds me the impressionistics. Autistic?… Oh you meant artistic. by nadia shanab

Inspiring Autism Story

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Listen to Christian Woempner, and adult with autism, talking about his success story. He gives advice to parents of children newly diagnosed with autism, as well as younger people who just learned about their diagnosis. The unlocking of his speech has changed his life. He tells his story very briefly since he was a little

A Free Lecture on Autism at MIND Institute

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

The lecture will take place on Wednesday, February 13, at 4:30 pm at the MIND Institute auditorium at 2825   50th St., Sacramento, California. It is free for public and no reservations are needed. Read more about the lecture’s topics and the presenter Catherine Lord, director of the Center for autism and the Developing Brain.

World Autism Awareness Day Is April 2, 2013

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Being different doesn’t imply being inferior. It is okay to be different. If you are a new visitor to my blog, I say to you: “Welcome, you came here on the right time, because this is a special article dedicated to summarize the topic of autism and try to raise awareness and advocate for individuals