The new DSM 5 is due this month (May 2013). It is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Three diagnosis will be removed: Aspergers Syndrome, PDD-NOS, and CDD. They will go under one diagnosis, autism. How is that going to affect parents, cliniacians, educators, advocates, and the children themselves with these conditions? Read the

As an educator, I try to keep the following two main goals as a top priority when working with spectrum kids. 1-TEACHING  INDEPENDENCE 2- DEVELOPING/ IMPROVING SOCIAL SKILLS Academics are very important to be taught. But life skills are most important. Children grow up very quickly. Time flies, and soon the elementary grader becomes a

Instead of saying the child is obsessed with a certain subject or an activity, we can call it an interest or area of strength. Things that we keep doing or repeating over and over are things that we can do well. For example practicing a sport, riding a bike, playing a game, reading in certain

According to “Autistica”, 24% of autistic children are non-verbal or minimally verbal. Researchers at the University of Bermingham, UK, supported by “Autistica” found that: 1- The learning of a language is tightly related to motor behaviors (like knocking a toy), and the imitation of facial experssions or gestures. The imitation of gestures and facial expressions

This is the biggest study of fetal growth and autism ever. Extreme, whether big or small, growth of the fetus in the womb can be a risk factor of developing autism. Babies weighing over 4.5 kg (9lb14) or under 2.5 kg (5.5lb) at birth showed higher incidence of autism. This isn’t related to whether the

Three recent studies show the benefits of an early diagnosis of autism. The new studies confirm what I have mentioned in my article autism-tips.com/?p=1251 based on my experience from working with kids with autism. Scientists can detect brain anomalies as early as six months old. At this young age the brain is still malleable and

Summer is around the corner! You are probably wondering what should you do with your child with ASD for two months or more! You are torn between two temptations: Should I let her rest, relax and forget about her daily routine? Or should I keep the strict school schedule going? This is what I think

What should you do if your child is bored in her/his school? Do you know why is she/he bored? Is the program too easy for her/him? In this case your child needs to change the current placement which needs to be discussed in the IEP meeting seriously with no delay. You definitely want your child

Here is one bright side of autism. Anecdote A student has difficulty spacing her words and numbers when writing. I keep telling her that her sentences and paragraphs looks like one single word of a string of letters. She also does the same with number. Her handwriting becomes almost illegible when all the letters and

The reason of defining autism by a “spectrum” is based on the fact that the condition can be manifested through diverse signs or behaviors and hundreds of combinations of these signs. We always say that there is no two autistic kids alike. We also say that if you have seen one autistic child you have