There are three other conditions/diseases that may overlap with autism. Your child has been diagnosed with autism, but beware of other symptoms that may hide under the ASD ambrella. Epilepsy, Tourette Syndrome, and Mitocondrial Disease. The good new is that treatments administered to cure these conditions can also benefit your child with autism. 1-Is your

This is a summary of one of the sessions that I have attended at the Morgan Autism Center last September. The speaker, Jill Escher, narrates her own story of struggle and discoveries. She has 2 kids with “idiopathisc autism”. It is a very informative and eye-opening story that all parents should read. What causes autism

Watch an interview with Temple Grandin that inspires “hope”. She briefly touches on most aspects of autism. templegrandin.com/ nadia shanab

Individuals on the Autism Spectrum are known to be loners, anti-social, and have poor communication skills. Researchers found a corelation between a hormone that is tied to “bonding” called oxytocin, and the brain system that produce pleasure and motivation. This hormone is known as the “love” or “cuddle” chemical. Genetic changes in autistic children may

In a child development class I learned that a newborn’s brain has a huge number of connections between the cells (neurons). Imagine these connections forming a network. If some connections are more used than others (due to a heavy traffic on these communication lines), these pathways become well-established. The connections that are less used, get

It is a worldwide phenomena that the diagnosis with autism is on the rise, even in underdeveloped countries. What might the reason be? Diagnostic criteria are changing Screening tools have developed Increasing research on the topic Increased health services New environmental factors (pollution of air, oceans,…) Increased awareness of the condition Social factors I believe

The answer to this question depends mainly on the child’s level of awareness of herself, both socially and cognitively. Some high-functioning children already know that they have autism. They know their condition very well, and are able to describe it precisely. This category of children knows its strengths as well as its weaknesses. Moreover, they

The ratio of boys to girls diagnosed with autism is around four to one. Is that really true? Is research biased to diagnose boys and overlook girls? Are girls able to camouflage the signs of autism? Research found that: male and female brains are different anyway, male’s brain has more tissue volume girls with the

The way ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) has always been diagnosed, is based on the professionals’ (pediatrians, psychologists, psychiatirics, specialized therapists…) social interaction with the child. Then, the professional’s opinion supported by parents observations are usually the traditional way to give a child a diagnosis. This novel technology can provide a more accurate, objective, and early

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