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...

Posts Tagged ‘parenting’

End-of-Year Checklist

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

This is the time of the year when most of us tend to look back and try to “evaluate” or “assess” the last twelve months’ achievements. Parents, don’t be harsh on yourself and on your child, we’re human. Before you blame yourself for not meeting all the goals you’ve set a year ago, ask yourself

No Two Individuals with Autism Are The Same

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Often times we see parents of children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) comparing their child to her peers. They assume that if a peer has been fully mainstreamed and their child is still struggling with one subject in mainstream, they would consider it a failure on their part as well as the child’s. The reason

Single Spray of Oxytocin Improves Brain Function

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

On December 2, Yale School of Medicine researchers pubished a research in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Science about a nasal spray that enhances the brain activity in individuals with autism. The spray containing the hormone Oxytocin was delivered via nasal spray. Oxytocin is naturally occuring hormone produced in the brain and throughout

Air Pollution Increases The Risk of Autism

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

A research from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California was recently published suggesting: “Children with both the risk of autism genotype and exposure to high air polluant levels were at increased risk of autism spectrum disorder compared to those without the risk genotype and lower air pollution exposure.” This study

Why Does My Child Repeat and Echo?

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Why do children with autism repeat and echo the questions they are asked? We agreed that the wiring of the brain in individuals with autism is different, compared to NTs (Neurotypically developed peers). Consequently, The processing or thinking speed of a child with autism is sometimes different. And while the child is trying to process/think

Success Story

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Yesterday I ran into a former student accompanied by his family, mother, father, and sister in a shopping mall. His mom was the one who gave me a pat on the shoulder coming from behind me. She looked at me with a big smile and sparkling eyes, full of joy and excitement, wondering if I

The Benefits of Playing Music on The Brain

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

Tip Give your child the opportunity to play a musical instrument at an early age. Help your child explore and experience the practice of playing music and look for her favorite instrument. It may take time to land on the perfect instrument that matches your child’s interest and needs. Be patient don’t give up. Why

Anecdote: Memory Problem or Sensory Issue

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

I used to work with a student who was obsessively writing letters, numbers, and symbols in the air using her index. I was so puzzled about this behavior, because it didn’t look appropriate in other poeple’s eyes. My idea was to help her use another medium to write on that looked more appropriate and channel

Beware of 3 Conditions Overlapping with Autism

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

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

How to Deal with Oppositional Defiant Behavior

By Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized

If you are expecting your child or students to consistently comply, obey, agree, and follow your directions every time you ask her, you must be dreaming. This is just so unrealistic. Whether your child/student is on the autism spectrum or not, it is unlikly that you’ll to be listened to all the time. Parents and