Variety is Good

Folks who have met our son or have heard me talk affectionately about him wonder how he is doing? Well, I am quick to remind them he is all boy, and actually he is pretty well. Growing. Talking more. Responding to therapy at a good and encouraging pace. He is a smart little man, and does not miss much. His autism does lead to certain behaviors, though.

His favorite foods are predictable lately. Almond butter and honey sandwiches. "Elmo" cookies. Oatmeal. Bananas. And lots of "drink." Helping him expand his food interests is something we're constantly working on. His tendency is to dial into one particular food item and stay there, having it often. We respond with alternatives. Left to his own devices, like many kids, he will default to the tried and true, the current fixation. Variety is a good thing, we tell him. He seems somewhat pliable in this, and that is a goood thing.

I think as adults we tend to do the same. Get into a rut, that daily routine offering us some predicatablity and comfort. And we probably need to mix things up a bit.

So next time you are driving to work, or school or just to the store...try a different route. Next meal, put something unusual into the mix. Try a new veggie. Drink that coffee black - or sugared up. Just stretch a bit.

Variety. Its a good thing.

Overcoming Autism: Temple Grandin

Autistic individuals think differently than other folks. This is a key concept for those of us with autistic kids, or those who work with such persons, to grasp. Dr. Temple Grandin helped me better understand the dynamics of this in a wonderful way.

Dr. Grandin recently was featured on National Public Radio. Opening sentences:

Because I have autism, I live by concrete rules instead of abstract beliefs. And because I have autism, I think in pictures and sounds. I don't have the ability to process abstract thought the way that you do. Here's how my brain works: It's like the search engine Google for images. If you say the word "love" to me, I'll surf the Internet inside my brain. Then, a series of images pops into my head. What I'll see, for example, is a picture of a mother horse with a foal, or I think of "Herbie the Lovebug," scenes from the movie Love Story or the Beatles song, "Love, love, love..."

Here's the entire NPR piece, audio and text.

Starting Points: Autism Checklist (CHAT) - II

Continuation (from 10 days ago) of a helpful "CHAT" list to assist in determining autistic tendencies in a child:

If you think your child may have autism, by all means be sure to see a professional who can assist in that determination. A child neurologist can be very helpful, and will be asking questions about the types and qualities of interactive behaviors from your son or daughter. This list is adapted from Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT), Simon Baron-Cohen, University of Cambridge:

10. During the appointment, has the child made eye contact with you? Yes / No

11. Get the child’s attention, then point across the room at an interesting object and say, “Oh look! There’s a (name a toy!” Watch the child’s face. Does the child look across to see what you are pointing at? * Yes / No

12. Get the child’s attention, and then give the child a miniature toy cup, teapot, and say, “Can you make a cup of tea?” Does the child pretend to pour out tea, drink it, etc.? ** Yes / No

13. Say to the child, “Where’s the light?” or “Show me the light”. Does the child point with his/her index finger at the light? *** Yes / No

14. Can the child build a tower of bricks? If so, how many? Yes / No

* To record Yes on this item, ensure the child has not simply looked at your hand, but has actually looked at the object you are pointing at.

** If you can elicit an example of pretending in some other game, score Yes on this item.

*** Repeat this with “Where’s the teddy?” or some other unreachable object if the child does not understand the word light. To record Yes on this item, the child must have looked up at your face around the time of pointing.

Implications: Three or more No responses would indicate a need for further assessment by an Autism specialist (see State criteria).

This CHAT list is a tool we used as we evaluated our son's condition. It was a remarkable exercise to go through, and we were, frankly, somewhat astonished at the number of "No" answers we gave.

Overcoming Autism: Bram Cohen

The San Francisco Chronicle reported a tech story - with a tie that should interest those of us with a child who has Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Success can come to those with autism!

Article here. Some key points:

If life were as straightforward as a Rubik's Cube, Bram Cohen could unravel it in about 90 seconds.

He can solve two Sudoko brainteasers during his 30-minute commute on the ferry between Marin and San Francisco. And he has earned a high score of 320 on Tringo, a combination of Tetris and Bingo.

Other puzzles aren't so easy to crack.

Relating to people can be difficult for Cohen, who has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that affects social skills. Unlike Sudoko or a Rubik's Cube, people don't always follow the same patterns. But Cohen has learned to read subtle body language and facial expressions. He practices making eye contact, detecting sarcasm and not taking it literally, and understanding other cues that are natural and automatic to most people.

The 30-year-old software prodigy is also trying to get to the bottom of a business puzzle: how to turn BitTorrent -- a tool he created four years ago that is available free online and can be used to distribute large files quickly through the Internet -- into a successful business.

BitTorrent has become the most popular peer-to-peer tool on the Web, more so than the music file-sharing site Napster in its heyday, according to BigChampagne, a research firm. It has nearly 70 million users...

...Cohen, a college dropout who was once fired from Kinko's for insubordination, is co-founder and chief executive officer of BitTorrent, a startup housed in a high-rise in San Francisco's Financial District.

Glad Cohen could compensate for his disorder with such great success!

911

So it was our second "911" call in a month about a boy who wandered off. He's barely three years old, and this time decided he'd take the dog for a walk...without our knowledge.

Heart attack as I realize he is gone, and we haven't seen him for at least 5-10 minutes. Scurry out the door. Look somewhat frantically all over the neighborhood. Juggle the cell phone, the sterring wheel, and the wipers - it was raining out.

Get some neighbors involved. They are looking.

Finally, after I called 911 and the dispatcher sent out a car or two, there he is. One of our neighbors spotted the dog. And the boy.

Many kids wander off. A parent feels terrible when that happens, but it is impossible to prevent, really. It is a bit more disturbing when the child has a disability like autism.

I say it often, and last week I was reminded of the truth of the matter. "Ah, never a dull moment."

Neurologist Visit Follow-Up

Last week's annual visit to our boy's neurologist went well. No big news to report...just that the Dr. thinks our son is progressing well. After a rather extensive discussion about our efforts at providing ABA therapy for him, and the apparent success of this approach to his autism, the physician suggested that coming back for future appointments is optional.

I guess that is good news!

"Styeady as she goes..."

Annual Neurologist Visit Tomorrow

It will be interesting to see how the discussion unfolds, and what the Dr. thinks about our boys progress. It really has been a remarkable year. Hoping for something good...

Starting Points: Autism Checklist (CHAT) - I

Let’s say you think your toddler has something not-quite-right about their behavior. He or she doesn’t interact well with others, lacks age-appropriate communication skills, and/or just seems to be in another world a lot of the time. Here are some questions to ask yourself, about your child. We found this to be a heelpful checklist, and there are other, similar lists available:

1. Does your child enjoy being swung, bounced on your knee, etc.? Yes / No

2. Does your child take an interest in other children? Yes / No

3. Does your child like climbing on things, such as up stairs? Yes / No

4. Does your child enjoy playing peek-a-boo or hide-n-seek? Yes / No

5. Does your child ever pretend, for example, to make a cup of tea using a toy cup and
teapot, or pretend other things? Yes / No

6. Does your child ever use his/her index finger to point, to ask for something? Yes / No

7. Does your child ever use his/her index finger to point, to indicate interest in something? Yes / No

8. Can your child play properly with small toys (e.g., cars or bricks) without just mouthing, fiddling, or dropping them? Yes / No

9. Does your child ever bring objects over to you (parent) to show you something? Yes / No

Of course, your answers to these questions will probably not reveal the totality of your child’s condition. But according to the author, three or more “No” responses would indicate a need for further assessment by an autism specialist.

Adapted from Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Simon Baron-Cohen, Department of experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, U.K.

Starting Points: Early Identification, II

One more quote to encourage you, to prompt you, to move you to be your kid's quarterback. To advocate for your child. To seek out confirmation of your suspicions that he or she has autism.

...our understanding of these children is growing, and
intensive integrated treatment approaches are helping many
children make extraordinary developmental progress, the
most remarkable of which is their ability to relate to others
with warmth, pleasure, empathy, and growing emotional
flexibility.

The longer such children remain uncommunicative, and the
more parents lose their sense of the child’s earlier
relatedness, the more deeply the children withdraw, and the
more perseverative and idiosyncratic they become.

M.D. Greenspan, Reconsidering the Diagnosis and Treatment of Very Young
Children with Autism Spectrum or Pervasive Development Disorder.

Get going. Your child will only benefit from a lot knowledge as you fast as you can gather it.

Starting Points: Early Identification, I

Why is early identification of autism important? Two quotes illustrate the significance of knowing as soon as possible that your child has autism. First, Dr. Isabelle Rapin, The Advocate:

Message number one is that you cannot predict outcome
in the pre-school years. Message number two is that
appropriate intervention in the pre-school years makes a big
difference in the outcome.

And then from B.J. Freeman, author of The Syndrome of Autism: Update and Guidelines for Diagnosis:

Differential and early diagnosis of autism are critical
because the prognosis for autistic children has changed
markedly since Kanner’s initial work. Identifying and
diagnosing autism early can provide access to appropriate
services that result in better prognosis. In addition, parents
benefit from having a label to put on their child’s problem.
It helps them understand why the child is having
difficulties and helps to focus treatment efforts.

If you suspect your child may have autistic tendencies, act now. Start researching. Talk to people. Read. Consult with medical and psychological professionals. Take charge. And don't give up!