When to tell a child
Read more “When to tell a child”My four year-old child has just been diagnosed with high functioning autism. She knows that something is happening (doctor visits, tests, etc). How and when should she be told about her ASD?
Using an eye tracker in Autism Research
A key question for science to explore in the twenty-first century concerns the mechanisms that underlie social behaviour. How do we understand other people’s thoughts, beliefs and intentions? To what extent can our mental states and feelings be shared with other people? And how do we incorporate other people’s thoughts, feelings and beliefs into our mental world?
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Autism assistance dogs
Are Autism Assistance Dogs suitable for children of all ages?
When should an Autism Assistance Dog be introduced to a child with autism?
Answer:
These questions, coupled with an increase in interest by families in acquiring a dog for their child and Autism researchers attempting to assess the effectiveness of dogs in support of a child and family. However, it is not yet possible to conclusively state that assistance dogs (also called service dogs) are effective companion for an Autistic child, let alone make recommendations as to the desired characteristics and training of dogs or suitable child and family characteristics (e.g., child age, level of functioning, behavioural issues; family type and dynamics). This is because the studies published to date have many limitations.
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Infographic: Autism & Vaccines
The movement against vaccinations continues to make news with numerous articles across all media, and public health experts are required to continuously defend vaccinations.
This topic is not a theoretical one…it affects the lives and health of many.
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Diet changes for children
Read more “Diet changes for children”Have any studies have been done on diet change for children with ASD?
Are gluten and casein-free diets helpful as a treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder?
What is DAMP?
Could you please let me know where DAMP and Aspergers crossover, and where to find more info on DAMP?
Answer:
DAMP stands for Deficits in Attention, Motor Control and Perception. Put simply, it is a combination of features of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). ADHD is characterised by attention deficits, inappropriate overactivity, and problems with impulsiveness, while DCD is characterised by persistent motor control problems in absence of clear intellectual disability or cerebral palsy and other major neurological disabilities.
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Autistic children ‘hearing voices’
Read more “Autistic children ‘hearing voices’”A client with a child with autism reports that her son says that when he kicks and hits it is the voices in his brain telling him to do so. Is the hearing voices connected to autism?
Bilingual children
Can a child with autism manage using more than one language?
Answer:
At OTARC, we are very interested in exactly this question: Can Autistic children learn more than one language? If so, what can we reasonably expect for how well they will develop each language? If not, what is the best advice we can give to families where English is not the home language, or to families who use both English and another language (e.g., mum prefers to speak one language and dad prefers another)? And what is the impact on bilingual parents of attempting to use their non-native language when interacting with their Autistic child?
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Ask a Researcher – Should I use Melatonin to…
I have a 6-year-old daughter who has been diagnosed with ASD. I have received many recommendations from other parents regarding the use of melatonin to aid my daughter’s sleep. She is a typical ASD kid, who can be in bed by 8pm after the shower, reading, drink routine, but still active 3 hours later. Any advice you have would be appreciated.
Problems settling to sleep are very common in Autistic children. Each case is individual and needs individual assessment. Some recent research suggests that trouble getting to sleep may be related to anxiety or that children may have trouble stopping thoughts racing round their minds. That is, some Autistic children might be very anxious or simply highly aroused at bedtime.
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Fever & behaviour changes
Read more “Fever & behaviour changes”My daughter has just turned 8 and is severely affected by classic autism. She is non-verbal. Recently she had a fever and her behaviour changed dramatically. She wanted to be held, maintained eye contact for lengthy periods and most incredibly – spoke words very clearly! She said her brother’s name and repeatedly said “Mum”. I have to repeat how incredible this is as she is completely non-verbal. Please somebody research this phenomenon!