autism – Page 7 – Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre

Autism in Girls

Studies at OTARC and elsewhere have shown that infants and toddlers show early signs of Autism, which can be observed from the first year of life. These are first characterized by a lack of attention to social stimuli, and usually progress into clearer Autism symptoms throughout toddlerhood and the preschool years (Clifford & Dissanayake, 2008). Similarly, studies investigating the early development of restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) in Autistic children have highlighted that certain RRBs are present in toddlerhood, with others becoming more evident over time (Leekam et al., 2011). These early signs are now used for the early identification of Autism in infants and toddlers.

Health and wellbeing

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.

SACS

Early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Why it’s important…

Since beginning research on the early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders back in 2005 as part of my PhD program, the Social Attention and Communication Study (SACS), I was often asked “What’s the point of identifying children at 2 years of age or younger if there are very few or no services for them?” You see, back in 2005, there wasn’t the Helping Children with Autism Package for families of children on the spectrum (aged 0 – 7), or intervention programs like the Early Start Denver Model – the first intervention model with strong empirical evidence for its effectiveness in Autistic infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. So, at this time, many families had to wait on long waiting lists for early intervention services, as long as 18 months in some cases, to receive a few hours a week of services! It was therefore difficult to convince some people, both in the public and private sectors, of the importance of early detection and subsequent intervention.

Health and wellbeing

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!

Educational and vocational engagement

School refusal

What can be done to help a school refuser?

Answer:

The situation that you describe sounds very difficult, and we wish we were in a position to provide specific practical advice. Our team at OTARC includes psychologists, speech pathologists, and parents who are familiar with the type of difficulties your son is experiencing. The problem, however, is that in our experience and as I am sure you would agree, there is rarely a simple fix in these situations. To be in a position to offer specific advice in your situation, we would need to learn a lot more about all of the factors that might be at play and also have capacity to help implement any suggestions or recommendations we might make. Our primary role here at the Centre is to conduct research aimed at improving the supports provided to Autistic children, adolescents, and adults, and our clinical work currently focuses on early diagnosis and supports in the early years.

Health and wellbeing

The Influence of Bedding and Sleep Hygiene Factors on…

Late last year 96 primary caregivers of 101 children aged 2 to 5 years (average age 4 years) participated in an anonymous survey titled ‘Bedding, Diet and Sleep in Children aged 2 to 5 Years’. The survey was funded by Australian Wool Innovation. The following is a summary of the main findings.

Health and wellbeing

Bound Together – Autism and Emotional Attachment

What is ‘secure emotional attachment’?

I was sitting at the doctor’s office when a mother walked in with her three year old girl. She had curly hair, rosy cheeks, and wore a fluffy pink dress with white laces. She caught my eye as she was moving away from her mum towards the toy box.

Autism in Girls

Ask a Researcher – Should I use Melatonin to…

Early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Why it’s important…

Fever & behaviour changes

School refusal

Answer:

The Influence of Bedding and Sleep Hygiene Factors on…

Bound Together – Autism and Emotional Attachment

What is ‘secure emotional attachment’?

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