If your child has been diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s or Pervasive Developmental Disorder, you probably know that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) varies in its degrees and severity of symptoms. And while the general population tends to think of autism as a disorder that makes kids “good at math but bad at socializing,” that’s not always the case.
The truth is that ASD encompasses a variety of complex disorders of brain development. Symptoms manifest differently in each child, ranging from cognitive disabilities and struggles with social interaction, to difficulties with motor coordination and health issues, such as seizures, allergies, sleep disturbances and gastrointestinal problems. On the flip side, some children with ASD show exceptional skills in things like music, architecture, math and art. In fact, about 40 percent of people with autism have average to above-average intellectual abilities.*
While there’s no cure for autism, we now have medicine, technology and the brain’s plasticity on our side. Here are three things that research has shown can help increase the quality of life for people with autism.
- Treat the physical symptoms. Sleep disturbances, which are common among children with ASD, can cause attention problems. Seizures can manifest as aggressive behaviors and may contribute to learning difficulties and memory loss if not treated. Children with autism or other developmental disorders are 1.8 times more likely than children without developmental disabilities to have asthma; 1.6 times more likely to have skin allergies or eczema; 1.8 times more likely to have food allergies, and 2.2 times more likely to have chronic severe headaches.** And, perhaps most surprising, they are 3.5 times more likely to have chronic diarrhea or inflammation of the colon.** In addition to traditional medicine, natural approaches – such as melatonin, Omega-3 fatty acids, multivitamins, and diets free of gluten and casein (found in dairy) – have been found to relieve symptoms in many people. Once you begin to treat the physical symptoms, you can create a baseline of comfort to begin addressing the other concerns.
- Treat the behavioral problems. There are several early intervention behavioral therapies available, but the two that have been confirmed as beneficial by objective studies are the Lovaas Model (also called Discrete Trial Teaching or traditional ABA) and the Early Start Denver Model. At the core of most of the successful behavioral therapies is Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), which uses a three-step process to teach: an antecedent (e.g., a command or request); a resulting behavior (e.g., the child’s response or lack of response); and a consequence. Keys to any successful treatments will require consistency, patience and parental involvement.
- Treat the cognitive weaknesses. Children and teens with ASD benefit from cognitive skills training, or “brain training,” in two ways. First, one-on-one brain training takes place in a structured, positive environment in which they can thrive. Second, by strengthening the weakest cognitive skills that are commonly seen in children on the autism spectrum (short-term memory, processing speed, and logic & reasoning), there can be a significant improvement in their quality of life. In one study of students diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s or PDD, students moved up 20 to 30 points in auditory processing with an average percentile gain of 24 points in IQ and cognitive skills. Because personal brain training is customized for each child, it treats many developmental and learning problems at their source, instead of just focusing on the symptoms, whether your child has Asperger’s, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, or anything else on the autism spectrum. Best of all, the results are permanent, so they can take their stronger brain skills into adulthood.
To find out more about helping someone you love who is on the autism spectrum, visit www.AutismSpeaks.org. To find out more about how brain training can help, visit www.learningrx.com/center.
- SOURCE: AutismSpeaks.org
- ** U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention