P&G Open Minds

Tuesday May 31, 2011

Procter & Gamble Malaysia fulfils promise to set up facilities for special kids

Procter & Gamble Malaysia (P&G), which had pledged to contribute multi-sensory therapy facilities at Community Rehabi-litation Centres (PDK) nationwide, recently announced that it has accomplished its mission.

“The project has come to completion with multi-sensory facilities built throughout Malaysia,” said P&G Malaysia and Singapore CEO Ellie Xie.

Starting from 2009, P&G through its CSR initiative Open Minds, has pledged to contribute a total of RM1mil to benefit the education needs of special children in Malaysia.

The funds were to be used to equip community rehabilitation centres nationwide with multi-sensory therapy facilities.

“For more than a decade now, Open Minds has provided special children all over Malaysia with tangible educational resources, such as the multi-sensory room, to help improve their lives.

Reason to celebrate: P&G vice-president of external relations in Asia Erik Jonnaert (right) teaching a special child how to clap as Shahrizat and Xie look on.

“From the start, we recognised the challenge to complete such an ambitious project and we know we needed a strong partner.

“We turned to the Welfare Department and its well-established network of PDKs nationwide. Our long-standing partnership with them, the National Welfare Foundation and full support from the Women, Family & Community Development Ministry, was key to the initiative’s success,” she said.

A ceremony to mark the handover of the 50th multi-sensory therapy facility was held at the PDK in Kem Perdana Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur recently.

Present at the event was Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Shahrizat lauded P&G’s continued commitment to special children through the Open Minds initiative.

“P&G’s contribution of multi-sensory facilities within PDKs in every state in Malaysia has clearly enhanced the educational support we are able to extend to special children. We hope that our strategic alliance and fruitful partnership with Open Minds will continue to benefit the needs of special children, for a long time to come,” she said as she was taken through the newly built multi-sensory facilities by the PDK’s caregivers.

The therapy rooms provide multi-sensory stimulation for children with learning disabilities in a soothing environment. The rooms are also specially designed to deliver stimuli like lighting effects, colour and sounds to the various senses.

“Besides building the multi-sensory rooms, we also organised a training session for the PDK teachers in October last year to ensure that they are able to fully utilise the rooms and maximise the impact it will have on the special children,” added Xie.

The P&G Open Minds programme is part of P&G’s Live, Learn and Thrive global corporate cause that focuses the philanthropic efforts of P&G’s brands, employees and corporate foundation on improving life for children in need, from infancy to 13-years-old.

In Malaysia, Open Minds continues to focus on helping and improving the future of special children by providing the special education and facilities they require to Live, Learn and Thrive.

Since its inception in 1999, Open Minds has reached out and touched the lives of over 8000 special children through various projects and campaigns.

For more information about Open Minds, visit www.openminds.my

TYPES OF EPILEPSY

To understand epilepsy and seizures, familiarize yourself with the major types as well as epilepsy signs and symptoms. We’ve got basic information

Symptoms
Epilepsy Seizure Symptoms
Learn the warning signs that someone is having a seizure.

Types
Types of Epilepsy
There are several types of epilepsy, each with different causes, symptoms and treatments. Learn about idiopathic epilepsy, symptomatic epilepsy, and other types.

Types of Seizures
Six types of seizures are most common. Learn the symptoms of myoclonic seizures.

Complications
Epilepsy and Women’s Health
Epilepsy and pregnancy are a concern for women. Here’s what you should know.

Epilepsy Medications & Side Effects
Each epilepsy drug has potential side effects, including fetal abnormalities and gum problems.



TREATMENT

Knowing what to do when a person is having a seizure is an important part of treatment. But taking a longer view, the real objective of treating epilepsy is to stop seizures or control them as best as possible, and to help people with seizures to lead a full and unrestricted life according to their own wishes.

"No seizures, no side effects" is the motto for epilepsy treatment. Not every person will achieve that goal right now, but with more research more will achieve it each year. Many people may have the possibility of achieving better seizure control right now, but haven't gotten the help they need. While seizure medicines are the mainstay of epilepsy treatment, there are other approaches to think about too.

Here you'll find information about treating seizures and epilepsy. Start with the sections on Quality Measures, which gives an overview of what you can expect from your primary care physician or general neurologist when you have just been diagnosed or after you have already started treatment. Then go on to the basics at Treatment 101, followed by what to do if seizures don't stop and how to develop your health care team. Print this out to read, send it to a friend, and know that epilepsy.com is here to help.

Cerebral palsy treatment is a diverse field of study. With each case being as unique as the individual it affects, the type of cerebral palsy treatment a patient requires will vary from person to person. With over 800,000 children and adults in the United States alone affected by some type of cerebral palsy, an additional 8,000 children will be diagnosed each year. The diagnosis of new cerebral palsy patients is growing every year.

The focus of cerebral palsy treatment is on the individual reaching the highest level of independence. Accomplishing this level of independence will relieve stress on both the patient and the caregivers. Individualized plans for cerebral palsy treatment are based on the patient’s needs and problems. A multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals involved with patients, families, teachers, and caregivers can develop a plan in all phases of planning, decision- making, and treatment.

One of the mainstay therapies for cerebral palsy treatment is physical therapy. Physical therapy is used to decrease spasticity, strengthen underlying muscles, and teach proper or functional motor patterns. The family and caregivers can be taught by the physical therapist how to help the patients to help themselves.

A cerebral palsy treatment that is used for fine motor skills and daily living activities is known as occupational therapy. Occupational therapy is used much in the same way as physical therapy, primarily focusing on the hands and arms.

Another cerebral palsy treatment is exercise therapy, which can greatly enhance the mindset of the patient and give them a great sense of accomplishment. Whether indoor or outdoor, exercise increases the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain and can alleviate stress. Swimming can be quite beneficial during cerebral palsy treatment, preferably in a warmer than average pool. Movements performed in water will be easier and more effective at exercising muscles. Recreational therapists are available to teach your child how to swim, which for some patients may be their only mobility.

Hippotherapy, also known as horseback riding, involves specially trained physical and occupational therapists in treatment for patients with movement dysfunction. The horse’s movements benefit the patient and they can bond with the animal as well. Hippotherapy uses the influence of the horse over the patient, rather than the patient controlling the horse. This strategy is used as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional outcomes in cerebral palsy treatment.

Throat and tongue muscles may be affected as well, so speech and language therapy is available as a cerebral palsy treatment as well. Speech and language therapy is used for spoken and alternative types of communication, such as sign language or computers.

Therapeutic electrical stimulation (TES) is another cerebral palsy treatment, which is administered at night while the patient sleeps. The TES treatment has been proven to add more muscle fiber, but exercise and therapy must be used to teach the patient what to do with the newly strengthened muscle tissue.

A relatively new cerebral palsy treatment is the use of Botox, usually associated with wrinkle reduction in cosmetic surgery. Botox can be used effectively to reduce spasticity in muscles during cerebral palsy treatment. New studies also show that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO), during which pure oxygen in circulated in a pressurized tank, can restore function to nerve cells that border the area of brain damage, rejuvenating them to a functional degree.

Due to the specialization of these cerebral palsy treatments, all of these treatments are not available everywhere. These different types of cerebral palsy treatments are not necessarily going to be effective in each and every case of cerebral palsy treatment. Consult with your doctors and therapists, talk to people who have tried the treatment, and do your own research as well before deciding what cerebral palsy treatment is right for your child. With such a variety of cerebral palsy treatments, there is bound to be at least one than will enhance your child's life.

Galloping for a great cause

by ROGER HARRISON | ARAB NEWS
Published: May 29, 2011 00:44 Updated: May 29, 2011 00:44

JEDDAH: UK Ambassador Sir Tom Philips and Lady Anne Philips presented awards for committed service to the volunteers and staff at the annual Open Skies “Thank You” gathering at Al-Aseel Equestrian Center in Jeddah on Friday.

Abdul Khaliq Saeed, board member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and staunch supporter of Open Skies, was guest of honor.

The awards marked the efforts of the volunteers to help disabled children improve their lives both physically and mentally through therapeutic horse riding under carefully monitored conditions.

The guests were given a short demonstration by two children who have, over their years of attending the group, improved their motor skills and acuity of the techniques used during therapy enormously.

In recognition of the services provided by the eight horses, which the children ride, each was given its own award by Anne — a keen horsewoman.

Philips’ reaction to his first visit to the group’s activities was one of delight. “It’s wonderful, superb! Seeing the two children on the horses, the volunteers and the incredible support network and the number of people helping so generously with their time is a very moving experience.” He added that it was not simply a British community, but a “very moving demonstration of whole community support.” The volunteer group consists of helpers drawn from more than 10 nationalities.

Founder and organizer of Open Skies, Judy Houry thanked the volunteers, which include the UK Consul General Kate Rudd who attended the celebration, and baccalaureate students from the British International School in Jeddah, for their support.

“I would like to impress on you all that we receive a constant stream of thanks from the parents of all our riders,” she said. Houry said there were now 50 riders, many of whom Saudi, who regularly attended the riding sessions. “We are now receiving requests from hospitals and private enquiries and in the near future hope to be working with autistic riders as the word spreads.”

Open to all, Open Skies bases its therapeutic riding on the long known yet not fully understood relationship between horse and human. The effects and biology of the therapy is well understood, as the use of the rhythmic movement of a horse improves both head and trunk stability and upper extremity function in children with, for example, cerebral palsy. In 2008 researchers from the Washington University Program in Occupational Therapy established a causal link that put the therapy’s effectiveness beyond doubt.

Houry thinks that a vital part and unquantifiable element of the therapy is the almost spiritual relationship that develops between the rider and his mount.

“In a wheel chair everything has to be done for you and you look up the whole time,” she explained. “On a horse, your view of the world changes — you have to control yourself and the animal — you are in command to stay aboard and you are looking down on the world. The child or adult on the horse is suddenly doing something that his brothers and sisters can’t do and they encounter self respect at last.”

Nutrition of Love- 29th May 2011

Delicious soup of assorted vegetables with generous amount of tender minced meat cook to saliva and snort drooling delight is what the kids expect every Sunday. April as usual doesn't disappoint. Now, what's the other dish there? When the lid was removed, the aromatic fragrant of 'Mui Choy Kau Yuk' wafted across the porch. Heads turned and nostrils flared. All homing in on the source of culinary seduction. Even Zaitun's tummy growled and churned with approval. 'I don't mind having a spoonful just to tease my tastebuds ..' must have drifted through her mind. Think I'm exaggerating? Watch the video @ 01:22 till 02:00 and see Khai Hong practically licking his plate to a mirror finish !

F&N Sensory Integration Room in SK TTDI 2

Saturday May 28, 2011

Special kids get some help

FOR THE 68 special needs students at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Dr Ismail (SK TTDI) 2, the future seems brighter thanks to the brand new F&N Sensory Integration Room.

The room, which cost RM100,000, was donated by F&N Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd and has already begun to bear fruit.

“We have made three groups of people happy with this gesture.

“While the Sensory Integration Room was supposed to help the special needs children, it is also helping the facilitators and the parents,” F&N Beverages national corporate affairs manager Datuk Kamal Harun said.

He added that most children with special needs are diagnosed late and, as such, had to endure harsh labels such as “slow” and “trouble-maker” because of their disruptive behaviour and lack of concentration in class.

Reaching out: Tengku Syed Badarudin (second from right) and F&N Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd human capital and corporate affairs general manager Simon Sim (right) having a chat with one of the special needs pupils.

“Every child deserves a proper education regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with autism, ADHD or other learning disabilities.

“We hope that by expanding the F&N Sensory Integration Room effort, this issue will get sufficient attention and increase the awareness of Malaysians on children with special needs,” Kamal added.

This is the second F&N Sensory Integration Room to be opened in as many years. The centre will provide the special needs students with the latest apparatus and tools needed for sensory integration therapy.

The room comes equipped with a platform swing, a flexidisc, protective mats, a target panel, a resistance tunnel, a trampoline, a rope wall ladder and several other interesting equipment.

Though it may look like a playground, each tool has a distinctive purpose in fostering sensory integration.

These equipment have been shown to increase spatial awareness, concentration, relaxation and alertness while stimulating sensorial experiences which help the brain organise and interpret information.

SK TTDI 2 headmistress Maznon Mohd Sidin said classroom teaching alone was inadequate for these children as they needed extra guidance to cope with their lessons and boost their concentration.

“The Sensory Integration Room gives our teachers and facilitators the tools to do so and, more importantly, we can now cater to the needs of these students without having to leave the school grounds,” she said.

Last year, F&N Beverages invested more than RM80,000 to set up the first F&N Sensory Integration Room at Sekolah Kebangsaan SS 19, Subang Jaya which has proven beneficial in improving the social, community, motor and academic skills of the 30 special needs children at the school.

The success at SK SS19 Subang Jaya has spurred the beverage company on to this second venture.

F&N Beverages will conduct periodical check-ups every six months over the next two years to monitor and ascertain the progress of the students based on their individual requirements and achievements.

“We are extremely happy that F&N Beverages selected our school. I only hope they will continue their good works so that more schools and special needs children in Malaysia can benefit,” Maznon said.

The second F&N Sensory Integration Room was officially opened by Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd chairman Tengku Syed Badarudin Jamalullail.

New study examines effectiveness of traditional & non traditional seizure treatment for ASD

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A portion of the funding from this study was provided by ARI
New study examines effectiveness of traditional & non-traditional seizure treatments for ASD

A study published in this month's BMC Pediatrics provides insight into which traditional and non-traditional medical treatments are potentially most beneficial for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and seizures.

Richard E. Frye, MD, PhD from the University of Texas in Houston and James B. Adams, PhD from the Arizona State University in Tempe surveyed 733 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and seizures, epilepsy, and/or sub-clinical seizure-like brain activity in order to rate the effectiveness of 25 traditional and 20 non-traditional medical treatments for seizures. The survey also assessed the effect of those treatments on other symptoms (sleep, communication, behavior, attention and mood), and side effects.

Overall, anti-epileptic drugs were reported by parents to improve seizures but worsen other symptoms, while non-antiepileptic drugs were perceived to improve other symptoms without improving seizures to the same extent as the anti-epileptic drugs. Four anti-epileptic drugs, valproic acid, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, and ethosuximide, were reported to improve seizures the most, and, in general, they showed little positive or negative effect on other symptoms. Certain traditional non-anti-epileptic drug treatments, particularly the ketogenic diet, were perceived to improve both seizures and other symptoms.

Dr. Frye concludes, "The information gained from this study will help physicians more effectively manage children with autism spectrum disorder and seizures." Dr. Adams states: "This study suggests that several non-traditional treatments, such as special diets (ketogenic, Atkins, and gluten-free, casein-free), are worth further investigation as adjunct treatments for treating seizures."

Roughly 25 to 35 percent of individuals with autism eventually develop seizures - and many of the remainder have sub-clinical seizure-like brain activity; however, little is known about which treatments are effective for the ASD population.

Learn More - Read the complete study in BMC Pediatrics

Story of an Adult Aspergers Autistic

My Story | Services | Speaking Arrangements | FAQ | Why I do autism work

Born in Singapore, Eric Chen was an odd boy who did not know what it was like to be human. Sleepwalking through life, he had no idea what feelings and human relationships are. Stuck in his private world, he did not understand the concept of communications and could only repeat what other people asked him.

When he became older, he spent most of his time collecting facts in order to understand the confusion surrounding him. He prided himself on being rational in an irrational world where he was frequently bullied and ostracized by everyone else.

After his formal diagnosis of autism in 2001, he was relieved to know of the reason for his differences. Yet his loneliness and disgust of being human remained: he continued to struggle day after day, living in a world devoid of meaning and joy.

He successfully graduated from the mainstream educational system to obtain a Diploma in Logistics. He was then reluctantly drafted into the Singapore Army just as he discovered spiritual philosophy, which opened his mind to the deeper purpose of human existence.

With the help of his forgiving colleagues and his exploration of emotional releasing techniques, he was able to reconnect with the human race and find meaning in his human life. A new dimension of emotions and social interaction opened up to him. Inspired to share his personal experience of autism with the world, he wrote “Mirror Mind” and “Autism & Self Improvement” to unveil the mystery of autism.

Eric believes in giving back to the world. He created iautistic.com and shared his experiences in Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Macau. He is working full-time right now and aspires to help Humanity live meaningfully.

Teddy bears + friends in support of Nasom

Tuesday May 24, 2011

Teddy bears get a day out in the name of charity

THE Teddy Bear & Friends Day Out on June 12, organised by Suria KLCC, gives children the chance to have a day out with their parents and other children while playing a part to help children with autism.

“The event is an annual programme that provides an opportunity for the young ones to form new friendships, get physically and mentally active, spend quality time with their parents, and learn that they too can make a difference in the lives of other children,” Suria KLCC PR and communications manager Fartini Zaharuddin said.

“This year, children from the National Autistic Society of Malaysia (Nasom) will also be participating in indoor games.

“This will give them a chance to interact with other children and have some fun,” she added.
Out in the sun: Participants from last year’s event enjoying the great outdoors.

The event, which is themed “Adventure Land, Safari Jungle”, will kick off with a treasure hunt in KLCC Park where the children will be challenged physically and mentally.

“Participants will be required to carry their plush toys throughout the hunt.

“After completing the hunt, the children will proceed to the KL Convention Centre for activities such as sand art, face painting, a pumpkin patch colouring contest and a fridge magnet workshop,” said Fartini.

Parents who would like to sign up their children for the Teddy Bear & Friends Day Out programme can purchase tickets at Suria KLCC concierge counter on ground level.

Tickets are priced at RM35 and all proceeds will be channelled to Nasom.

Parents are welcome to join their children in the treasure hunt and indoor games at no charge.

Nasom is a non-profit organisation formed in 1986 by a group of parents and professionals with the aim of delivering life-long services to people suffering from autism.

The Teddy Bear and Friends Day Out is supported by retail partners including 1901, Crabtree & Evelyn, Dome, Faber Castell, Famous Amos, Juice Works, Kinokuniya Bookstores, La Cucur, Memory Lane, Nando’s, Poney, O’ Briens Irish Sandwich Café, Pumpkin Patch, Toys R’ Us and prominent pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.

For details, visit www.suriaklcc.com.my or facebook.com/suriaklccmall or call the concierge counter at 03-2382 2828.

Monday May 23, 2011

Elephant therapy for autistic kids

By DENIS D. GRAY

Woven into the fabric of Thai culture and familiar to children since birth, elephants are now used in a therapy programme for autistic kids.

KUK-KIK Kraisiri, a 14-year-old boy, punctuates his few, slurred words with yelps. Kong Jatjeeng screams and bites his fingers when he can’t figure out how much to pay for bananas. Other children freeze mid-motion, fix their gazes on minute objects and withdraw.

Enter Nua Un and Prathida – two gentle, lively and clever female elephants – and the mood among the autistic teenagers in Thailand changes as they begin their therapy, the world’s first using these charismatic animals.

A group game involving the good-natured elephant gathering and offering sticks with its trunk.

They scrub and soap their bristly hides, play ball games with the well-trained pachyderms and ride them bareback, smiling.

“Chang, chang (elephant, elephant). Children, have you ever seen an elephant?” the group sings, clapping hands to the traditional Thai nursery tune and hugging the elephants’ trunks. Nua Un bobs her head and sways.

Everyone cheers in a rousing climax to another day in this programme in the forests of northern Thailand, which seeks to help autistic children through interaction with elephants.

Animal therapy for people with developmental disabilities – notably using dolphins, dogs and horses – is not new, and has provoked scepticism, especially in connection with expensive swimming-with-dolphins programmes. But some anecdotal evidence and studies have shown positive results.

Wittaya Khem-nguad, the elephant project’s founder, says parents “see improvements after the elephant therapy and that gives them this hope.”

Head of occupational therapy department Nuntanee Satiansukpong (in white), riding Nua Un, with one of the autistic children. ‘Elephants provide the rich, attention-grabbing sensory menu beneficial to the autistic,’ she says.

A small preliminary observation found improvements among four boys after three weeks of elephant therapy, but more research with larger samples is needed, says Rebecca Johnson, who heads the Research Centre for Human Animal Interaction at the University of Missouri. A presentation on the Thai programme was recently made at the school’s Thompson Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Autism is incurable but therapy and medication can improve speech, learning and social problems, and reduce behaviour like tantrums.

Elephants have lost their traditional roles in Thailand as trucks, teak loggers and battle tanks. Wittaya, who gave up a career in advertising to work with elephants, started the project as a way to help the endangered animals regain their usefulness.

After reading about horse-riding therapy, he approached Chiang Mai University, where Nuntanee Satiansukpong, head of its occupational therapy department, suggested elephants might help those with autism.

Elephants, she says, provide the rich, attention-grabbing “sensory menu” beneficial to the autistic, while the animals’ intelligence and other traits allow for a wide range of interactions with humans. Additionally, elephants are woven into the fabric of Thai culture, familiar to children since birth.

Nuntanee worked out six key activities for the therapy sessions with her staff. Then they went to the government-run Thai Elephant Conservation Centre near the northern city of Lampang, where the sessions take place in a forested clearing.

Each activity is designed to improve specific skills. The children learn to follow step-by-step instructions by drawing up shopping lists and buying food for the elephants – bananas, sugar cane, corn, sunflower seeds – at a mock store with real money. If the elephant rejects the food, they return to the store for an alternative, which teaches flexibility.

Bathing the pachyderm can help the children overcome the aversion to sticky and rough textures.

Feeding the animals and brushing seven-year-old Nua Un when she obligingly lies on her side for a bath can help the kids overcome an aversion to sticky and rough textures.

Playing games, with the elephants kicking and offering balls with their trunks, fosters group activities. Riding, besides sheer fun, requires specific sequences of mounting and commanding while addressing poor balance and posture.

And elephant-themed art activities – painting and making mobiles, paper lanterns and mosaics – spark the imagination.

“The elephant is such a big stimulus it can keep the attention of an individual longer. And since it is such a wonderful animal, bonding can occur,” says Nuntanee. “If we can drag the children out of their own world, they will be better,” she adds.

But throughout the day, some of the participants regress. Kuk-kik refuses to take part in a game, abruptly squatting down to bang two stones together and poke the earth with a stick. Kong erupts in screams after a stray brush stroke. A third teen tears his paper lantern to shreds because he cannot puncture holes for stringing it up, then sobs.

The parents, who accompany their children to the elephant centre, have asked for the free therapy to be continuous, but Nuntanee says that with limited funding, only eight-day sessions are offered.

Kuk-kik’s mother Saithong says her son doesn’t usually “join activities with other people. He would be by himself. This is the first time he is not.”

Kong’s mother Keesorn said the therapy helps make her son more patient, gentler and willing to share.

But she added: “His mood changes every day. He lives in his own world. We will have to take care of him for the rest of our lives.” – AP

Auditory Processing Problems in Autism

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Auditory Processing Problems in Autism

Written by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.

Autistic individuals typically have problems processing auditory information. One auditory processing problem occurs when a person hears speech sounds but he/she does not perceive the meaning of the sounds. For example, if someone says the word ‘shoe,’ the person may hear the speech sound, but he/she does not understand the meaning of the sound. Sometimes the lack of speech comprehension is interpreted by others as an unwillingness to comply.

However, the person may not be able to retrieve the meaning of the sound at that particular time.

Eric Courchesne of the University of California at San Diego has found significant impairments in auditory processing in autistic individuals using P300 brain wave technology (see Courchesne, 1987 for a review). The P300 brain wave occurs 300 milli-seconds after the presentation of a stimulus. (The ‘P’ refers to the positive polarity of the brain wave.) The P300 is associated with cognitive processing, and this brain wave is considered an indication of long-term memory retrieval (Donchin, Ritter, & McCallum, 1978). Edelson et al. (1999) examined auditory P300 activity prior to and three months following auditory integration training (AIT). Three autistic individuals participated in the experimental AIT group and two autistic individuals participated in a placebo group. Prior to AIT, all five individuals had abnormal auditory P300 activity, indicating an auditory processing problem. Three months following AIT, the results showed dramatic improvement in P300 activity for those who received AIT (i.e., a normalization of P300 activity) and found no change in those who received the placebo.

We do not know the underlying reason for auditory processing problems in autism; however, autopsy research by Drs. Bauman and Kemper have shown that an area in the limbic system, the hippocampus, is neurologically immature in autistic individuals (Bauman & Kemper, 1994). The hippocampus is responsible for sensory input as well as learning and memory. Basically, information is transferred from the senses to the hippocampus, where it is processed and then transferred to areas of the cerebral cortex for long-term storage. Since auditory information is processed in the hippocampus, the information may not be properly transferred to long-term memory in autistic individuals.

Auditory processing problems may also be linked to several autistic characteristics. Autism is sometimes described as a social-communication problem. Processing auditory information is a critical component of social-communication. Other characteristics that may be associated with auditory processing problems include: anxiety or confusion in social situations, inattentiveness, and poor speech comprehension.

Interestingly, those individuals who do not have auditory processing problems are often ‘auditory learners.’ These children do very well using the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) approach, whereas those who are visual learners do not do as well with this approach (McEachin, Smith and Lovaas, 1993). Given this, one might suspect that many visual learners have auditory processing problems and that visual learners will do quite well with a visual communication/instruction approach. It is also possible to provide visual support with ABA programs that have an auditory component. In this way, the visual learner can process the auditory information more easily.

The better autistic children understand auditory information, the better they can comprehend their environment, both socially and academically. The better we understand the autistic child, the better we can develop ways to intervene in an effective manner.

References

Bauman, M.L., & Kemper, T.L. (1994). Neuroanatomic observations of the brain in autism. In M.L. Bauman & T.L. Kemper (Eds.), The neurobiology of autism. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP.

Courchesne, E. (1987). A neurophysiological view of autism. In E. Schopler & G.B. Mesibov (Eds.), Neurological issues in autism. New York: Plenum Press.

Donchin, E., Ritter, W., & McCallum, W.C. (1978). Cognitive psychophysiology: The endogenous components of the ERP. In E. Callaway, P. Tueting, & S. Koslow (Eds.), Event-related brain potentials in man. New York: Academic Press.

Edelson, S.M., Arin, D., Bauman, M., Lukas, S.E., Rudy, J.H., Sholar, M., & Rimland, B. (1999). Auditory integration training: A double-blind study of behavioral, electrophysiological, and audiometric effects in autistic subjects. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 14, 73-81.

McEachin, J.J., Smith, T., & Lovaas, O.I. (1993). Long-term outcome for children with autism who received early intensive behavioral treatment. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 97, 359-372.

Frequently Asked Questions about Autism

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Temple Grandin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

How do I know if my child has problems with sensory over sensitivity?

Sounds or visual stimuli that are tolerated by normal children may cause pain, confusion and/or fear in some autistic children. Sensory over sensitivity can vary from very slight to severe. If your child frequently puts his hands over his ears, this is an indicator of sensitivity to noise. Children who flick their fingers in front of their eyes are likely to have visual sensitivity problems. Children who enjoy a trip to a large super-market or a shopping mall usually have relatively mild sensory sensitivities. Autistic children with severe sensory sensitivities will often have tantrums and other bad behavior in a shopping mall due to sensory overload. These children are the ones who will most likely need environmental modifications in the classroom. Older children and adults, who remain nonverbal and have very little language, often have more severe sensitivities than individuals with good language. Children with auditory or visual sensitivity will often have normal hearing and visual acuity tests. The problem is in the brain, whereas the ears and eyes are normal.

What sights and sounds are most likely to cause sensory overload or confusion in the classroom?

Every autistic child or adult is different. A sound or sight, which is painful to one autistic child, may be attractive to another. The flicker of fluorescent lighting can be seen by some children with autism and may be distracting to them. It is mostly likely to cause sensory overload in children who flick their fingers in front of their eyes. Replacing fluorescents with incandescent bulbs will be helpful for some children. Many children with autism are scared of the public address system, the school bells or the fire alarms, because the sound hurts their ears. Screeching electronic feedback from public address systems or the sound of fire alarms are the worst sounds because the onset of the sound canNOT be predicted. Children with milder hearing sensitivity can sometimes learn to tolerate hurtful sounds when they know when they will occur. However, they may NEVER learn to tolerate UNexpected loud noise. Autistic children with severe hearing sensitivity should be removed from the classroom prior to a fire drill. The fear of a hurtful sound may make an autistic child fearful of a certain classroom. He may become afraid to go into the room because he fears that the fire alarm or the public address systems may make a hurtful sound. If possible, the buzzes or bell should be modified to reduce the sound. Sometimes only a slight reduction in sound is required to make a buzzer or bell tolerable. Duct tape can be applied to bells to soften the sounds. If the public address system has frequent feedback problems, it should be disconnected.

Echoes and noise can be reduced by installing carpeting -- carpet remnants can sometimes be obtained from a carpet store at a low cost. Scraping of chair legs on the floor can be muffled by placing cut tennis balls on the chair legs.

Why does my child avoid certain foods or always want to eat the same thing?

Certain foods may be avoided due to sensory over sensitivity. Crunchy foods such as potato chips may be too loud and sound like a raging forest fire to children with over sensitive hearing. Certain odors may be overpowering. When I was a child I gagged when I had to eat slimy foods like jello. However, some limited food preferences may be bad habits and are not due to sensory problems. One has to be a careful observer to figure out which foods cause sensory pain. For example, if a child has extreme sound sensitivity, he should not be required to eat loud, crunchy foods; but he should be encouraged to eat a variety of softer foods. When I was a child my parents made me eat everything except the two things which really made me gag. They were under-cooked slimy egg whites and jello. I was allowed to have a grilled cheese sandwich everyday for lunch, but at dinnertime I was expected to eat everything that was not slimy.

To motivate a child to eat something he does not like, it is recommended to have a food he really likes such as pizza right in front of him along with the food he dislikes. He is then told that he can have the pizza after he eats a few bites of peas. It is important to have the pizza right there in front of him to motivate eating something he does not like.

How do I toilet train my autistic child?

There are two major causes of toilet training problems in children with autism. They are either afraid of the toilet or they do not know what they are supposed to do. Children with severe hearing sensitivity may be terrified of the toilet flushing. The sound may hurt their ears. Sometimes these children can learn if they use a potty chair which is located away from the frightening toilet. Due to the great variability of sensory problems, some children may like to repeatedly flush the toilet but they are still not trained. The thinking of some autistic children is so concrete that the only way they can learn is to have an adult demonstrate to them how to use the toilet. They have to see someone else do it in order to learn. Some children with very severe sensory processing problems are not able to accurately sense when they need to use the bathroom. If they are calm they may be able to feel the sensation that they need to urinate or defecate, but if they experience sensory overload they cannot feel it. This may explain why a child will sometimes use the toilet correctly, and other times he will not.

Why do some autistic children repeat back what an adult has said or sing TV commercials?

Repeating back what has been said, or being able to sing an entire TV commercial or children's video is called 'echolalia.' Echolalia is actually a good sign because it indicates that the child's brain is processing language even though he may not be understanding the meaning of the words. These children need to learn that words are used for communication. If a child says the word 'apple,' immediately give him an apple. This will enable the child to associate the word 'apple' with getting a real apple. Some autistic children use phrases from TV commercials or children's videos in an appropriate manner in other situations. This is how they learn language. For example, if a child says part of a breakfast cereal slogan at breakfast, give him the cereal.

Autistic children also use echolalia to verify what has been said. Some children have difficulty hearing hard consonant sounds such as "d" in dog or "b" in boy. Repeating the phrase helps them to hear it. Children who pass a pure tone hearing test can still have difficulty hearing complex speech sounds. Children with this difficulty may learn to read and speak by using flash cards that have both a printed word and a picture of an object. By using these cards they learn to associate the spoken word with the printed word and a picture. My speech therapist helped me to learn to hear speech by lengthening hard consonant sounds. She would hold up a ball and say "bbbb all." The hard consonant sound of "b" was lengthened. Some autistic children learn vowel sounds more easily than consonants.

How should educators and parents handle autistic fixations on things such as lawn mowers or trains?

Fixations should be used to motivate schoolwork and education. If a child is fixated on trains, use his interest in trains to motivate reading or learning arithmetic. Have him read about trains or do arithmetic problems with trains. The intense interest in trains can be used to motivate reading. It is a mistake to take fixations away, but the child needs to learn that there are some situations when talking about trains is not appropriate.

The idea is to broaden the fixation into a less fixated educational or social activity. If a child likes to spin a penny then start playing a game with the child where you and the child take turns playing with the penny. This also helps to teach turn taking. A train fixation could be broadened in studying history. A high-functioning child would be motivated to read a book about the history of the railroad. One should build and broaden fixation into useful activities. My career in livestock equipment design started as a fixation on cattle chutes. My high school science teacher encouraged me to study science to learn more about my fixation.

High functioning autistic and Asperger teenagers need mentors to help them develop their talents into a career skill. They need somebody to teach them computer programming or graphic arts. A local computer professional could serve as a mentor or the individual may be able to take a programming class at a community college. Many parents wonder where they can find a mentor for their teenager. Try posting a notice on a bulletin board at a university computer science department or strike up a conversation with the man in the supermarket checkout line who is wearing a badge with the name of a computer company on it. I found one of my mentors in the business world when I met the wife of his insurance agent.

What is the difference between PDD and autism?

Autism and PDD are behavioral diagnoses. At the present time there are no medical tests for autism. Autism is diagnosed based on the child's behavior. Both children diagnosed with autism and PDD will benefit from education programs designed for autistics. It is essential that children diagnosed as PDD receive the same education as children diagnosed with autism. Both autistic and PDD children should be placed into a good early education program immediately after diagnosis. Children diagnosed with PDD tend to fall into two groups: (1) very mild autistic symptoms, or (2) some autistic symptoms in a child who has other severe neurological problems. Therefore, some children diagnosed as PDD may be almost normal; and others have severe neurological problems such as epilepsy, microencephaly or cerebral palsy. The problem with the autism and PDD diagnoses is that they are NOT precise. They are based only on behavior. In the future, brain scans will be used for precise diagnosis. Today there is no brain scan that can be used for diagnosing PDD nor autism.

Why is Early Intervention important?

Both scientific studies and practical experience have shown that the prognosis is greatly improved if a child is placed into an intense, highly structured educational program by age two or three. Autistic children perform stereotypic behaviors such as rocking or twiddling a penny because engaging in repetitive behaviors shuts off sounds and sights which cause confusion and/or pain. The problems is that if the child is allowed to shut out the world, his brain will not develop. Autistic and PDD children need many hours of structured education to keep their brain engaged with the world. They need to be kept interacting in a meaningful way with an adult or another child. The worst things for a young two to five year old autistic child is to sit alone watching TV or playing video games all day. His brain will be shut off from the world. Autistic children need to be kept engaged; but at the same time, a teacher must be careful to avoid sensory overload. Children with milder sensory problems often respond well to Lovaas-type programs. However, children with more severe sensory processing problems may experience sensory overload. There are two major categories of children. The first type will respond well to a therapist who is gently intrusive and pulls them out of their world. I was this type. My speech therapist was able to "snap me out of it" by grabbing my chin and making me pay attention. The second type of child has more neurological problems, and they may respond poorly to a strict Lovaas program. They will require a gentler approach. Some are 'mono-channel' because they cannot see and hear at the same time. They either have to look at something or they have to listen. Simultaneous looking and listening may result in sensory overload and shutdown. This type of child may respond best when the teacher whispers quietly in a dimly illuminated room.

A good teacher needs to tailor his/her teaching method to the child. To be successful, the teacher has to be gently insistent. A good teacher knows how hard to push. To be successful, the teacher has to intrude into the autistic child's world. With some children the teacher can jerk open their "front door;" and with other children, the teacher has to sneak quietly in their "back door."

Why does my child want to wear the same clothes all the time?

Stiff scratching clothes or wool against my skin is sandpaper ripping off raw nerve endings. I am not able to tolerate scratching clothes. Autistic children will be most comfortable with soft cotton against their skin. New underwear and shirts will be more comfortable if they are washed several times. It is often best to avoid spray starch or fabric softeners that are placed in the dryer. Some children are allergic to them. [Note: Caretakers and teachers should also avoid the use of perfume because some children hate the smell and/or they are allergic to it.]

Even today at the age of 49, I have had to find good clothes and work clothes that feel the same. It takes me up to two weeks to habituate to the feeling of wearing a skirt. If I wear shorts during the summer, it takes at least a week before long pants become fully tolerable. The problem is switching back-and-forth. Switching back-and-forth can be made more tolerable by wearing tights with skirts. The tights make the skirt feel the same as long pants.

January, 1998