Archive for the ‘Autism’ Category
Halloween can be quite Howling!
It’s the start of the season. The change of weather, the starting of school, and the preparation of upcoming holidays. Holidays are quite stressful on our homefront. This, of course, is speaking from my own point of view since every child with autism is different. Put a child on the spectrum in a normal environment and there is usually some sort of sensory overload. Put a child on the spectrum in a classroom hosting a Halloween party and AHHHHHHH!!!!! Loud noise, scary costumes, no structure and lots and lots of sugar! What do you expect!!!!!
This year when we entered the general education class, my son backed away with his head hung low. When I asked what was wrong he said that he didn’t know anyone and was embarrassed. I asked if it was Jackie and he nodded. Jackie sat at a table with her aid. Her hands were cupped securley over her ears, with her eyes shut. She held onto a storybook music player hoping to drown out the noise in the classroom. She had just arrived from a parade around the school and had about all she could take. I knew this and so did her brother. This is usually when we walk softly and whisper hoping to not erupt the volcanoe within her. When we managed to escape out of the classroom and back into her AI (Autistic Impaired) class, I was able to catch my breath. Wheww! A sucess with no meltdowns!
The AI classroom was a whole different story. No music, no yelling, a safe haven for Jackie to regroup. I sat in the room observing the other children in her class. As I observed, I compared, and I wondered at what level Jackie fell into in comparison to her classmates. I always beat myself up wondering if I’m doing a good enough job. I found myself questioning, “would she had done better today if I worked with her more to prepare?’. Then a peaceful feeling fell upon me and I felt reassurement that things are ok.
When we left the school and got into the car. I looked back into my rearview mirror and witness two beautiful children. I thought, “Who cares if it’s not a Norman Rockwell Halloween!”
Influence of Music – Musical Therapy to Treat Autism
Influence of Music – Musical Therapy to Treat Autism by kim valerio
in Diseases and Conditions (submitted 2009-09-25)
Musical therapy is a relatively new treatment method for autism patients, but one that should not be overlooking when discussing options. Patients who receive musical therapy often should great improvement in temperament and learning skills. Music connects to the non-verbal part of our brains, making it a perfect therapy for disorders in which the patient has trouble communicating, such as autism. Research this innovative treatment method if you are looking for some help with autism and haven’t had much luck in the past.
Musical therapy is effective because it can be used in conjunction with learning social skills. Music is a very non-threatening medium for patients, and many games can be played using music to help improve social and behavioral skills. By encouraging eye contact while singing or using instruments that need to get close to the face, musical therapy can help autistic individuals break social barriers.
The number one way that musical therapy can help children, as well as older autistic patients, is by helping with the development of speech skills. Music is a way to connect the verbal and non-verbal functions in the brain. Autistic individuals may have various forms of speech problems. Some can only hum, grunt, or make other non-word noises, while others babble nonsensical phrases or cries. Still others gain the capability to put together phrases and sentences to communicate with the world, although these usually lack emotion. Autistic people are known for monotone voices. However, no matter how skilled the individual is with speech, he or she can participate in musical therapy by clapping rhythms, humming along, or doing simple echoing songs.
Autistic individuals are commonly found to be particularly good at music. Some, for instance, have perfect pitch. Others can play a particular instrument very well, with little instruction. Even if he or she shows no genius musical ability by normal standards, you may find that a particularly hard to deal with autistic person has abilities in music that exceed his or her other abilities. A musical therapist can use music as a way to link this kind of learning with other kinds of learning, not only as speech development and social behavioral development as previously discussed, but also as a way to communicate emotions and develop memory.
By using all of these techniques in conjunction with one another, musical therapy can work wonders with people who are autistic. Trained professionals can use music to teach children and others how to communicate in nonverbal ways, making it easier for patients to learn. Research the musical therapy option to provide you or your child with another choice when treating autism.
About the Author
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Autism Speaks SE MichiganWalk
What a wonderful event!
Candida and Your Health by Cynthia Perkins in Fitness (submitted 2009-10-26)
Everyone has Candida Albicans in their body. This yeast is naturally occurring and it normally lives in symbiosis with the body’s other microorganisms. It can be found in the intestinal tract, mouth, throat, and genitals. As long as the yeast remains in balance, there aren’t any concerns. However, if something causes an imbalance between the bacteria naturally occurring in your body and the Candida yeast, the yeast will take over the healthy bacterium.
When Candida Albicans proliferates, it can drill tiny holes in the walls of the intestines allowing the yeast to get into the blood stream. Since an overabundance of yeast emits over 70 toxins into the body, it is the root problem to many illnesses, syndromes, and conditions.
Some of the most common symptoms associated with Candida Albicans include: bloating, headaches and migraines, abdominal gas, excessive fatigue, cravings for carbohydrates, alcohol or sweets, anxiety and irritability, vaginitis, rectal itching, inability to think clearly, concentrate, or poor memory mood swings, hyperactivity and/or attention deficit, constipation or diarrhea, kin conditions like eczema, depression, sinus inflammation, earaches, indigestion and many more.
Normally Candida is associated with women as many have vaginal yeast infections. Men and children can also be overcome with Candida Albicans. In fact, it may be directly associated with many mental health conditions or chronic illnesses that so many deal with daily. An overgrowth of yeast may be the main culprit behind alcoholism, anxiety disorders, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivities, Addison’s disease, Crohn’s disease, Autism, chronic fatigue syndrome, leaky gut syndrome, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, attention deficit disorder, multiple sclerosis, food allergies, hormonal imbalances, chronic urinary tract infections, clinical depression, migraines, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain and many others.
All systems in the body may be affected by Candida, but it seems to have the most profound negative effect on the digestive, nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, endocrine, urinary, lymphatic, and musculoskeletal systems. And, because Candida can move throughout the body through the blood, someone with Candida may experience symptoms in one system one day and an entirely different system the next.
With all of these symptoms, many which are indicative of other illnesses, it is usually the furthest thing from most doctor’s minds when making a diagnosis. Candida has a profound impact on our physical and mental health, learn to recognize the symptoms and you may find the root cause of your health condition.
About the Author
Cynthia Perkins, M.Ed. is a holistic health counselor who has researched Candida and it’s impact on our physical and mental health for almost two decades. Her knowledge is enriched with personal experience in combating the condition herself. Learn how Candida Albicans can affect your mental and physical health and how the Diet for Candida can help you.












