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Books and Movies of Interest

JynxGirl — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:22:25 CDT

Links will direct you to the item in question available on Amazon.ca, if you would like to purchase them.

Movies (Fiction)
Mercury Rising (DVD)
Stars Bruce Willis as a man protecting an autistic boy who is skilled at deciphering puzzles. There is a contrast between the boy's regular life with routines, and a sudden change in his life that follows his call to a hotline for a puzzle he deciphered. The interactions between the boy and other characters, as well as his reactions to various events, are easily the most compelling parts of the story.

Books (Fiction)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
(paperback) (mass market paperback)
Christopher is a 15-year-old autistic boy. Mathematically gifted and socially hopeless, he is raised in a working-class home by parents who can barely cope with their child's quirks. He takes everything that he sees (or is told) at face value, and is unable to sort out the strange behaviour of his elders and peers.

Late one night, Christopher comes across his neighbour's poodle, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork. Wellington's owner finds him cradling her dead dog in his arms, and has him arrested. After spending a night in jail, Christopher resolves -- against the objection of his father and neighbours -- to discover just who has murdered Wellington.(from Amazon.ca)

Books (Non-Fiction)
Making Peace with Autism :One Family's Story of Struggle, Discovery, and Unexpected Gifts
(paperback) (mass market paperback)
Receiving a diagnosis of autism is a major crisis for parents and families, who often feel as if their world has come to an end. In this insightful narrative, a courageous and inspiring mother explains why a diagnosis of autism doesn't have to shatter a family's dreams of happiness. Senator offers the hard-won, in-the-trenches wisdom of someone who's been there and is still there today—and she demonstrates how families can find courage, contentment, and connection in the shadow of autism.

In Making Peace with Autism, Susan Senator describes her own journey raising a child with a severe autism spectrum disorder, along with two other typically developing boys. Without offering a miracle treatment or cure, Senator offers valuable strategies for coping successfully with the daily struggles of life with an autistic child.

Along the way she models the combination of stamina and courage, openness, and humor that has helped her family to survive—and even to thrive. Topics include: the agony of diagnosis, grieving and acceptance, finding the right school program, helping siblings with their struggles and concerns, having fun together, and keeping the marriage strong .

Glossary

Lanisatu — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 19:24:41 CDT

A-C
Term
Definition

Augmentative Communication	A communication aid to assist people with limited or no verbal ability. A communication board is the most commonly used tool.
Applied Behavioural Analysis	A therapy method that uses positive reinforcement to encourage appropriate behaviours that will help an individual with autism function in society. Also called the Lovaas method, after Dr. Ivar Lovaas
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)	A developmental disorder that is characterized by short attention spans and a lack of concentration on tasks.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder	A developmental disorder that is composed of ADD and hyperactivity within the same individual.
Activities of Daily Living	The activities that each person engages in daily for personal care and hygiene. Dressing and bathing are examples.
Area Education Agency	Provides support services (ed consultation, psych, social work, nursing, speech and language, etc.) to local education agencies.
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)	A disorder in which language is heard correctly but not understood or not processed correctly by the brain.
Asperger's Syndrome (AS)	A disorder on the autism spectrum characterized by normal speech and social difficulties. Diagnosis may not occur until the child is older.
Autism Society of America (ASA)	One of the leading autism organizations in the United States.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)	A collection of disorders characterized by symptoms such as impaired verbal ability and social dysfunction
American Sign Language (ASL)	The primary sign language used in the United States. It was developed for people with deafness and is often conceptually based.
Aspie	A person with Asperger's Syndrome
Autie	A person with Autism.
Autism	A neurological disorder characterized by communication difficulties (expressive and receptive), sensory problems, and socialization issues. Usually appears between sixteen months and two years of age.
Beneficiary	The recipient of a trust fund, life insurance policy, or other assets and funds that have been designated to go to that person.
Boardmaker	A device that resembles a notebook or board game created to help nonverbal people communicate
Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)	A disorder that interferes with the combination of abilities that enables a person to obtain meaning from language.

D-G
Term
Definition

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders, 4th Edition. (DSM-IV_)	A publication used to diagnose autism spectrum disorders. The fourth edition is the most current version of this publication.
Echolalia	The verbal repetition of words without using those words for any communication or meaning.
Elopement	The tendency of a child with autism to "escape" his or her environment and wander off, usually with no particular direction in mind.
Encopresis	A bowel disorder where very hard stool forms in the rectum and liquid stool leaks out from above. Causes bowel leakage.
Exact Singn Language	A form of sign language (using much of American Sign Language) that has a sign for each word. Also known as "Exact English".
Expressive Speech	The ability to utilize spoken language to convey ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Facilitated Communication	A controversial method of communication that uses the aid of another person for physical and emotional support.
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)	Programs for education that are individualized, meeting a student's needs and providing an education that progresses and is satisfactory.
Flapping	The movement of the hand and forearm by a child or an adult with autism that mimics a wave but occurs due to over-stimulation, either physically or emotionally.
Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet (GFCF)	A diet used by many parents of children on the autism spectrum. The diet excludes all gluten and casein products

H-L
Term
Definition

High-Functioning Autism (HFA)	A form of autism that is much less disabling as an individual has verbal ability and varying degrees of social understand. IQ will be measured at seventy or above.
Individuals with Disabilites Education Act (IDEA)	A united States congressional act that dictates all the rights children with disabilities have in order to receive full educational benefits from public schools.
Individual Education Plan (IEP)	An official plan, written on a yearly basis, that is developed at a meeting with parents, teachers, therapists, and other experts involved in a disabled child's education.
Imaginitive Play	The ability to play with objects using imagination. For example, toy cars, people, and houses can be a town in which an entire scenario is played out.
Inclusive	A term used interchangeably with mainstreaming. Refers to a child with a disability having access to the same classroom as if he or she were not disabled.
InLv	Independent Living (support group); an abbreviation used to indicate a person with autism is functioning at a high enough level to live alone with minimal supervision, such as a social worker checking in daily.
IQ (intelligence quotient)	The number that is considered a standard for measuring a person's intelligence and capacity for understanding.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)	A mental health professional licensed by each state to help individuals and families.
Low Functioning Autism (LFA)	A more severe form of autism with IQ measuring at below seventy.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)	An educational term that refers to the classroom or environment a student attends daily that provides the least amount of restriction to ensure safety and the most of social and educational interaction.

M-Q
Term
Definition

Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)	Teacher, SLP (Speech Language Pathologist), occupational therapist, psychologist and parents! Used in reference to the group of individuals who are a part of development and implementation of an IEP.
Meltdown	The total loss of behavioural control by a person with autism.
Mental retardation (MR)	Mentally retarded (IQ less than seventy).
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)	An education reform act designed to improve student acievement. All states, school districts and schools that accept Title 1 federal grants are subject to NCLB policy.
Neuro-Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (NIDS)	The likely connection between neuro-immune and / or autoimmune dysfunction and conditions such as autism, ADD, Alzheimer's, ALS, CFS/CFIDS, MS, and other immune-mediated diseases
Not Otherwise Defined (NOD)	Often appears with a diagnosis by a psychologist. This is a term that is used when a disorder is present but it does not fall into a specific definition within the diagnostic manuals.
Not Otherwise Specified (NOS)	Used as a footnote on a diagnosis when the disorder is vague in many ways (usually seen as PPD-NOS). It is considered a catch-all diagnosis and is often not accepted as a valid diagnosis by insurance companies.
Neuro-Typical (NT)	A term used for children without autism who are "normal" by definition of society.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)	This is a disorder in which a person is obsessed with unwanted thoughts and feels the need to act out compulsive behaviours.
Parallel Play	Playing beside another child, but playing independently and not interacting with that child.
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)	A communication tool that uses photographs and / or drawings to replace words for language.
Prader-Willi syndrome	A disorder on the autism spectrum. PWS is a complex genetic disorder that typically causes low muscle tone, short stature, incomplete sexual development, cognitibe disabilitiesm problem behavioursm and a chronic feeling of hunger that can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity.
Physical Therapist or Physical Therapy (PT)	A therapist or therapy that works to increase the functionality of gross motor skills.

R-Z
Term
Definition

Receptive Speech	Hearing spoken language from another person and deciphering it into a meaningful mental picture or thought pattern, which is understoon and then used by the recipient.
Rett Syndrome (RS)	A disorder on the autism spectrum. Rett syndrome is a genetic neurological disorder seen almost exclsively in females and found in a variety of racial and ethnic groups world-wide. It is characterized by apparently normal or near normal development until six to eighteen months of life. A period of temporary stagnation or regression follows, during which the child loses communication skills and purposeful use of the hands.
Savant	A person with autism who has unusual and brillian intelligence. Appears in approximately 10 percent of people with autism.
Self-Contained	In reference to special education, it refers to schools or classrooms containing only a special-needs population.
Sensory Overload	The reaction a child with autism has when more senses are being stimulated than he or she has the ability to process.
Service Animal	An animal that is trained to work with and meet the needs of a disabled person.
Splinter Skill	This is a highly refined skill accomplished by a child or adult with autism. Other skills may be below typical age level but one or two skills, such as music or computer programming, maybe far above average.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)	A medication used for depression, anxiety and the control of obsessive-compulsive behaviours, including Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Luvox.
Stuffing	A characteristic of autism where the child overfills his mouth with food. The biggest hazard associated with stuffing is the risk of choking.
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH)	A method of teaching children with communication deficits that encourages communication with picture boards or other assistive devices.
Theory of Mind	A human characteristic that acknowledges that each person has a mind and one individual may not be aware of the other person's thoughts. Communication bridges that gap.
Therapy Animal	An animal that is used to calm people who are either ill or disabled. The animal's job is to deliver unconditional love.
Tic	A brief, repetitive, purposeless, nonrhythmic, involuntary movement or sound. Tics that produce movement are called "motor tics" while tics that produce sound are called "vocal tics" or "phonic tics". Tics tend to occur in bursts or "bouts".
Tourette's Syndrome (TS)	Also known as Tourette syndrome or Tourette's disorder, this is a fairly common childhood-onset condition that may be associated with features of other conditions. This syndrome is characterized by tics.
Williams syndrome	A disorder on the autism spectrum. Williams syndrome is typically characterized by elfin face, dental problems, characteristic stenoic cardiovascular problems (narrowing of the blood vessels) and hypercalcemia (calcium in the blood). People afflicted with Williams syndrome also have a characteristic tendency to approach strangers indiscriminately.

History

Lanisatu — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 19:16:00 CDT

Autism comes from the the Greek word autos, meaning self. Despite its root in ancient languages, autism seems to be a fairly new diagnosis.

However, as far back as the 18th century, medical reports describe the behaviours of autism. It wasn't until 1911 that Eugen Bleuler coined the term "autism" in relation to his schizophrenic patients. These patients, he observed, were incredibly self-absorbed and isolated.

Dr. Leo Kanner and Dr. Hans Asperger both began their studies of autistic children in the early 1940s; separate from each other. Kanner did his research in America while Asperger worked in Austria.

Both of these doctors used the wordautism to describe their patients, separate from the schizophrenia diagnosis they previously would have been given. Kanner used the phrase early infantile autism which today has been shortened to just autism. His explanation of the symptoms these children shared are now used as signs of classic autism.

Asperger's patients tended to have higher IQs, and language skills on an adult level. In all other ways, they resembled the patients Kanner was visiting in the United States.

It wasn't until 1980 when Dr. Lorna Wing, in the United Kingdom, coined the phrase "Asperger's Syndrome" that there was any differentiation between the two syndromes.

Signs and Symptoms

Lanisatu — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 19:12:05 CDT

The signs and symptoms of autism vary from person to person.

Early Signs of Autism

These signs and symptoms are often recognized by parents while their child is still in infancy. Along with these signs, parents may notice that their child doesn't meet physical, mental, language, or social developmental milestones.

does not babble, point or make meaningful gestures by one year of age (meaningful gestures include asking to be picked up by raising arms while in front of mom or dad)
does not speak one word by sixteen months
does not combine two words by two years of age ("Car go!" "Dog sit" and other such phrases indicate normal development of speech)
does not respond to his or her name (there is no turning of the head or recognition their name has been called)
loses language or social skills (used to wave bye-bye, but no longer does)
avoids eye contact (looks away from your eyes if you try to look at him or her)
doesn't seem to know how to play with toys (spinning wheels of a toy truck instead of rolling it along)
excessively lines up toys or other objects (often gets upset when these lines are broken or interupted, as well)
is attached to one particular toy or object
doesn't smile
at times seems to be hearing-impaired (no response to names or questions, but can hear the sound of the candy bar wrapper from across the house)

Checklist of Warning Signs

These questions should be asked of your two to five year old child. This list is not a diagnostic tool by any stretch, it is only a guideline of what to watch for if you suspect autism in your child.

Does your two to five year old child...

not respond when you call his or her name?
not use his or her finger to point at object(s) to indicate wants?
not show you toys of interest?
not speak or has lost speech?
use odd speech or language patterns such as echoing, repeating words over and over, or making unusual sounds?
demonstrate strange behaviors such as flapping, finger flicking, or spinning?
not engage in pretend or spontaneous play?
line up books or other objects ritualistically?
resist changes to routine or rituals?
injure his or herself (head banging or hand biting)?
show no fear of danger?
seem highly distracted or out of touch?
not like to be touched or hugged?
display either over or under sensitivity to sounds, lights, touches, smells?

This is only a short list, but it gives parents a rough idea of what to look for before going to your doctor.

Autism Overview

JynxGirl — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:31:48 CDT

Autism is a neurological disorder affecting social skills, development, language and behaviour. It is estimated to affect one out of every one hundred and sixty six children in North America. It was first discovered in the 1940s by Dr. William Kanner and Dr. Hans Asperger.
Entire novels have been written on the subject of defining autism, and there is no easy way to sum up a disorder so varying and vast in a few short paragraphs.
Debates range on the causation of autism and tempers get heated rather quickly when discussions come up about the treatment protocol for autistic children and adults. This wiki is not about debate, rather, information
I hope that somewhere in the pages of this wiki you will find the answers you are looking for.
There are five main subcategories of Pervasive Development Disorders or PDD. They include:

Autism Disorder
Asperger's Disorder
Childhood Disintegrative DIsorder (CDD)
Rett's Disorder
Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Other Specified (PPD-NOS)

The signs and symptoms of autism are vast and vary from child to child.

Other Sites of Interest

JynxGirl — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:19:40 CDT

Services

www.do2learn.com

Blogs of Note

Support

Treatment Options

JynxGirl — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:22:58 CDT

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Welcome to the AutismWiki!

JynxGirl — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:56:06 CDT

This wiki is going to compile all of the information I can find on Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders. After almost two years of answering questions with literally hundreds of different webpages, books and computer printouts, I have decided to bring it all together into one informative website.

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor, therapist, psychologist or any other kind of professional. I am just a mother of a child with autism who has done a lot of research and gets asked a lot of questions. I got tired of trying to find the perfect resource to refer caregivers to. So I have decided to create it within the best of my abilities.
This Wiki is a work in progress, and if you are here, likely you understand that my time is limited. However, I will continue to update and work on this site.
I have decided to keep the writers of this wiki to private invite only as I do not want to let bias and arguments occur within these pages. I am working only to present information so that people can make fully informed decisions about how best to proceed with their children or charges.