The Meaning of a Meltdown

Posted on June 29, 2019 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Published by: Someone’s Mum Blog

To most parents, the words tantrum and meltdown are interchangeable – a way to describe a frustrated and uncontrollable child – the name for those moments when strangers stare and you wish you could shrink into yourself. Every parent knows them.

To the parents of autistic children, and parents of children with sensory processing issues, those words will always mean very different things.

It is hard to make others understand. The difference between those two words is central to my life. I wish I could explain; I wish I could show you…

But a child in meltdown is confidential. I cannot show my gorgeous boy in full meltdown mode because it is, should be, taboo. It lays him bare, at his most vulnerable. He is pure emotion, pure anguish. There are no photos, no record of our bleakest times but these words.

There are those who will witness such moments; they will see. But they will not KNOW. No one, not even his grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles – the hundreds of people who love him – they do not KNOW.

I can give you the definitions – Click here to read the rest of the story

Why Autism Goes Unseen in Girls – And How You Can Spot It

Posted on June 3, 2019 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

When you look at Beth, autism is not the first thing that you would think of. She is bright, open, smiley, makes great eye contact and comes alive when you start talking about Harry Potter.

Before long, you start to realise that your entire lesson could be hijacked by her in depth characterisation of Hermione.

She knows the likes and dislikes of all of the characters in the book, what house they belong to at Hogwarts, their family histories and their motivations, yet in the playground, she is completely at sea. Click here to read the rest of the story.

Autism in adults often accompanied by depression

Posted on September 24, 2018 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Source: Spectrum
Written by: Hannah Furfaro

Depression is more than three times as common among adults with autism as it is in the general population, according to new work¹. And those with average or above intelligence are more likely to be depressed than those with low intellectual ability.

The study found that about 20 percent of autistic people have a diagnosis of depression, compared with 6 percent of the general population.

The findings are based on data from a large Swedish cohort, but they are likely to apply more broadly. A large 2015 study in the United States likewise reported that 26 percent of people with autism have a depression diagnosis, compared with 10 percent in the general population². A smaller study that same year estimated that 43 percent of autistic people have depression³. Click here to read the rest of the story

What Does OCD Look Like In The Classroom?

Posted on July 16, 2018 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Published by: Child Mind Institute
Written by: Dr. Jerry Bubrick

For children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, functioning in school can be complicated and very difficult. And for a teacher, it can be easy to misread the symptoms of OCD as oppositional behavior on the child’s part, or as ADHD.

But if teachers can recognize the behaviors associated with OCD, especially when a child is embarrassed and trying to hide his anxiety, they can help save him to receive treatment or make adjustments to from unnecessary struggle, and clear the way for him to learn successfully. Click here to read the rest of the story.

Decoding The Overlap Between Autism and ADHD

Posted on March 19, 2018 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Written by: Ricki Rusting

Published By: Spectrum

Every morning, Avigael Wodinsky sets a timer to keep her 12-year-old son, Naftali, on track while he gets dressed for school. “Otherwise,” she says, “he’ll find 57 other things to do on the way to the bathroom.”
Wodinsky says she knew something was different about Naftali from the time he was born, long before his autism diagnosis at 15 months. He lagged behind his twin sister in hitting developmental milestones, and he seemed distant. “When he was an infant and he was feeding, he wouldn’t cry if you took the bottle away from him,” she says. He often sat facing the corner, turning the pages of a picture book over and over again. Although he has above-average intelligence, he did not speak much until he was 4, and even then his speech was often ‘scripted:’ He would repeat phrases and sentences he had heard on television. Read the rest of the story here

The invisible girls on the Autism Spectrum — Everyday Autism

Posted on November 25, 2016 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

I recently helped a friend with her niece, who had just been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. My friend strongly felt that this diagnosis was wrong, and after reading more about my symptoms and experiences with ASD believed that her niece “Anne” (name changed) was actually Autistic. The symptoms were all there – social issues, […]

via The invisible girls on the Autism Spectrum — Everyday Autism

Cause Cafe Gives Employees with Autism a Place to Call Home

Posted on October 7, 2016 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Source: Today’s Parents

After Jonathan Barksdale lost his job as a bagger at Pathmark when the grocery store chain went bankrupt last November, he spent months getting rejected from a dozen other stores, one after another.

His mother, Dorina, remembered managers telling her the 25-year-old’s Asperger’s syndrome made him too risky to hire. Click here to read the rest of the story

Down Syndrome

Posted on October 4, 2016 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by an extra cell division that results in an extra 21st chromosome. This causes developmental delays both intellectually and physically.

The disorder is named after John Langdon Down, a British physician who was the first to describe the syndrome in 1866. The disorder was later identified by Jerome LeJeune in 1959 as a condition associated by the chromosome structure. Down syndrome is the most common chromosome disorder. Each year, about 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome. An estimate of 1 in 700 babies born. The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome increased between 1960 and 2007. In 1960, an average person with Down syndrome lived to be 10 years old compared to 2007 with people with Down syndrome living to 47 years of age.

Characteristics

Often, people born with Down syndrome may develop health issues and a cognitive development ranging from mild to severe. There is often a speech delay and children may lag behind with fine and gross motor skills. Physical characteristics may include a flat nasal bridge, single, deep creases across the center of the palm, protruding tongue, large space between the large and second toe, low muscle tone, almond shape to the eyes. Health issues may include, congenital heart defects, gastroesophageal reflux disease, sleep apnea and thyroid dysfunctions

Types

Trisomy

There is an extra copy of chromosome 21 in every cell. This is the most common form of Down syndrome. It represents 94% of all cases of Down syndrome.

Mosaicism

Mosaic Down Syndrome represents 2 to 4% of all cases of people with Down Syndrome. This occurs when a person has a certain percentage of translocation cells with the remaining cells unaffected. meaning people with mosaic down syndrome have a certain percentage of cells with the extra 21 chromosome. The physical characteristics of mosaic down syndrome vary from having similar characteristics of a person with down syndrome to almost none.

Translocation

It is caused by rearranged chromosome material that may be attached to the other 14 chromosomes. It can be cased by extra genes in the egg or sperm of one of the parents. About 3-5% of all cases are translocation.

Resources

Medical Sites

The following sites include information on causes, symptoms and definition:

Organizations

Band of Angels: http://www.bandofangels.com/-

Established in 1994, Band of Angels provides support for individuals with Down Syndrome and their families. The website offers links on Down Syndrome support groups and a litany of topics including, adoption, autism and education.

Down Syndrome International https://www.ds-int.org/

A U.K. based international organization comprising a membership of individuals and organizations from all over the world. Disseminates information on Down Syndrome including prenatal diagnosis, early intervention, education, medical, health, employment, aging and human rights. Down Syndrome International also promoted World Down Syndrome Day (March 21) as a day dedicated to people with Down Syndrome.

Global Down Syndrome http://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/

Provides fundraising, education and governmental advocacy for the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome. Resources available on the website include, information on research, medical care and facts on Down Syndrome.

International Down Syndrome Coalition: http://theidsc.org/

Dedicated to helping and advocating for individuals with Down syndrome from conception and throughout life. Offers support to parents who are new to the Down syndrome diagnosis by connecting parents to each other.

National Association for Down Syndrome http://www.nads.org/

NADS is the oldest organization in the United States serving individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Also provides families with information and resources that will enable them to access appropriate services and educates the public about Down syndrome.

National Down Syndrome Congress http://www.ndsccenter.org/

The purpose of the NDSC is to promote the interests of people with Down syndrome and their families through advocacy, public awareness, and information. When we empower individuals and families from all demographic backgrounds, we reshape the way people understand and experience Down syndrome.

National Down Syndrome Society http://www.ndss.org/

NDSS provides resources to new and expectant parents and offers a toll-free helpline and email services. NDSS also focuses on transitions , wellness and education