Over-sensitivity to stimuli can be a frustrating challenge for both autistic children and their parents. Over-reaction to various sounds in the child’s environment, as well as smells, lights, or any other sensations may make it difficult for a child to fall asleep or stay asleep.  Many autistic children have sensory issues within their sleep environment.  This can make it difficult for them to relax enough to fall asleep or to find a comfortable position in which to sleep. 

In Siegal’s book The World of the Autistic Child, it was suggested that the sleep problems faced by autistic children may also be a result of the way autistic neurotransmitters in the brain function.  It stated that about 56 percent of autistic children struggle with sleep-related issues that they will rarely “grow out of”.

So one of the first steps for remedying the lack of sleep is to try to identify what is causing your child to struggle to sleep.  Is it anxiety, sensory issues, medical issues, attention seeking, or something in the bedroom itself?

The following tips are for parents to help their autistic children get to sleep and stay that way until morning:

Set a bedtime and stick to it, including the routines that occur before bedtime.  This allows the child to experience a degree of consistency and predictability, which is often vital to an autistic child’s proper functioning.

Provide your autistic child with visual rules that indicate the rule for staying in one’s room or bed at night.  These visual rules should be posted in various visible areas of the bedroom.

Pair the bedtime rules and routines that you create with social stories that can help to speak to your autistic child’s sleep-related anxieties.

Change the bedroom environment to make it more appealing to your autistic child.  While some autistic children respond well to having a nightlight, others require total darkness with a black out blind over the window for blocking the exterior light as well.  Many autistic children sleep better when their bed is pushed up against the wall, as they feel more secure; a corner is even better. To block out any sounds that may be distressing your child, use a white noise machine or run a fan in your child’s bedroom.

If you usually sleep in the same bed as your autistic child and he or she is struggling to sleep alone, “replace” yourself with a sleeping bag or body pillow to mimic the pressure that would usually exist if you were lying in the bed.

Use layers for your child’s pajamas and tuck him or her in well so that any tactile sensitivity will be minimized.

By rooting out any disturbances causing your child not to sleep and by introducing routines and an effective sleeping environment, your autistic child should be able to enjoy a great deal more sleep – as will you.

References: http://www.hsc.mb.ca/autismprogram/topic_of_the_month.htm

Tags: asd, autism spectrum disorder

The communication problems experienced vary from child to child, depending on the individual’s social and intellectual development.  While some may not be able to speak at all, others may maintain extensive vocabularies and can express themselves regarding complex topics.  However, most children with autism experience some form of communication difficulty usually with the appropriate use of the language, for example difficulty with intonation, rhythm, and word and sentence meaning.

Autistic children who are able to speak may say things without true information, expression, or content.  They are only words with no meaning to the situation. Others will use echolalia, where they simply repeat what they have heard, even if they have been asked a question.  And yet other autistic children will use delayed echolalia, using the question previously posed in order to ask for what they want.  For example, a child who had earlier been asked “are you hungry?” may say “are you hungry” at a later time to express his or her hunger.

Many autistic children will have a stock of phrases that they use in specific conditions.  For example, a child may introduce him or herself at the beginning of every conversation.  Some autistic children learn scripts from television shows, commercials, books, or other recorded dialogues.

Autistic children able to speak can frequently speak extensively about a topic without the ability to actually converse with others. They may also make up a voice to use other than their own such as a robot voice, a deep voice, a squeaky voice or another similar type of alteration.

It is possible to help an autistic child to better his or her verbal communication skills with improvements made through the use of appropriate treatments.

The first step is to consult a speech and language pathologist in order to have your child’s communication skills evaluated.  Specific treatments suitable for your child may be recommended during this evaluation.

No single method of communication treatment has been universally found to improve all autistic children, but starting early increases the chances of significant improvements.  Try to target your child’s specific communication strengths and weaknesses.  Different forms of goal orientated therapy for useful communications are the most successful techniques, though not guaranteed to work for all children.  Periodic in-depth evaluations from a specialist are recommended for perfecting and altering the therapy to best work for your child’s unique needs. 

Many parents find that consulting physical and occupational therapists can also be very helpful for helping to reduce unwanted behaviors during communication, which are common hindrances to the development of skills.

Find out what your child best responds to: a structured behavior modification program, an in-home therapy program, or another type of therapy that utilizes reality-based situations as a foundation for the therapy. 

It may surprise you to discover that music therapy and sensory integration therapies may have a large impact on your child’s ability to use verbal communication.  This is because stimulation of the senses often helps to improve the child’s ability to respond to sensory information, and therefore helps him or her recognize what he or she is hearing through verbal communication and seeing through non-verbal communication.  The goal is to help improve the effectiveness of sensory understanding.

Medications may also improve an autistic child’s attention span, which in turn can help to improve verbal communication in your child.  However, with long-term medication use there is the possibility of undesirable side effects.

To be certain that your child is at his or her fullest potential, mineral and vitamin supplements, as well as a tailored diet, psychotherapy, and overcoming sleep challenges may greatly assist in focus and attention, which should help improve verbal communication.

Tags: autism signs, asd

High functioning autism is an unofficial designation for people who have autism but whose symptoms are not severe.  High functioning autistic children have an average or above-average intelligence level and will generally maintain an adequate vocabulary.  However their learning comprehension is typically behind other children at the same age.  Furthermore, high functioning autistic children will generally not express much emotional detail in their speech, and struggle with interpreting non-verbal cues.

There is no solid line between the diagnosis of low functioning and high functioning autism.  Though some doctors use an IQ score as an indicator to help with the diagnosis, the function level of autism is not based on IQ alone.  There are also elements of language processing, behavioral elements, and other non-verbal details, which must be considered above and beyond measurable intelligence levels.  Furthermore, standard IQ testing is typically inaccurate for autistic children as the testing itself may involve skills with which an autistic child struggles. 

Whether high or low functioning, autism will typically present in around the age of two years old with a sudden regression or presentation of autistic symptoms.

On the other hand, Asperger’s Syndrome is a separate autism spectrum disorder. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome struggle with social interactions and restrictions, and tend to have intensely narrow interests in subjects and activities.  However, unlike with autism – even high functioning autism – there is no cognitive development or language delay.  Though language may be used atypically and motor skills may be clumsy at times, their development is normal.

Asperger’s Syndrome will typically present in children at about the age of three.  Brain imaging has shown structural and functional differences within certain brain regions among children without autism spectrum disorders, children with Asperger’s Syndrome, and children who are high functioning autistics.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome often fail to display empathy in their behaviors.  It is social interaction where these children face their deepest challenges.  Many struggle or fail to develop friendships, don’t take pleasure in achievements or spontaneous activities with others, lack in emotional and social reciprocity, and have diminished non-verbal communication behaviors such as facial expressions, postures, eye contact, and overall gestures.

However, children with classic autism (even those who are high functioning), Asperger’s Syndrome children will not typically withdraw from other people.  In fact, even if they are awkward in their method, they will often approach others and begin a discussion.  It is conversation where their struggle may occur, as a discussion for a child with Asperger’s Syndrome may simply consist of a long-winded single-sided speech about something the child truly enjoys, without any need for contribution from the other people present. 

Tags: autism symptoms, autism signs

Misdiagnosis of autism can occur among the various autism spectrum disorders, or it can be connected to a completely unrelated condition. Parents should make sure to share all observations and considerations with the child’s doctor so that possible alternate diagnoses the appropriate attention. 

There are five conditions within the autism spectrum, and each of them can easily be mistaken for another.  These are:

1. Rett’s Syndrome – this is a condition found only in girls which was discovered back in 1966.  It is currently believed by scientists that this is not an inherited condition, but is the result of a random genetic mutation.  Symptoms of Rett’s Syndrome do not become apparent in babies until 6 to 18 months of age.  When Rett’s Syndrome starts to become apparent, the development of the baby begins to slow and their heads no longer grow in a normal way.  Normal speech does not develop and repetitive hand movements, unusual walking patterns, and torso shaking begin.  Children with Rett’s Syndrome also frequently experience seizures, breathing problems, rigid muscles, retarded growth, and other health issues. 

2. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder – this disorder almost always occurs in boys, and is extremely rare.  Until the age of about 42 months, the child appears to be normal, but a dramatic linguistic and social skill loss then occurs.  The child may also start experiencing seizures and lose bladder and bowel control.  Typically, these children experience low intellectual development.  CDD is the easiest of the autism spectrum disorders for doctors to diagnose.

3. Autism – Autism itself is often referred to as Classic Autism, Kanner’s Autism, or Early Infantile Autism.  Until its recognition in the 1940’s, children with autism had been diagnosed as emotionally disturbed or mentally retarded.  Autistic children show many different kinds of symptoms that also occur in other physical and mental disorders, making it easy to misdiagnose.  Among them are issues with sensory integration and information processing, leading to a series of different kinds of behaviors.

4. Asperger’s Syndrome – Asperger’s Syndrome children are frequently mistaken for children with high-functioning autism.    The syndrome does not typically present itself until after three years of age, as these children tend not to show any issues with language acquisition and use.  Instead, they commonly form extreme interests in narrow subjects, and are often known for frequent (though not universal) ability to recite full book texts or movie lines, as well as a seemingly endless line of trivial facts. Some autism-like traits may present themselves, such as the desire for a strict routine, a struggle with social interactions and communication, and an inclination toward repetitive behaviors.  Some also struggle with vocal control.

5. Pervasive Development Disorder (Not Otherwise Specified) – PDD/NOS symptoms are difficult to classify.  This portion of the autism spectrum is essentially used as a “catch-all” diagnosis for children who present symptoms of autism that cannot be contained by the other four autism spectrum disorders. 

Beyond the autism spectrum disorder, other disorders and health problems that can often cause children to display autistic traits – though they don’t actually have autism – are:

• Deafness or hearing loss – children who have a difficulty hearing may have impaired social responses, causing them to behave in ways similar to some autistic behaviors.

• Schizophrenia – though some symptoms of this disorder are similar to those of autism, schizophrenia normally presents much later in life than autism.

• Language delay, language disorder, or speech delay – children with linguistic disorders and delays can experience social impairments as a result of their inability to express themselves. 

• Developmental delay or mental retardation – behaviors of developmentally delayed or mentally retarded children frequently mimic those of autistic children, but for completely different reasons.  Before the discovery of autism as a disorder many autistic children were regarded as mentally retarded. 

As there are so many different symptoms of autism and the disorder never presents the same way from person to person, it is easy to misdiagnose disorders both inside and outside the spectrum as being autism.  This is especially prevalent among the various autism spectrum disorders.

Have a look at the following  for a list of typical autism symptoms to look out for.

Tags: autism spectrum disorder, aspergers

Physical aggression can be directed toward you, other children, themselves, or even toward inanimate objects.  Furthermore, aggression in autistic children isn’t limited to physical behaviors but also extends to verbal aggression too. 

Whether physical or verbal, aggression in an autistic child can be very upsetting and potentially dangerous.  For this reason, autistic children who display aggressive symptoms require more supervision in order to prevent them from injuring others or themselves.

Naturally, parents don’t want to simply let this aggression continue and have to deal with it as it occurs.  Therefore, efforts are being made on many levels to discover different ways to cope with aggression in autistic children and to decrease or at least curb its incidence.

Often, the first options to reduce aggression suggested by doctors is medication – particularly if the aggressive episodes seem especially hazardous to the child or those around him or her.  Keep in mind that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved any medication that specifically treats autism.  However, success has been witnessed in using drugs designated for other conditions in order to lessen the aggressive symptoms of autism.

It should be noted, though, that every individual reacts differently to medications, and while some children may respond very well to a certain drug, others will have a completely different reaction.  The process is highly individualized and takes careful observation, measurement, and work with a health care professional in order to avoid any of the potential side effects or interactions.

Recently, it has been the anti-psychotic medications – specifically those which have been approved for schizophrenia treatments – that have produced the most favorable results in autism aggression reduction.  For example, a 2002 study called “Risperidone in Children with Autism and Serious Behavioral Problems” (McCracken, J.T, M.D., McGough, J, M.D, et al.), published in the New England Journal of Medicine, examined the impact of Risperdal (Risperidone) on aggression in children with autism.  At the end of this 8 week study, 69 percent of the children given Risperdal were said to have either “much improved” or “very much improved”, in comparison to only 12 percent within the placebo group.

However, many parents do not wish to medicate – or further medicate – their children with anti-psychotic drugs.  These drugs do come with potential negative side effects and can be dangerous if overdosed.  Therefore, alternatives are often sought.  Working with your child’s doctor can be very important in this process.  To try to alter behavior, parents should pay very close attention to exactly what is happening before and during an aggressive episode.   It is important to try and identify trends that lead to an outburst of aggression.

For example, some parents find that their children will suddenly become upset while having their teeth brushed.  There are many activities that go on during tooth brushing and each should be considered when assessing what caused the aggressive reaction.

Is it opening the mouth wide?  Is it the feeling of bristles against the teeth, gums, cheek, roof of the mouth, or tongue?  Has the toothbrush gone in too far and hit the gag reflex? Is saliva pooling near the back of the mouth (causing a drowning sensation)?  Is it drooling?  Is it the smell, texture, or taste of the toothpaste?  Is it the foaming of the toothpaste?  Is it the sensation of spitting or swallowing saliva and toothpaste? 

Every element needs to be examined and tested to see if the situation can be improved.  For example, trying different kinds of toothbrushes with softer bristles, a different shaped head, or different textured bristles, or different flavors of toothpaste or gels.  Different brushing techniques should also be tried to avoid various sensations, and saliva levels in the mouth should be carefully monitored.

Similarly, other children react not to a sensory sensitivity, but as a result of feeling upset or frustrated from something that they cannot verbalize.  For example, a child who tries to tie his or her shoes but who has not yet developed the skills with which to do so might feel very frustrated and become unable to express the root of the frustration and instead react aggressively. When under stress, speaking clearly can be a huge challenge for autistic children and they often revert to the behaviors of younger children instead of saying what they want.

It should also be considered that if aggression has suddenly developed or worsened, there might be an allergic reaction to foods, environmental conditions, medications or a change in home or school environment. 

Drugs may have potential side effects including aggression.  They may also interact with other drugs being taken by the child.  Furthermore, seasonal allergies or food allergies may cause discomforts in an autistic child to which he or she is very sensitive and cannot properly verbalize, leading to aggressive behaviors.  It is important to examine all possibilities to root out the problem.

The most important thing to remember once your child has become aggressive is for you and those around you to stay calm and talk quietly.

If appropriate, remove objects that your child could hurt themselves or others with. Ask other people present to leave the room or give your child space, but make sure you or another responsible adult stays. Never leave your child alone.

Should your child be in an appropriate environment try to avoid saying anything as this can be inflammatory and can prolong the aggressive behavior. By staying calm and quiet your child may stop their behavior more quickly.

Of course, it is also possible for a child to be displaying autistic symptoms and traits without truly being autistic at all.  It is important to make certain that a misdiagnosis has not occurred by considering alternative mental disorders that can present with the same or similar behaviors.

Tags: autism spectrum disorder, signs of autism

Autistics have a hard time regulating their behaviour, so when they finally become accustom to a routine and are faced with change without warning, they may express their distress through:

• Verbal outburst
• Crying
• Self-injury
• Aggression
• Extreme withdrawal

The following are 5 ways in which you can minimize the negative impact of change by helping an autistic person become aware, prepared and involved in the moving process:

1. Calendar – Creating a calendar to help them become aware and prepared for moving can be helpful.  Once you know the definite day you are moving, give notice months before moving day.   You can cross off each day that passes, so they can see how many days are left until moving day.  Make sure you Write “Moving Day” on the actual date so they can always see it.

If your child has difficulty understanding time with a standard calendar, use visual supports to help them understand time.  For instance, if he or she relates time with day, creating a visual of a sun for each day and then a visual of a house on the actual moving day, will tell them how much time is left before the move.

2. Story books – Depending on your child’s level of comprehension, another helpful familiarizing tool is to read story books focused on moving home themes.

3.  “Social Stories” – This is a specific learning program that helps autistics understand the reasons for situations they may find confusing or difficult.  Social stories describe a specific situation in detail and focuses on a few key factors such as vital social cues, the actual event, and the reactions a person may expect during the situation and why.  Social stories not only help to increase a level of understanding, they can also help an autistic child feel more comfortable when experiencing an event, and provide them with clues on how to react.

4. Creative Story – Create your own moving story to make the change more personal and easier for your child.  In your story you can include different sections such as:

• Photos – Take photos of the new home, especially of their new room and the outside.
• Layout – Draw up a layout of the new home to show where their bedroom is located
• Maps – Show a map of where the house is and include important landmarks such as where the school, park, shopping mall, etc. is located from the home, and make sure to write down directions to each place.
• Similarities – Explain what will stay the same, such as the items in their room that will be coming along.
• Visits – Take them to visit the new home
• Questions – at the end of the story, take the time to answer questions.

5. Moving day - Moving is stressful on everyone.  Therefore, when it comes to the day, you will need to decide if you would rather have them with you and provide tasks during the move, or keep them involved in their regular daily activities until moving is complete.  Regardless of your decision, it is a good idea to make sure your autistic child’s room is set up first to help them feel more relaxed in the new environment. 

Tags: autism symptoms, signs of autism

If you know someone close to you and you believe their child has autism, it is best that you voice your concerns even if you risk upsetting the parents. The reason being is the quicker a diagnoses is confirmed, the faster interventions and treatment can be started. Simply ignoring the problem will never make it go away. In fact, pretending that a child does not have autism can actually exacerbate symptoms and problematic behaviors instead of redefining and helping to structure them. Raising an autistic child, depending on the severity of the disorder, can be an extraordinarily difficult task that can take both an emotional and physical toll on parents and family members. However, there are forms of treatment and interventions that can truly help, so the sooner a child is diagnosed the easier it can be.

Basic psychology suggests that when you approach someone about a potentially troubling situation it is better for all concerned if the situation is handled in a gentle manner. Obviously, if you are going to tell someone close to you that you believe their child is autistic, it pays to be sensitive. If you are straightforward and discuss the matter in a calm, sensitive way, you can avert any possible hostility in return. Many parents may react angrily and deny the suggestion their child is autistic, so it is probably a good idea to have some literature with you to back up why you feel their child may be autistic. It is also important to explain the different levels of autism and their effects.

If you are prepared to provide some meaningful information on autism you should first learn as much about the disorder as you can. If you are going to approach parents and suggest a diagnosis of autism, you should know what you’re talking about. Furthermore, it is a good idea to be supportive and honest when you tell someone you believe their child is autistic. Remember many people do not fully understand what autism really is, so it will be up to you to be able to explain the disorder and answer any of their initial questions.

In addition, autistic children, like other children with developmental disabilities, have special needs. If you really want to help, you should be ready to provide information on how to access services that address the special needs of the child in question. When a parent faces the fact that her child may be autistic, it can be an overwhelming sensation due to the fact that the resulting changes will be life-altering for the people directly involved.

When you raise your concerns with someone in your family or really close to you, you should always try to do so sensitively – pick your moment and don’t just blurt it out at a family gathering or in public. Remember, the news you are going to deliver can be initially devastating. Make sure you know enough so you can answer the majority of questions that will be thrown at you. Most importantly, be yourself and make sure the person knows that you care and are concerned for them and their child.

Try to offer information about methods of treatment that will shed some positive slant on autism. Inform your friend or family member that there are thousands of scientists and researchers working on ways to better treat autism. You should also have a list of resources available. This list can include websites, local clinics, cutting-edge research and anything else you feel can give a realistic, but positive approach to autism. Have a look through the previous posts on the blog for links to sites that could provide a great starting point for a parent you suspect whose child has autism in learning about autism for the first time.

Tags: symptoms of autism, autism signs

Those who are at the highest risk for allergy induced autism are children who have regressive autism – that is, those children who develop normally and start regressing at around the age of two years – and children with behavioral and neurological problems in combination with extreme digestive issues (such as intractable constipation).

Such children are generally incapable of metabolizing (digesting) important common food proteins; specifically casein and gluten.  Casein is one of milk’s main proteins and is also commonly utilized in the manufacturing of foods.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat and several grains and is often added in the manufacturing of food.

In some children with autism, gluten and casein aren’t digested in the normal way.  Instead, they are metabolized only partially and become a substance quite similar to morphine, which can pass through the wall of the digestive tract and enter the blood stream.

These children also often have a “mutant” form of protein in their urine after ingesting casein or gluten. This protein is believed to be the byproduct of the creation of the morphine-like substance; the result of which is “spacey” behavior in children and a virtual addiction to foods that contain casein and gluten. 

Due to this improper digestive functioning, these children are also incapable of eliminating many of the chemicals within their environment and their food.  These can include pesticides, pollution, detergent additives, artificial colorings and flavorings, chemical food additives, and other substances that can become toxic when built up to unusually high quantities.

The symptoms of autism will typically present themselves within a child’s first three years.  While some autistic children may have intolerance to chemicals in food, other substances can impact other children. The most common “culprits” are believed to be corn, sugar, wheat, and citrus fruits.  Symptoms may be completely unnoticeable, however, it is common for children with the disorder to experience low blood sugar, excessive sweating (particularly at night), bloating, diarrhea, incapability to regulate body temperature, rhinitis, a redness in the face and/or ears, and under-eye circles.

The reduction or elimination of problem substances from a child’s diet will not cure their autism, but it can help with some of the symptoms of allergy induced autism. And this approach has been found to be effective in many children and adults. The improvements reported have been significant in some cases, but for many children, who appeared to be severely autistic, restricting their diet has reduced their symptoms only as long as they don’t deviate from the strict dietary limitations.

Tags: signs of autism, aspergers

The response was quite overwhelming. So what I’ve done it group the most commonly asked questions and will be answering those first. However I do hope to get round to all the questions over the coming weeks, so keep an eye on the blog for new posts.

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The first question that was asked the most was:

What are the signs of autism?

I have actually already got a post on this, but I think it’s worth repeating here:

Autism is not easy to diagnose as it is a spectrum disorder, and so can have many degrees of severity.

In young children the following signs should lead you to consider further evaluation:

- Failure to coo or babble by or before one year old.
- Inability to speak single words by 16 months.
- Inability to communicate nonverbally, such as pointing at objects or waving, by age one.
- Inability to independently speak two-word phrases by age 2 (i.e., the child does not combine words without copying words spoken to him/her).
- Loses any communication or social skills at any age.

The above are general symtoms of autism, but should not be considered as a definative list.

More specific signs to look out for in children to help you better identify potential autistic behaviours are listed below:

- Failure to respond when his/her name is called.
- Inability to communicate his/her needs or wants verbally.
- Delays in verbal communication skills and repeating words or phrases instead of normal speech.
- Failure to follow directions.
- Occasionally appears to be deaf even though hearing test results are normal.
- Doesn’t point at objects of interest.
- Doesn’t wave good-bye or hello.
- Stops speaking.
- Unusually forceful tantrums and unusual emotional responses.
- Strange patterns of movement.
- Hyperactive, obstinate, or defiant. Can display overly aggressive behavior or tendencies to self-harm.
- Appears not to know how to play with toys.
- Fails to smile when smiled at.
- Doesn’t make or maintain appropriate eye contact.
- Performs repetitive motions or routines. Wants to have the same daily routine and dislikes change.
- Prefers playing alone.
- Thinks only to get things for him/herself and not others.
- Exhibits more independence than is normal for his/her age.
- Early performance of activities.
- Ignoring or tuning out people. May not like to be hugged or have physical contact.
- Shows no interest in peers and may be scared of crowds.
- Tiptoe walking.
- Will only eat certain foods and have many food allergies.
- General ongoing digestion problems.
- Unusual sensitivity to normal noises, smells and an over or underdeveloped sensitivity to pain.
- Unresponsive to normal teaching methods.

Although it is unlikely that an autistic person would display all of the above signs, this list covers the common signs of autism.

If someone is displaying 8 or more symptoms from the list you should consider consulting a medical professional.

I hope that this helps those of you who wanted a greater understanding of the signs and symptoms of Autism.

Tags: autism symptoms, aspergers

In terms of gross motor skills, apraxia may impact a child’s capabilities to stand up, sit in a chair, or catch a ball and with fine motor skills, a child may not be able to zip up a jacket, button a shirt, write or print, or even point at an object.

Children with apraxia may also struggle to produce sound patterns to make words, or even coordinate the various speech mechanisms to make the individual speech sounds such as the difference between a “g” and a “b” sound, or the hum of an “m” sound.  Even when a sound is modeled, a child with apraxia may not be able to mimic the same sound. 

However, though these symptoms may also cross over into autism, there remain important differences between the two conditions.  For example, when a child has only apraxia it is only the motor functioning and not the social and emotional skills that are impacted, as is often not the case with autism.

Apraxia and autism can become difficult to tell from one another when the child is exhibiting symptoms of verbal apraxia (officially known as oral-motor apraxia).  The reason for this is that children with either condition can be very aware of their struggle to communicate verbally, and therefore they may choose to avoid having to talk by staying away from social situations.  However, in the case of verbal apraxia, if you play with your child and don’t demand speech from him or her, you may find that they begin playing actively and engage others in their play. 

The child usually experiences relief from being able to socialize and have contact with others without being required to talk, which is frustrating for them and can create a fear of failure.  Often, with these children, when they are allowed to select the type of play and are allowed to go without having to speak, the relief and comfort they feel can make them more open to accepting the slow introduction of new sounds and syllables, which may eventually bring about simple words into their favorite games and play. Encouragement to vocalize or verbalize should be gentle in both apraxia and autism, and should be gradual, tailored to the pace of success rather than to a schedule.

In both motor apraxia and autism, children show social interaction problems, but in the case of motor apraxia, this is normally because they are not always capable of performing the physical movements that allows them access to others.  However, motor apraxia won’t usually make a child want to avoid social interaction altogether, such as failing to make eye contact, or specifically moving away from other people. 

It is easy to see why there is so much confusion between apraxia and autism spectrum disorders.  Especially considering children with these conditions can also both exhibit signs of over-reactivity to sensations.   However, there are differences between the two and it is important to speak to your doctor or a specialist if you are unsure.  Your doctor will be able to determine which condition your child may have, or if both are present.

Tags: autism support, autism symptoms