Today is International Asperger’s Day 2013. Happy 107th birthday Dr Hans Asperger. International Asperger’s Day is a day to celebrate the good doctor’s birthday on the 18th of February and to increase awareness of Asperger’s Syndrome. Dr Hans Asperger was an Austrian paediatrician who in 1944 described the key features of Asperger’s Syndrome. The syndrome […]
The Eyes Have It: The Autism Files Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with eye contact. They often don’t like looking directly into eyes or maintaining eye contact in order to share experiences with others. Looking into a face, and particularly the eyes, gives us information about what people are thinking and […]
Echolalia: The Autism Files Children with autism have a lot of problems with communication. Some children with autism can’t speak at all. When my son Michael attended the AEIOU* at Moorooka in Brisbane many of the children could not speak. Some children will grow up and never speak a word their whole lives. They may […]
Most people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) don’t like changes in their routines. It is all about rules, regulations, and order. This can be because they experience the world as confusing and chaotic, and it is their way of clawing back some sense of control. They like the predictability that a routine provides. If you know the end of the […]
Wow, that citrus fiesta was fun! Thanks everyone who participated and everyone in the audience. What a talented bunch of citrus fanatics from so many places around the world. Cheers Gabe xo ps. I hope I didn’t forget anyone (my email intray is a disaster waiting to happen) pps. If you still have something citrussy […]
Quick Tip (Novelty Bag): The Autism Files What do you do when the queue is too long and your child is getting agitated? What do you do when there is a traffic jam and your child is in the back seat, squirming? These are situations that can make all parents uneasy, but if you are […]
When a child is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), therapists often suggest that parents develop a visual schedule. I thought this seemed a little strange when I was told to do it by my son’s speech pathologist, but went along for the ride . It turns out to be one of the most effective […]
Surviving the Rage: The Autism Files Speaking of rage, my son Michael (diagnosed with autism at age 3) has had his fair share of tantrums and meltdowns (though he is pretty good now at age 10 and when angry will go to his room, mumbling and abusing everyone under his breath, to calm down on […]
It is common to hear parents describe a child’s meltdown or tantrum as ‘coming out of nowhere’. Indeed, outbursts of anger (even in adults) can seem to materialise from the ether. But of course, this is far from the reality. There are always signs or cues that the volcano is about to erupt. Children and […]
Early Warning Signs: The Autism Files If your child has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) early diagnosis is very important. Why is it important? Because intensive early intervention is effective for young children with ASD (the window of opportunity is approximately the ages of 2 to 6) and the earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the better […]
