INTRODUCTION - National Trust

11. Can Speech Therapy help ?
Speech Therapy can help some children. It is absolutely essential for the speech
therapist to understand Autism in general and also the individual child. Otherwise,
the conventional methods of speech therapy do not help children with Autism.
However, every child with autism can benefit from communication therapy,
12. Why is he hyperactive ?
Hyperactivity can have a medical reason. However, most children with Autism are
restless because of an impairment in their cognitive, communicative and social skills.
They cannot play with their toys and with other children meaningfully and fin it
very difficult to occupy themselves. Often they eat a lot to keep themselves occupied.
Eating junk food (chips, chocolates and aerated soft drinks with preservatives) can
also increase hyperactivity. Hyperactivity can be reduce as the children are taught
new skills and ways to keep themselves occupied.
13. What are chances of Autism in the next child born to us? Can we have a normal
child ?
About 10% of the cases of Autism can be accounted for genetically. If there is one
child with Autism in the family, risks of having another child with autism is much
higher than in the general population. So far, there is no reliable test to detect Autism
in the foetus.
14. Why does he keep playing with his fingers/rocking himself back and forth/spinning
around etc.?
Children with Autism respond to sensations in ways which are different from that of
others. They have a contrition known as sensory dysfunction - this means either over
or under stimulation in any one or more of the sensory modalities (hearing, sight,
taste, touch, smell, balance). These unusual mannerisms like flapping and rocking
etc. are for them natural responses or methods of coping with sensory difficulties.
These behaviours sometimes help them to relax.
15. Is the child’s own home a better option for him, or is a hostel better ?
It is now increasingly accepted that during the early years of development, it is
important for an autistic child to live and grow in a home environment. As the child
grows up, he can be trained to live in a group home but it is very important for the
autistic people living in such homes also to integrate with society in general and not
just be abandoned in a home or hostel.
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