Autism Family Resource Guidebook

Anecdotal Therapy
Anecdotal interventions provide families additional methods that, while not scientifically proven,
have had some positive outcomes. Many anecdotal therapies are not covered by insurance,
however grants may be available to subsidize the cost. Before using any anecdotal therapy,
please consult your physician for guidance.
Music Therapy
Many families have found the fun of music
therapy to support communication, social
and behavioral goals. Music therapy is a
well-established professional health discipline
that uses music as a therapeutic stimulus to
achieve non-musical treatment goals.
Research supports connections between
speech and singing, rhythm and motor behavior,
and memory for song and academic material.
Preferred music can improve mood, attention,
and behavior in order to optimize the student’s
ability to learn and interact.
Equine Therapy
Equine therapy is an alternative multimodal
intervention that utilizes a horse to enhance
core impairments in ASD. Information
suggests that equine therapy has beneficial
effects on behavioral skills and to some
extent on social communication in ASD.
Biomedical Interventions
Biomedical interventions focus on the
physical needs of the person by addressing
deficits or system weaknesses in the body
(digestive, respiratory, muscular, etc.)
through medical or chemical means. Examples
of biomedical interventions include the
gluten-casein-free diets (GFCF), addressing
food sensitivities, use of supplements, gut
treatments and immune system regulation.
FACT
Although people
with autism grow
and change,
they never “outgrow”
their autism.
Appropriately?
Other Health Related Concerns
In the tables below, developmental milestones are listed for children with typical development,
alongside behaviors that may be signs of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Learning
While the following differences are not defining characteristics of autism, many children may
developmental milestones can help parents know what to expect from their children.
experience these other challenges at some point throughout their lives. These co-morbid
conditions
While looking
typically
at observable
need to also
behaviors,
be addressed,
please
to
keep
allow
in
the
mind
child
that
to
development
regulate and
is
learn
individual
more
and
effectively.
these are the approximate age ranges to observe the expected behaviors for all children. Every
child is different, even among siblings. Your child’s environment, family and experiences contribute
This
to their
list includes
development.
some of
If
the
you
most
are concerned,
common conditions
please talk
present
to your
in
child’s
young
pediatrician
children with
as
ASD,
soon as
however
possible.
additional
The earlier
conditions
concerns
may
are addressed,
develop as a
the
child
better
gets
the
older.
long-term
It is important
prognosis
to have
is for
regular
the child,
visits
whether
with
the
your
delay
doctor
is indeed
and intervention
autism or something
team to discuss
else.
any changes in your child as they
happen. Please talk to your pediatrician if your child is having any of these difficulties.
Disrupted Sleep
Sleep difficulties typically fall into two
general categories: difficulty falling asleep
and difficulty staying asleep. Children may
exhibit signs of one or both categories. Lack
of sleep can intensify other issues that a
child is already experiencing.
UNDER 12 MONTHS Typical Development
Gastrointestinal Issues
Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD)
ADHD typically is known as an inability
or difficulty in focusing. While it can be
difficult to separate focus issues from other
signs of ASD, some children have this
Red Flags for Autism
additional challenge. Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Developmental Coordination
Many Social children Interaction experience some • Babbling type or of coos and smiles in
• Tends not to turn to someone
bowel distress off and on through response their
calling their name and seems not
Delay to hear or be interested; seems to
lifetime. Most commonly, children • Turns head may and have pays attention
constipation or diarrhea. In some children,
In addition to other hear environmental delays, some sounds children better
towards sounds and voices or where
than human voices
you are looking and pointing
the experience of pain may result in feeding experience a delay in the development of
difficulties, which may have a sensory
motor skills. These • Fails can to look include where but someone are not is
• Shows interest in faces
pointing
component as well.
limited to delays in walking or showing an
unusual posture • Absent or walking facial expression, pattern, lowered such as
decreased smiling or upset/scared
muscle tone or balance issues. Smaller muscle
face
groups may also be impacted, effecting
Communication
• Cries differently for different hand-eye needs coordination • Delayed and infrequent handwriting. sounds
(e.g. hungry vs. tired)
of speech
Behavior/Interests
• Makes eye contact and maintains for
moving objects (even for a short time)
• Responds to “no” and simple directions
(e.g. “Come here”) and says one or
two words
• Join to sound/rhythm by making or
repeating sounds
• Explores different toys and/objects
with fingers and mouth
• Show physical reaction when excited
• Limited eye contact and may not
look where another is looking
• Does not wave bye-bye
• Attending to unusual objects or
patterns
• Over- or under-reactions to
stimulation
• Repeats a movement or routine
over and over
6
Autism Co-morbid Spectrum Disorder
Autism Presence is a of neurodevelopmental one or more additional disorder conditions defined co-occurring by persistent with deficits the in social
communication primary one. and social interaction, accompanied by restricted, repetitive
patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.
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