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Brain Drain: How Much of it are YOU Using?

The human brain fascinates me. That we use only 10% of it boggles my mind. Will we, at some time or place in the future, use more? Why do we have the “extra”? Might it actually come in to play in functions we cannot measure at this time? Is it possible that the portion that doesn’t show as being used actually is what gives us our sixth sense, intuition, or some other unquantifiable benefit? I don’t believe that it’s unnecessary. Even though scientific experiments have been done, and medical observations made that show IQs not dropping when most of the … Continue reading →

Brain Wiring: Understanding the Autistic Mind

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I remember asking our doctor about my son Kyle’s hand-flapping and wrist-twisting that accompanied his autism. “Will it ever go away?” I asked. “It’s the way his brain is wired,” was the response. It has been a decade since the doctor made that statement, and although “brain wiring” is certainly a factor in autism, new research has provided us with more complete information. The quest to uncover the baffling mysteries of autism continues to move forward. According to TIME magazine in an article posted Sunday, May 7th, Inside the Autistic Mind, here is what we know about autism: As is … Continue reading →

Sesame Street Launches Autism Initiative

Sesame Street, a show you loved when you were a kid, and one that your kids enjoy today, has launched a major autism initiative. The program is called “See Amazing in All Children”. It is designed to foster greater understanding about autism for all children and families. There is a stigma placed upon autism that need not be there. People who do not understand autism, or who do not have anyone in their lives that has it, may harbor many misconceptions about it. The goal of the Sesame Street autism initiative is to help de-stigmatize autism (which affects one in … Continue reading →

Why Does My Child Keep Overreacting?

It’s always a good idea to remind ourselves that our children with special needs have brains that interpret and assimilate information differently. In a previous blog I wrote about “brain wiring” with respect to people with autism. A neurologist who was evaluating my son’s behaviors said, “It’s the way his brain is wired.” I’ve certainly observed that my son sees and comprehends the world around him in his own unique way. This is especially true for children with sensory integration dysfunction, who receive all kinds of confused signals as their brains process sensory input. These kids have curious, peculiar behaviors … Continue reading →

The Astonishing Musical Genius of Derek Paraviccini

“Music is an inherent part of the universe.” The human mind is mysterious indeed. For example, how is it possible that a 26-year old man who can’t count to ten and doesn’t know his own birthday—-a man who is blind, severely learning impaired, and autistic—-can also be a musical genius who plays thousands of complicated piano pieces with perfect skill and accuracy? Derek Paraviccini’s talents will truly astonish you. He was born three months early, a twin whose sister was unable to survive their early delivery. Derek nearly died three times after his birth but was resuscitated and kept alive. … Continue reading →

Do Vaccinations Cause Autism? A Mother’s Viewpoint

There’s been a controversy for quite some time about whether the mercury, or thimerosal, in certain childhood vaccinations causes autism in children. All you have to do is search for “mercury” or “thimerosal” or “vaccinations” or “autism” on the internet, and you’ll find numerous reports, comments, debates, and arguments over the issue. The Question Personally, I’ve even been asked by people, “Do you think your son Kyle got autism from an immunization?” For many months, I’ve been researching this matter, and although I can’t possibly give an ironclad answer (can anyone?), I have come up with one that feels right … Continue reading →

Why Antidepressants Could Help Your Teen on the Autism Spectrum

Imagine the moments in your life when you were the most nervous. Maybe you faced auditioning for a big part, or asking your spouse to marry you, or owning up to doing something wrong. Remember the gnawing feeling of fear? Remember the physical tension and jitteriness you felt? Well, it’s possible that your son or daughter on the autism spectrum may be in a similar state of anxiety a majority of the time. Many autistic children, especially upon reaching puberty, are ruled by fear. Temple Grandin, Ph.D., an autistic woman who is an author, professor, and public speaker, has taught … Continue reading →

When Your Child on the Autism Spectrum has RAGE

When I was a young mother with a newly-diagnosed autistic toddler, a woman came to my home to talk to me about her adult son with autism. What is interesting is that I do not remember who put us in touch or even her name. But she came for a visit, I suppose because I was just starting the journey, and she was a street-wise traveler. She shared some very frightening stories about her son. Our visit was not very helpful; it actually terrified me. Horror Stories She told me that once her son reached puberty, his episodes of rage … Continue reading →

Does Television Cause Autism in Infants and Toddlers?

We are still very much in the dark about what causes autism, and why the number of cases of children diagnosed with this puzzling disorder continues to rise. New theories are being suggested, including the idea that television viewing by babies and toddlers under the age of three somehow triggers autism spectrum disorders in children who have a genetic predisposition. A New Theory It seems like a ridiculous hypothesis, but professors at Cornell and Purdue University are suggesting there’s a link to early television viewing and autism. Professor Michael Waldman and Sean Nicholson of Cornell University, and Nodir Adilov of … Continue reading →

Echolalia: Repeat After Me

About seventy-five percent of children on the autism spectrum use echolalia in some form. Echolalia is the tendency to repeat back, or “echo” what someone else has said. It’s also sometimes referred to as “parroting,” because of the way that parrots mimic human speech. For some time it was thought that this echoing of speech by children on the spectrum was completely nonsensical. But we’ve now determined that there usually is the intent to communicate, but the delivery gets confused along the way. Immediate Echolalia There are two types of echolalia: immediate and delayed. With immediate echolalia, the child will … Continue reading →