Enabled Kids - Bringing your child into the world

[Guest guest]

Hey everyone,

We just finished a new blog post about children with autism. I'd love to

hear what people think about the article.

Here's an excerpt:

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Bringing your child into the world

When we talk about autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder, we refer to a

neurological condition which comes in many different forms, types and

levels of severity. Children with the condition may experience issues

not only with their cognitive and motor development skills, but with

their digestive systems as well. As a result, a child may have vitamin

and mineral deficiencies that can affect his visual perception,

digestive tract and resulting bodily functions. When addressing his

needs, we have to consider what he is eating, how much fresh air he is

getting, and the level of interaction he experiences in his daily life.

For a child to be able to improve, every aspect of his life should be

taken into consideration.

In this respect, life and therapy should become a continuous learning

experience that allows a child to learn and practice his skills. It

was for this reason that we founded our education system called LIFE

<http://www.healthinmotionrehab.com/life-program.php> , which stands for

Learning Independent Function Everyday

<http://www.healthinmotionrehab.com/life-program.php> . For us, the

goal is to focus on what a child can accomplish with the proper

guidance and support. Our philosophy is that there is no therapy, only

LIFE; no treatment, just function. We know that each child's

condition is unique. We do not give a child exercises to perform, but

take the time to teach him the necessary functions to successfully

interact with his environment. By approaching a child's condition

holistically, we can pinpoint which aspects of his cognitive and motor

functions can be understood and addressed. In this way, we can begin to

understand a child and how his actions relate to his condition, which

makes it possible for him to develop.

Starting to understand his behaviour. To begin this process, one of the

first steps towards enabling your child's improvement is

establishing an understanding of the his condition and behaviour. If a

child is licking things for example, parents might not be able to work

out the reason behind his actions. When we examine each aspect of his

development however, his behaviour begins to make sense. As one of the

few sensory organs that a child with autism may use consistently, the

tongue becomes a sensory tool in the place of touch. Often, this is the

result of sensory problems resulting in either hyper or hyposensitivity

in his extremities. When a child receives either too much or too little

stimulation, he will not be able to process the information going to

his brain. When combined with other issues such as visual impairment, a

child may have difficulty registering both methods of environmental

stimulation. He may not be blind, but he does not process the

information that he sees. As a result of his limited interaction with

the things and people around him, he will lock himself in a certain

world of his own. As parents, therapists and caregivers, it is our goal

to guide him out of his shell and into the world of independence and

proper function.

You can find the rest of the post here: http://www.enabledkids.ca/?p=254

<http://www.enabledkids.ca/?p=254>

Thanks everyone! Feedback would be much appreciated.

-Enabled Kids