http://www.fridayschildmontessori.com/blog/understanding-autism/ Children with autism need a lot of help but Montessori education suits them very well. Pet therapy can also be used to help. Children with autism can grow up into people who fit well into society and suit jobs with animals, factory work, work with computers and scientific laboratory work.

1. Understanding Autism

2. About ten to fifteen years ago, more or
less, a number of parents were worried
about allowing their children to be
vaccinated with the combination
rubella–mumps–measles jab
because a scientific paper had been
published that claimed that this
vaccine could trigger autism.

3. This paper was later proven to be
completely wrong and the doctor
who wrote it was found guilty of
scientific misconduct and stricken from
the register.

4. However, this controversy did bring
autism in children into the spotlight.

5. Autism can best be described as a very
mild mental disorder.

6. Nobody knows quite what causes it,
although it does tend to run in families,
so genetic factors could contribute to it.

7. A person with autism tends to have a
few problems communicating with
others and with social interactions.

8. It can’t be cured, but with the right help,
people with autism can do just as well
as everybody else. There are
degrees of autism, with some
children having it “worse” than others.

9. Early diagnosis is the key for
autism so your child can get the right
help and support so they can develop
into the person they’re supposed to be.

10. Most children with the condition show
signs of it by the time they’re toddlers,
and the signs can be picked up by
parents and by caregivers and early
childhood teachers.

11. It can be upsetting to have your child
diagnosed with autism, but please be
reassured that it’s not your fault and
your child can have a normal life.

12. One of the tell-tale signs that a child
has autism is that they are a bit slow
to learn to talk. Most children are
talking at about two years old, even if
all that they can say at this stage is a
few simple words.

13. If your child is not beginning to talk at
about this stage, it’s a good idea to
have a talk to your doctor.

14. Autism may not be the reason behind
this language learning difficulty, but
delayed language development is a
sign that all is not well.

15. Children with autism also don’t tend to
respond to you when you talk to them
or call their name.

16. This could also be caused by hearing
problems, so if your child regularly
fails to respond to you speaking to
them or calling their name, it’s time to
head down to the doctor again.

17. Of course, all children fail to respond to
being called now and again, particularly
if they’re absorbed in a task!

18. Another tell-tale sign of autism is that
the child is unwilling to make eye
contact with people.

19. Other signs can include an insistence
on routines and a fear of change,
repetitive movements such as hand
flapping, and unusual sensitivity to
sensory stimuli such as certain colours,
sounds or textures.

20. They can also be very obsessive.
People with autism also find it hard to
empathise with others and understand
how they’re feeling.

21. They also get very frustrated easily,
especially if faced with change or a
deviation from their routine, which can
lead to aggression

22. Although we don’t know for certain, the
following famous people are all
suspected to have been autistic to
some degree: Albert Einstein, Vincent
Van Gogh and plenty of others.

23. This is brought to you by
Gold Coast Montessori Preschool

24. www.fridayschildmontessori.com