cowandchick - I'm not that clever just happened to know and happened to be able to dig above info from net. Sym was diagnosed 3wks b4 turning 1yr. A big joke right? birthday present so unforgetable!
I'm still learning how to take care of Sym from other overseas mums .... not expert yet.
VALC - I used tollyjoy bottle n teats. Also tried others such as Pigeon, Lucky baby. Never tried Avent. Avent fat and big teat right? Feel/bent the teat, shld be soft and not hard. The hole is determined by the bb. Normally 1 shoot is for 1 mouth feed. Try cutting from a small hole, do a shoot (the same way to test temp). If too much milk on palm means not suitable for 3mths (too big). Alternatively, u can squeeze the teat once for 1 mouth feed ie u control the flow. I still dont understand y sleeping time is easier to feed. u mean yr child <font color="ff0000">suck</font>?
AC - copied this fm net cos I only hv 1 close contact with an autistic in my girl's class (many in other classes but no direct contact/know them). Boy was sent to sch when around 3yrs but only last month then diagnosed as autistic (already 6yrs old). Understand autism can be masked/not easily detected.
Only seen teacher showed him his own picture to recognise, no flashcards. There r dif levels/types of autistic kids so I'm not sure flash card works not. The boy wont look at the pic, he'll look at the ceiling or elsewhere - no eye contact!
I have read many ways of calming a child such as dolphines, music therapy, tui na, drawing and even clay moulding. I suppose trial and error. Something suitable for 1 child may not suit another.
Autistic symptoms begin prior to the third birthday, and are most commonly noticed around the 30th month. It is not known what causes autism, but recent studies have shown that it is not linked to receiving the MMR vaccine. It is also known that it is not caused by bad parenting.
Among the problems that autistic children may have include difficulty interacting socially with others and developing normal social skills. This can cause difficulty developing age appropriate social relationships with family and peers, an inability to use nonverbal social interactions, such as returning a smile or making eye contact, they may become attached to unusual objects (such as a rubber band or a stick) and they may have no interest in sharing their interests, achievements, or things they enjoy with others. Other early symptoms can include not developing a social smile, being overly irritable and easily upset, not cuddling, being indifferent to parents, not playing social games (such as peek-a-boo), and using people as tools or as a means to an ends (getting something from the refrigerator, etc.). The degree to which they have difficulty socializing can vary greatly, and some children may not interact with others or form emotional attachments at all and may prefer to be alone all of the time, while other with mild symptoms are able to make eye contact and may be affectionate.
Children with autism can also have problems with communication. This can range from a speech delay or total lack of speech (and unlike children with an expressive speech delay, autistic children do not compensate by using more nonverbal communication, such as gesturing), difficulty maintaining or starting a conversation, or difficulty with play. Others have echolalia, and their only speech consists of repeating things they have heard.
Autistic children may also have certain repetitive or stereotyped activities or patterns of behavior, such as being abnormally preoccupied with certain interests, needing to strictly stick to certain rituals or routines, and other repetitive habits and self-stimulating behaviors, such as head banging, body rocking, etc.
There is no cure for autism and most therapies are aimed at improving symptoms. These treatments can include language, social skills and behavioral therapy. Medications are also sometimes used to help improve attention (especially if other ADHD symptoms are present), aggressive behaviors, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
<font color="0000ff">If you suspect that your child has autism, it is best to see a physician that specializes in treating autistic children, so that appropriate testing can be done. You may also need to see a child neurologist or child psychologist for further management. Autism is a type of Pervasive Developmental Disorder</font>
<font color="119911">for more info, google search with key words</font>. Hope I've provided some suitable help.
