Anyone has a autistic child?

Hi , i need to know at what age is your child found to be autistic? what are the traits that make u suspect that the child is autistic. Is there any blogs on autistic child.

I would like to know more as my relative child is suspected but the specialist cant confirm as yet. I would like to know more n what help u appraoch is useful.. n what are the struggles in raising a autistic child..thanks
 


hi,

check this website out: www.ldonline.org
i also know of someone in sort of same situation, learning disabilities.
do you know where a child can go to get himself assessed? also looking for special education programs.
 
thanks for your infor
i think u can try nuh or kk but go polyclinic to be a sub patient if u want..the q can be long..any way is to go pte specialist..it very costly..
 
Hi toy collector

I hv taught a few autistic children in an early childhood setting. Usually by about four years old, it can be confirmed whether the child is autistic. But that also depends how severe is the condition. I hv come across a child at the age of two plus who has been diagnosed as autistic. Not all autistic children display same traits. But what usually lead us to suspect a child is autistic is the lack of eye contact or difficulty in maintaining eye contact, some also engross in repetitive movements, 'parrot' talking, ie repeating what he hears, poor social interaction and skills. U can check out this website: www.autismlinks.org.sg to find out more.

To help a autistic child, it is best to seek intervention or help early. Hope this helps.
 
Hi,
I work with children with autism. Some children can be diagnosed as early as 2.5 years old, although some high functioning children with autism (eg those with Asperger's Syndrome) do not get diagnosed until they go to school ie 4-5 years.

If you suspect your child has autism, you can get your child assessed through several routes:
- go to a polyclinic and get a referral to either KKH or NUH
- go the private route and get a formal diagnosis by a paediatrician or psychologist trained in diagnosing autism. Or if you want to 'cut queue' you can also self-refer to KKH or NUH although I wouldn't do that if I were a parent, because it means that you will be a "full paying" patient and not be entitled for subsidies.

Early intervention is key to a better prognosis, so seek help for your child early if you suspect your child has any issues.
 
hi
my gal is due for MMR jab in 2 mth time. just want to find out if MMR can possibly cause autistic?
 
Hi Toy Collector,

My son is autistic. But mild. He parrots and have poor social skills and speech problem. He was diagnosed at the age of 3 yr old. He started with poor eye contact and obsessed with turning objects and round shapes and lining things in straight line etc... Early intervention is realyl neccessary.

He is waiting to be admitted to AWWA, a special school in July. I didnt find any blogs or any interactive local site for Autistic kids....sad. But I do have friends who are teaching and working special kids so i gain knowledge from them.
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Adriana

Can you share more info on AWWA? My kid also shows signs of autistic, seeking early intervention now!
 
Hi there, AWWA has great facilities and teachers. My best friend is teaching there. I can only give proper feedback when Justin starts his school in July. Have u brought yours for a diagnoise?? Doc's recommendation to special school?
 
Hi, my boy likes to look at fans and fans inside the aircon compressors since young. he is now 2.5 years old n still do that. he is fascinated with switching on and off the fans... is that normal or is a symtom of autistic? he do tries to speak in sentences and do maintain eye contact with strangers though...so does that mean he is normal? tks for any comments..
 
Hi junebrides,

MMR stand for the Mumps, Measles and Rubella jab that is compulsory for all babies to be vacinated at around 18mths.
 
I did asked my pd about whether MMR causes autism. He said that there is no proof that MMR cause austism, it just so happens that the jab coincide with the age tat most kids are diagnosed with autism. but we always have the option to separate the jabs if we are worried.
 
saw this some where n hope it will encourage parents with ASD kids to press on..

Don't Mourn For Us
by Jim Sinclair
[This article was published in the "Our Voice," the newsletter of Autism Network International, Volume 1, Number 3, 1993. It is an outline of the presentation I gave at the 1993 International Conference on Autism in Toronto, and is addressed primarily to parents.]

Parents often report that learning their child is autistic was the most traumatic thing that ever happened to them. Non-autistic people see autism as a great tragedy, and parents experience continuing disappointment and grief at all stages of the child's and family's life cycle.
But this grief does not stem from the child's autism in itself. It is grief over the loss of the normal child the parents had hoped and expected to have. Parents' attitudes and expectations, and the discrepancies between what parents expect of children at a particular age and their own child's actual development, cause more stress and anguish than the practical complexities of life with an autistic person.
Some amount of grief is natural as parents adjust to the fact that an event and a relationship they've been looking forward to isn't going to materialize. But this grief over a fantasized normal child needs to be separated from the parents' perceptions of the child they do have: the autistic child who needs the support of adult caretakers and who can form very meaningful relationships with those caretakers if given the opportunity. Continuing focus on the child's autism as a source of grief is damaging for both the parents and the child, and precludes the development of an accepting and authentic relationship between them. For their own sake and for the sake of their children, I urge parents to make radical changes in their perceptions of what autism means.
I invite you to look at our autism, and look at your grief, from our perspective:
Autism is not an appendage
Autism isn't something a person has, or a "shell" that a person is trapped inside. There's no normal child hidden behind the autism. Autism is a way of being. It is pervasive; it colors every experience, every sensation, perception, thought, emotion, and encounter, every aspect of existence. It is not possible to separate the autism from the person--and if it were possible, the person you'd have left would not be the same person you started with.
This is important, so take a moment to consider it: Autism is a way of being. It is not possible to separate the person from the autism.
Therefore, when parents say,
"I wish my child did not have autism,"
what they're really saying is,
"I wish the autistic child I have did not exist, and I had a different (non-autistic) child instead."
Read that again. This is what we hear when you mourn over our existence. This is what we hear when you pray for a cure. This is what we know, when you tell us of your fondest hopes and dreams for us: that your greatest wish is that one day we will cease to be, and strangers you can love will move in behind our faces.
Autism is not an impenetrable wall
You try to relate to your autistic child, and the child doesn't respond. He doesn't see you; you can't reach her; there's no getting through. That's the hardest thing to deal with, isn't it? The only thing is, it isn't true.
Look at it again: You try to relate as parent to child, using your own understanding of normal children, your own feelings about parenthood, your own experiences and intuitions about relationships. And the child doesn't respond in any way you can recognize as being part of that system.
That does not mean the child is incapable of relating at all. It only means you're assuming a shared system, a shared understanding of signals and meanings, that the child in fact does not share. It's as if you tried to have an intimate conversation with someone who has no comprehension of your language. Of course the person won't understand what you're talking about, won't respond in the way you expect, and may well find the whole interaction confusing and unpleasant.
It takes more work to communicate with someone whose native language isn't the same as yours. And autism goes deeper than language and culture; autistic people are "foreigners" in any society. You're going to have to give up your assumptions about shared meanings. You're going to have to learn to back up to levels more basic than you've probably thought about before, to translate, and to check to make sure your translations are understood. You're going to have to give up the certainty that comes of being on your own familiar territory, of knowing you're in charge, and let your child teach you a little of her language, guide you a little way into his world.
And the outcome, if you succeed, still will not be a normal parent-child relationship. Your autistic child may learn to talk, may attend regular classes in school, may go to college, drive a car, live independently, have a career--but will never relate to you as other children relate to their parents. Or your autistic child may never speak, may graduate from a self-contained special education classroom to a sheltered activity program or a residential facility, may need lifelong full-time care and supervision--but is not completely beyond your reach. The ways we relate are different. Push for the things your expectations tell you are normal, and you'll find frustration, disappointment, resentment, maybe even rage and hatred. Approach respectfully, without preconceptions, and with openness to learning new things, and you'll find a world you could never have imagined.
Yes, that takes more work than relating to a non-autistic person. But it can be done--unless non-autistic people are far more limited than we are in their capacity to relate. We spend our entire lives doing it. Each of us who does learn to talk to you, each of us who manages to function at all in your society, each of us who manages to reach out and make a connection with you, is operating in alien territory, making contact with alien beings. We spend our entire lives doing this. And then you tell us that we can't relate.
Autism is not death
Granted, autism isn't what most parents expect or look forward to when they anticipate the arrival of a child. What they expect is a child who will be like them, who will share their world and relate to them without requiring intensive on-the-job training in alien contact. Even if their child has some disability other than autism, parents expect to be able to relate to that child on the terms that seem normal to them; and in most cases, even allowing for the limitations of various disabilities, it is possible to form the kind of bond the parents had been looking forward to.
But not when the child is autistic. Much of the grieving parents do is over the non-occurrence of the expected relationship with an expected normal child. This grief is very real, and it needs to be expected and worked through so people can get on with their lives--
but it has nothing to do with autism.
What it comes down to is that you expected something that was tremendously important to you, and you looked forward to it with great joy and excitement, and maybe for a while you thought you actually had it--and then, perhaps gradually, perhaps abruptly, you had to recognize that the thing you looked forward to hasn't happened. It isn't going to happen. No matter how many other, normal children you have, nothing will change the fact that this time, the child you waited and hoped and planned and dreamed for didn't arrive.
This is the same thing that parents experience when a child is stillborn, or when they have their baby to hold for a short time, only to have it die in infancy. It isn't about autism, it's about shattered expectations. I suggest that the best place to address these issues is not in organizations devoted to autism, but in parental bereavement counseling and support groups. In those settings parents learn to come to terms with their loss--not to forget about it, but to let it be in the past, where the grief doesn't hit them in the face every waking moment of their lives. They learn to accept that their child is gone, forever, and won't be coming back. Most importantly, they learn not to take out their grief for the lost child on their surviving children. This is of critical importance when one of those surviving children arrived at t time the child being mourned for died.
You didn't lose a child to autism. You lost a child because the child you waited for never came into existence. That isn't the fault of the autistic child who does exist, and it shouldn't be our burden. We need and deserve families who can see us and value us for ourselves, not families whose vision of us is obscured by the ghosts of children who never lived. Grieve if you must, for your own lost dreams. But don't mourn for us. We are alive. We are real. And we're here waiting for you.
This is what I think autism societies should be about: not mourning for what never was, but exploration of what is. We need you. We need your help and your understanding. Your world is not very open to us, and we won't make it without your strong support. Yes, there is tragedy that comes with autism: not because of what we are, but because of the things that happen to us. Be sad about that, if you want to be sad about something. Better than being sad about it, though, get mad about it--and then do something about it. The tragedy is not that we're here, but that your world has no place for us to be. How can it be otherwise, as long as our own parents are still grieving over having brought us into the world?
Take a look at your autistic child sometime, and take a moment to tell yourself who that child is not. Think to yourself: "This is not my child that I expected and planned for. This is not the child I waited for through all those months of pregnancy and all those hours of labor. This is not the child I made all those plans to share all those experiences with. That child never came. This is not that child." Then go do whatever grieving you have to do--away from the autistic child--and start learning to let go.
After you've started that letting go, come back and look at your autistic child again, and say to yourself: "This is not my child that I expected and planned for. This is an alien child who landed in my life by accident. I don't know who this child is or what it will become. But I know it's a child, stranded in an alien world, without parents of its own kind to care for it. It needs someone to care for it, to teach it, to interpret and to advocate for it. And because this alien child happened to drop into my life, that job is mine if I want it."
If that prospect excites you, then come join us, in strength and determination, in hope and in joy. The adventure of a lifetime is ahead of you.
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Dear all,
I recently met a Dr Loh, who claims that increase in blood circulation & rheology will boost the brain development. If you are interested, PM me I get you in touch with him.
 
Hi, I'm also concerned tat my boy might be an autism. He's coming to 2yrs but do not know how to speak yet. i'm hope for the optimistic result may that he has adjusted yet. Or maybe he needed more time. Aft reading these postings, i'm kena worried! Whether to give him his MMR jab anot... Troubled.... Haiz...
 
hi zeus it gd to check with a specialist if it delayed speech or autism..does he look into your eyes when u call him etc..

i have been readng widely on autism guess there seems to be an increase but the cause is unknown as yet... but it could be greater awareness..but all the articles i read encourages early intervention.


recently saw the news that said in states they found out as early as 6 mths can know if child is autistic ..
 
Hi all, these sites might help some of you with kids' diet. I try to follow some but its really hard to follow completely. Pls share feedback if anyone really try
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http://www.glutensolutions.com/autism.htm

http://www.autism.org/leakygut.html

http://www.autism.org/contents.html#interven

Yes Justin loves trains and cars.... He's very into Thomas and we have alot of Thomas toys and train set at home. As for his taste buds... nothing particular because he eats almost anything except for vegetables and sweets and gummies.....
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Hi all,
Actually nobody wants their child to be an autistic, these articles really gives a more in-dept knowledge of wat to expect. Appreciate all helpful links & informations. :>
 
wow adriana your son is a gd eater..my relative child meal time is soo soo hard cos he would nt eat anything except biscuit n bread so till now his porridge n vege n food is still powdered/smashed form..no noodles rice or anything that is not in powdered form except his bread n biscuit.
 
Hi mummies.... my brother just bought me this book.... its very inspiring. Stories of hope for all parents who have kids with ASD.

Its call "A Cup Of Comfort for Parents Of Children With Autism"

Its a really great book. Now I bring the book everywhere I go.
 
Hi AC.

Have you heard of Pathlight School?
It's a special school specially for autistic kids but follows the mainstream curriculum.
Only difference is that they don't provide 2nd language lessons.
But they provide the additional Life Skills Lessons and IEP (Individual Education Plan which caters to your child learning needs).

Pathlight takes in kids as young as 6yrs old (birth year).
Before applying, the child needs to go for an IQ Test (perform by a professional child pychologist) and needs to have a minimum IQ of 70 b4 you're allowed to apply.
Waiting list is long. Average waiting time is abt 1-2yrs or longer.

For more info, pls view their link at www.pathlight.org.sg

Hope everything goes well with your nephew and his family.
Regards.
 
hi AC,

I am sorry that yr nephew was not diagnose earlier. If he's a mild ASD, he might be like Justin. Justin is consider pretty smart in his class. Dont worry, everything will be fine.

In AWWA, teachers are great!!! Kids gets to see their therapists every week. For Justin dont need physiotherapy so only Occupational and Speech. Their therapists work in school everyday so as an when if parents have questions or queries, we can approach them. They are all very nice ppl. Facilities are great too.... there's also a swimming pool specially design for kids in the school. We have swimming every week too. Justin cant wait to go school everyday because its fun. Nothing beats when kids cant wait to go school to learn. There is EYC for the younger kids and school side for the older ones.

There are about 5 boys in Justin's class... with 2 or 3 teachers each day. 1 caregiver must be around for each kid as teachers want us to go home and reinforce what they learn in class. Lessons are filled with fun games, songs and group working to encourage more interaction with other kids. Teaching them socialising skills. There'll be time for individual work time too. Exercises are include in their cirriculum.

We waited for about 1/2 yr before we got a placing here. Some ppl waited for much longer period i think. Anyway if u r interested in AWWA, u can visit their site

http://www.awwa.org.sg

I know AWWA will "push" students out of school if they have achieve a certain standard .... what I mean is they will send students to schools like Pathlight etc... for their primary school education.

Before u decide on schools, u have to bring him to a psycologist to get a proper diagnose and they will refer you to see a social worker at the AIRC (Disability Information & Referral Centre) People no longer go to special school and register their kids anymore since last yr. So this place will then guide u on how to choose school etc....

Hope I have given enough info....
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hi mummies... anyone is using the 10000 flashcard CD ROM ? Is it good ? Need some feedback before recommend it to my friend.
Thanks
 
Hi AC, sorry I've got the name of the centre wrong. Its DIRC not AIRC.

No problem, I am glad to help
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All the best.... Keep us posted on the progress of your nephew
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Regards,

Adriana
 
Hi Mummies,

I understand that swimming is another form of therapy for autistic children. Swimming helps with overall coordination as well as building confidence. I know of a swim coach that has been teaching toddlers from 15 months onwards and he specialises in chidren with special needs like autism.
 
Hi All Mummies,
Recently my two boys were suspected of mild autistic but have not go for further test at KK yet.
Got a referal letter from GP but my PD advise that we queue at Polyclinic for referal better this way as it's subsidise.
Can you all help what I should do know to encourage them.
As after reading, it seem that they like to spin balls and one like to stack lego and can arrange in one line.
Now they 19months, and no words from them yet though baby talks a lot and poor eye contact.
Can someone response.
Thanks
 
hi Joanne
well what u shared might be of some concern..i notice my relative child loves to scream when at new places (except his own n grandparents)..

he also spin everything like stroller wheels, woooden jigsaw knob,toy cars etc..

better to go polyclinic n get a referral cos the q is quite long..if u can afford try to get some pte speech therapy... relative child only started after 24 mths..
 
Joanne hopes the below infor helps..

saw a mum, city who gotten this from the net in another thread-been special..thanks city for this infor


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.

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
 
i came across an autism book.
not sure if it's good but seems highly recomended.

pm me for the book url
 
Any of you interested to buy things from My Special Kid or not? I want to buy a few items. They do give some discounts for bulk purchase, but no further details given. If any of you would like to group our purchases please list here ok? Then I'll consolidate and see how much discount they can give.

http://myspecialkid.com.sg/index.php
 
Dear ALL MUMMIES,

I hope to get some advices from all of you. The Child Care principal & teacher suspected my son (now 2yrs 7mths) to be autistic when he joined them in Mar08. I have consulted Neurology PD, visited NUH and currently awaiting for CDU Appointment in Jun08. The Neurology PD mentioned that he wanted us to go thru' at least 6mths of OT & SLT first (which we are currently doing OT) as he does not want to label my son yet even though he possesses features of Autism.

The Principal of Child Care informed that she will bring in a "Psychologist" twice (1hr per seesion) weekly to observe my son which then I have to pay a different school fees from the normal children. When I asked for details of the said-Intervention Program, they claimed that the "Psycologist" have to observe first afterwhich an assessment will be given. (that means I have to pay for the increment first before getting to know what is the program details? i.e. wait for the assessment) And somehow, was hinted if I don't enrol into this program - the child care is UNABLE TO CATER to my such "SPECIAL NEEDS" son. Not forgetting to mention that was also informed >>> "in fact when my son first joined them, even without the intervention program, they should charge us higher fees" IS THIS SO?

I hope Mummies out here could advise which are the child care centres that your kid(s) are attending & are they required to pay such "different fees".

Thank you in advance - all of you.
 
Hope this is not too late.

First of all, what is the Intervention programme that your child care has for your son? Who is their 'psychologist'? You need to speak to these people and know exactly what the programme is before you pay anything.

You may also want to check with MCYS regarding differential fees for your child in the child care centre, especially if you do not take on their so-called intervention programme. Also find out if the child care has a right to ask your child to leave, if you do not take on their programme.

Will your Neuro PD be recommending any other intervention programme or referrals to psychologists?

Take care.
 
Hi Faith,
YOu might want to check with Veronica of Rainbow centre. they do run
a course for mainstream kindergartens. thus, most likely have a list
of those places where they have regularly sent their teachers there
for training.

Rainbow's Tel: 6472 1840.

You may want to join "Shoulder " yahoo support group, can learn alot from the parent there
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http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/shoulders-sg/

"Shoulders" is an online support group for parents with children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) in Singapore.

Hope it help!
Cin
 
The Disability Information Referral Centre (DIRC) together with KK Women's and Children's Hospital, NCSS, MCYS, North West CDC and the Ulu Pandan CC will be organising the above event on Saturday, 12 July 2008 from 8.30am to 12.30pm at the Ulu Pandan CC Theatrette.

2. The forum would share and discuss issues on Autism Spectrum Disorder and the continuum of care. We have invited speakers with expertise in ASD to share on diagnosis and the Continuum of Care which includes Dr Lim Sok Bee, Senior Consultant of KK Hospital , Social Workers, Psychologist, Occupational and Speech Therapist.

3. We would also like to extend the invitation to you and your colleagues, parents to join us for the Public Forum to enrich our knowledge with experts views on helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The admission is FREE and is through registration only. Do register early as seats are limited.

If you need further information on the forum, please contact Ms Normalah at 67882215 or email: [email protected]


hope this helps!
 
Hi, I am new to this forum. Anyone of you with ASD kids and that you have sent him / her to a mainstream school? How is he / she coping? Is the school with SNOs or without. Thank you for sharing with me your experiences as I am still comtemplating if my son with mild ASD suitable for P1 in 2010. He is going to be registered next year.
 
auntiemoi, most schools have snos now, and have teachers trained in handling special kids. Dun worry. I have seen a couple of ASD kids in my school, some are coping fairly well.
 
hihi,

my son is in mainstream pri sch P2.

sch with sno but can't help much as sch have many special need kid, ASD, ADHD, Gobal delay....

the 1st year is very very hard. everythings have to adjust. lots of incident happen, both son n me is very very stress.

tis year are more stable. but as n when still have "somethings" happen....

(all the below learned from some incident happen)
he learn to follow normal kid behavoir, learn to cope with long school hours, classmate will talk to him so he pick up social skill too, he learn to be oraginise his school bag n take responsiable on his own books n stationary.learn to follow sch timetable and have to accept that somethime teacher will change the timetable , learn that their is alway have change of teacher", learn to handle sudden :fire drill"....

the negative side : Bully everywhere, acadmic catching very very hard, friends teasing him, exam stress, lots of homework, knowing he himself is different with other, self confident level low....

We are very lucky to have good teacher who understand son problem n accept his weakness..

I also send my son psy to visit the sch and have discussion with teacher to support teacher
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Just my experine... hope don't scare you ...

you may want to do a school readiness test and decide.

Cheers!
Cindy
 


have anyone thought of pathlight or orchard grace school? Both my friends' nephew are in there. Can i know whether it is better to go mainstream or path light? thanks
 

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