World Autism Day!

All across the world, 2nd Aprilwas marked for those in the Autistic Spectrum Disorder. A client was all excited and came up to tell me about some articles she had read up in the local news paper. I asked her, what was so special about the day. Was it any different for her struggle for her son's acceptance into the society? Did the day indicate any improvements in her son's rights to dignity and opportunity? Then what was it that made her so happy? Just a mention of the disorder and the features and treatment (rather... rehabilitation)opprtunities, by the same selected professionals who are mentioned every year with the same comments and similar statistics? The photograph and struggle story of the same parent and her child every year!

Common. Enough of these gimmics. I suggest the reporters, instead of going overboard with the same information every year, why not increase public awareness by helping the acceptance of these children. Many of them can do well in regular schools but are not given any opportunities. There are no vocational courses suited to cater to this group. Each parent struggles in his/her own individual way. Many dont even have access to therapies. Some fall victims to undue medications which though give short term relief from Hyperactivity, but are hazardous to health in the long run.
Its high time the parents of effected children Gain information on more practical aspects rather than form forums which end up only being publisised and they land up wasting time and energy.

The bottom ;line is early identification and commencement of therapies are the only way to maximise the child's potentials and like in all cases there is no short cut to hard work!

my tribute to those in the autistic spectrum...

“The Rainman”
Beyond the horizons of ‘truth’
Beyond the reach of time…
Lives the child with Autism
Away from the qualms of realism.

Loved at birth,
Cherished for sometime
Later shunned by his parents
Shunned by the world.

But the truth will anyone wanna know…
Or limit thyselves to ‘the rainman’ shadow?
The diagnostic calamity may befall
ASD, ADD, Asperger’s and all.

Their life within the nut
Difficult to crack…
To let us go in
Or pull him outside.

Doctor shopping in full spree
Nothing but ignorance indeed.
Parent, I know thou plight…
He’s more than just the rainman inside.

To us his world is all new
Witches and devils to name a few.
Echolalia- immediate, delayed, mitigated
Getting us all the more agitated.
Attention deficit, hyperactivity, stereotypes and all
You name it; he has it on call.

So let’s try and get him out
Far from the world of the perseveratory bout.
You go to him and he’ll come to you,
That’s my message through and through…



- Ms. Priya Nayak-Gole
(To the parents of these children who travel miles with utmost dedication)

Autism info....

AUTISM
Parents may hear different terms used to describe children within this spectrum, such as autistic-like, autistic tendencies, autism spectrum, high-functioning or low-functioning autism, more-abled or less-abled. More important than the term used is to understand that, whatever the diagnosis, children with autism can learn and function productively and show gains with appropriate education and treatment.
Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. The person may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Most of the public, including many professionals in the medical, educational, and vocational fields, are still unaware of how autism affects people and how they can effectively work with individuals with autism.. Like other children, they respond to their environment in both positive and negative ways.
Autism is a spectrum disorder. The symptoms and characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe. Although autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults can exhibit any combination of the behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act very differently as talking at others.

Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits.
Insistence on sameness; resistance to change
Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words
Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
Laughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
Prefers to be alone; aloof manner
Tantrums
Difficulty in mixing with others
May not want to cuddle or be cuddled
Little or no eye contact
Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
Sustained odd play
Spins objects
Inappropriate attachments to objects
Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
No real fears of danger
Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
Uneven gross/fine motor skills
Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in normal range.



For most of us, the integration of our senses helps us to understand what we are experiencing. For example, our senses of touch, smell and taste work together in the experience of eating a ripe fruit: the feel of the fruit fuzz as we pick it up, its sweet smell as we bring it to our mouth, and the juices running down our face as we take a bite. For children with autism, sensory integration problems are common. Their senses may be over-or under-active. The fuzz on the fruit may actually be experienced as painful; the smell may make the child gag. Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful. Many professionals feel that some of the typical autism behaviors are actually a result of sensory integration difficulties.
There are many myths and misconceptions about autism. Contrary to popular belief, many autistic children do make eye contact; it just may be less or different from a non-autistic child. Many children with autism can develop good functional language and others can develop some type of communication skills, such as sign language or use of pictures. Children do not "outgrow" autism but symptoms may lessen as the child develops and receives treatment.
One of the most devastating myths about autistic children is that they cannot show affection. While sensory stimulation is processed differently in some children with autism, they can and do give affection. But it may require patience on a parent's part to accept and give love in the child's terms.

Progress!

Today 4yr old Prem (name changed) spoke 3 sentences on his own free will! To any one it sounds something so ordinary but then Prem is no ordinary........ he is specially abled. He was diagnosed with Moderate degree of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) last year. He would only cry to communicate his needs and had a lot of sensory issues. But today he has secured admission in a school based on an interview....... this goes to prove how hard work and dedication on part of the parents following proper guidance can make wonders for a child like Prem.
This is one of the many success stories. Read on and look out for further info on Autism in this blog. Till then Take Care....

Unilateral hearing loss and partial deafness...

hello readers... am back after a long hiatus. Back to discuss yet another important topic plaguing not just adults but a large number of school children too.

Unilateral hearing loss:
this means that hearing loss effects only one ear. Usually results from trauma to the ear and /or infections. Do remember unless Normal life is effected, usually hearing aids are not prescribed. If they are (as in case of assymetrical hearing loss) then the better ear is fitted with the hearing aid. It is very important to note that the naturally better ear will always respond first, irrespective of hearing aids!

Partial deafness:
Many a times it is seen that a child doesnt do well academically and needs instructions to be repeated many a times. besides suspecting learning disability (LD), currently made famous by Aamir Khan's "TZP", hearing also should be assessed. This especially if the speech is unclear. Hearing Aid fitting followed by spech-language therapy will help the child.
in case of adults, the symptoms typically include, "can hear sounds but cant make out....." Raising volumes too doesnt help much. Usually observed in case of high frequency hearing loss. Hearing aids in these cases have to be fitted with extreme precision.


So the next time we come across a child who otherwise seems normal but has unclear speech and poor in academics........ we know what has to be done!

i look forward for your opinions and comments.
P

what is speech therapy?

Speech-Language Therapy
The purpose of speech-language therapy is to enhance intentional communication via expression of ideas, obtaining desires, sharing information and interpersonal interaction.

Language is the means by which communication is achieved.Components of language include but are not limited to

• suntax...... sentence construction also called grammar (content)


• semantics...... i.e. meaning includes proverbs, humour etc.


• pragmatics i.e. use of language in social contexts alos enhanced by body orientation, facial expressions and gestures.

Therefore, speech therapy focuses around teaching the child what he or she
needs and also making use of language for communication.For the child who is not currently using words, language is still possible through other means. A child may be taught to use various ways of utilizing their language skills to convey meaning. These may consist of gestures, eye contact, facial expression, vocalizations or manual tools such as communication pictures/boards/books. These however are subject to discreetion of the therapist.
Oral-motor deficits are also addressed in speech-language tharapy. Since proper structure and function of the oral areas is necessary for speech and sound production, intervention to improve coordination, strength, movement of the lips, tongue, jaw and cheeks (both internally and externally) is required.

What causes speech and language problems?
Speech and language disorder is a common reason for speech/language problems in kids. This involves the following areas:
• Spoken language—delays and disorders in listening and speaking
• Written language—problems with reading, writing and spelling
• Arithmetic—trouble doing arithmetic or understanding basic concepts
• Reasoning—problems organizing and putting together thoughts
• Memory—problems remembering facts and instructions.

These kids may have trouble producing speech sounds, using spoken language to communicate, or understanding what other people say. Speech and language problems are often the earliest sign of other disorders.
• Hearing loss is often overlooked, and easily identified. If your child is speech/language delayed, their hearing should be tested.
• Mental retardation is described as below-average general intellectual function with associated deficits in adaptive behavior that can be seen in early years, common cause of speech and language delay.
• Autism, : diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is before 3 years of age. Symptoms may include problems with using and understanding language; difficulty relating to people, objects, and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behavior patterns. Children with PDD vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident. Unusual responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common.

• Extreme environmental deprivation can cause speech delay. this also includes Children out of intercaste marriages under pressure to pick up both the langauges simultaneously!

• Premature births can lead to developmental delays, including speech/language problems.

• Neurological problems like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and traumatic brain injury can affect the muscles needed for speaking.

• Structural problems like cleft lip or cleft palate can also interfere with normal speech

.• Apraxia of speech is a specific speech disorder in which the child has difficulty in sequencing and executing speech movements.

• Selective mutism is also called funtional disorder at times when a child does not talk at all in certain situations.

If your child does not follow regular speech/language development milestones, you should talk to your pediatrician. or rehabilitation professional

"NOISE"........... beware!

TOO LOUD????Our ears evolved over the millennia in the backdrop ofsilence. In ancient times, our life was marked by thesound of wind, of water, temple bells, of the cries ofwild animals and, most importantly, laughter.Come 20th Century, all this changed. Industry,automobiles, aircraft, jackhammers arrived. Also,engineering equipment began tearing up the ground tobuild tall buildings and skyscrapers — there was bignoise all around.Today, we are marooned with a medley of noise that ourears were never designed for.Honking, music systems, personal stereos, and iPods…the list is endless. They have only added to blazingcacophony.Too much noise is damaging to us. The irony is — wedon't notice until it's too late to do anything aboutit.

ORIGIN OF SOUND AS LANGAUGE OS SPEECH: the infant hears his first sounds outside the womb, the moment it is born. A normal hearing infant is exposed to all kinds of sounds, i.e. Speech-language of his environment, sounds of toys, birds chirping…. The list is endless. This according to the Chomskian theory of Language development helps him to develop adequate speech and Language skills.
Following are the typical milestones regarding the child’s’ speech and hearing development:

Birth – 2 months → startling response to loud sounds
2months – 6months → eye movements to sounds
6months – 12 months → head turning response to sounds, human voice
> 12 months → child babbles mama…baba… etc.
1½ years → single meaningful words
2½ years → 2- word phrases (“mama give”; “give ball”)
3 years and above → meaningful simple sentences (“mama give ball”)

It is known and seen that any disruption in the sensory status of the Ear (any degree or type of deafness) causes marked speech-language delay.


POWER VIS-A-VIS SOUND:
Sound may be described in terms of physical as well as psychological phenomena. I.e. a series of disturbances of molecules within an elastic medium and an auditory experience- hearing something, respectively.
Sound is generated by vibration and is carried through the air around us in form of pressure waves. Only when these waves strike the ear that hearing takes place.
Human reactions to sound are psychological and reflect such subjective experiences as pitch, loudness, sound quality and ability to tell the direction of the sound source. The range of human ear is very great and so the unit called “ decibel (dB)” is used for intensity.

Airborne sounds are measured by devices called Sound Level Meters as concern over noise pollution grows SLMs are useful in the study of acoustics in industry and environment.
All sounds that normal hearing persons may hear without discomfort can be found in the range form: threshold of audibility to threshold of discomfort.



The approximations can be determined with the help of the following table
0dB: just audible sound
10dB: soft rustle of leaves
20dB: whisper at 4ft
30dB: gurgling of a stream
40dB: night noises in the city (threshold or outskirts of city)
50dB: quiet automobile 10ft away
60-70dB: normal conversation at 3ft
80dB: heavy traffic/ loud telephone rings
90dB: pneumatic drill 10ft away
100-110dB: oil tanker explosion few ft away
120dB: A blaring stereo close by (1ft)./ aeroplane flying (near airports)





Noise Induced hearing loss (NIHL)
The industrial Revolution’s introduction of high noise levels brought a greater threat to the human auditory system than evolution had prepared for. In some cases hearing losses may result from brief exposure to high-level sounds, with subsequent partial or complete recovery (temporary hearing threshold shift). In other cases repeated exposure to high-level sounds result in permanent hearing impairment (permanent hearing threshold shift). According to studies hearing loss may be due to biological changes in the sensory cells (of the inner ear), physical dislodging of hair cells during hyper acoustic stimulation, changes in the cochlear blood supply, loss of outer hair cells, rupture of Reissner’s membrane, or detachment of the organ of corti from the basilar membrane.
Acoustic trauma indicates NIHL from impulsive sounds such as explosions.
Exposure to jet engines, drop forges, pneumatic hammers, subways, rock music, and even computers has been documented to be causing hearing loss.



Hearing conservation program (HCP):
1 identifies people who are at risk for NIHL
2 abates dangerous noise levels as economically as possible
3 protects employees who are at-risk for NIHL. (use of protective hearing devices such as ear muffs or ear plugs)

4 periodic hearing examinations a must.
5 setting regulations for the society (deadlines for loudspeakers)

importance of the awareness: many persons effected usally are unaware of the hearing losses caused due to noise exposure. By the time they do, severe communicative difficulties also set in, thus effecting the person overall.


Bottom line: Take care of your ears before it is too late. Hearing aids of even the best technological advantage cannot replicate the human ear.
PREVENTION IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN CURE.


hearing conservation program