With the growing awareness and recognition of the Autism epidemic in our society, more and more people now know someone affected by this developmental disorder.

According to experts and recent research, Autism can be detected and diagnosed by a well-trained professional by the time a child reaches 18-months of age. It is very difficult to determine if a child younger than this age is showing signs of Autism.

There are, however, normal developmental milestones that parents can monitor to ensure their infants and toddlers are developing at a normal rate. It is important to note that just because an individual child does not meet one or more of these milestones it does not mean the child has autism or

any other disorder. All children will develop at different rates. If your child does not meet these milestones and you feel something may be wrong, your best bet is to consult your family physician and get your child tested further.

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Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a common disorder in children, with symptoms of inattention, impulsive behavior, and sometimes hyperactivity. The disorder is also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADD children appear to be wired into all things that are happening around them. They are hypersensitive to their environs and cannot concentrate when confronted with typical distractions. This deficiency is found in 3% to 5 % of children.

ADD children with inattentive behaviors often fail to finish things they start and have difficulty concentrating on schoolwork or other tasks requiring sustained attention. Also, they have difficulty sticking to a play activity. An impulsive nature makes them speak out of turn, interrupt others, and engage in what looks like

risk-taking behavior. Hyperactivity makes children run about or climb on things, move about excessively during sleep, or have difficulty sitting still.

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QUESTION:

My daughter has been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) and potentially Bipolar Disorder, but that last diagnosis is not confirmed yet …right now she is unable to go to school - anxiety and panic attack when the morning comes. We are extremely hesitant to go the home-school route, because of the probability of the anxiety transferring to another area –especially if she has not developed the skills to tackle it when she experiences the anxiety/panic.

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With the growing awareness and recognition of the Autism epidemic in our society, more and more people now know someone affected by this developmental disorder.

According to experts and recent research, Autism can be detected and diagnosed by a well-trained professional by the time a child reaches 18-months of age. It is very difficult to determine if a child younger than this age is showing signs of Autism.

There are, however, normal developmental milestones that parents can monitor to ensure their infants and toddlers are developing at a normal rate. It is important to note that just because an individual child does not meet one or more of these milestones it does not mean the child has autism or

any other disorder. All children will develop at different rates. If your child does not meet these milestones and you feel something may be wrong, your best bet is to consult your family physician and get your child tested further.

Read the rest of this entry »