Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: autism + son + autistic  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/5/2008)

Times Online Lincolnshire school failed autistic boy who cried during 11-plus Times Online, UK - Aug 4, 2008 ... when she appealed against her son being refused a place at the school, one member of the panel had read out a statement saying that autistic people ... UPDATED: School failed to meet the needs of disabled boy, says ... Grantham Today all 4 news articles » Jenny McCarthy and Lance Armstrong Top Celebrity List to Raise ... MarketWatch - Jenny McCarthy, actress, comedian and model will co-host a major fundraiser to benefit families affected by autism with Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de ... News & Observer Autism and culture News & Observer, NC - Founder Mariame Boujlil's son Zachary, 5, is also autistic. By Kristine Crane, The Charlotte ObserverComment on this story Learning your child has autism is ... Traveling with an autistic child CNN - Aug 4, 2008 ... recently to North Carolina mom Janice Farrell, who ultimately was asked to get off an American Eagle flight with her 2-year-old autistic son Jarett. ... Autism diagnosis shakes family Billings Gazette,  USA - By LUELLA N. BRIEN Marlene and John Hauck had to learn a new version of normal that came into their lives when their son Jared was diagnosed with autism. ... Autistic man impresses state legislators West County Journal, MO - His mother learned her son had options for a bright future. Penny credits the Judevine Center for Autism with helping Matthew to the point where he was ... $30000 raised to help pay for 3-year-old?s autism therapy Welland Tribune,  Canada - Thanks to friends, family and the community?s support, Riley Methot?s parents will be able to provide their three-year-old son with autism treatment for the ... Parents of autistic boy file lawsuit The Star-Ledger - NJ.com, NJ - BY RALPH R. ORTEGA The parents of an autistic Hunterdon County boy who was left strapped in a car seat on a parked school bus for 4 1/2 hours on a hot ... It?sa question of restraint for teachers of autistic kids Buffalo News,  United States - Aug 3, 2008 Brenda Shepard, a parent advocate who learned to navigate the system while helping her own autistic son, said if children aren?t given the services they ... Special to the Times The Times of Trenton - NJ.com, NJ - That's because of the philosophy of Patty Dobbs Gross, founder of North Star in 2001 and herself the mother of an autistic son. Gross developed North Star ...

How can I tell if my son is autistic?

 Autism is not a single condition but part of a wide range of conditions - so called 'Autistic Spectrum Disorder' - with many features which may or may not be present in a given child.

There are however some general features suggestive of autism. These may include those you are worried about in your son.

• The first signs usually show themselves around 14 to 15 months. You may have noticed your son did not 'join in' playing or 'give and take' as much as other children. He may have seemed to be following his own agenda. Parents may notice this but often put it down to their child being self-directed and independent.

• By two years of age your son might have been slower in speaking than other children of the same age. Delayed speech is often the first reason for seeking help from a professional such as your GP or health visitor. However some children with autism have good early language development and don't run into difficulties until they reach school age.

• Starting school could be a problem for your son if he has autism. He may find it difficult to interact with his classmates. This can lead to him being disruptive in class and being labelled as naughty. He may seem inattentive, in a world of his own, appearing to ignore or not understand instructions from the teacher.

In fact his problems are caused by the communication and interaction difficulties caused by autism which make it hard for him to follow a lesson or to become actively involved in class activities.

• He may not have friends or be interested in playing with children in his class. This is often most obvious at playtime when he may involve himself in solitary or repetitive activities rather than for example becoming involved in running, catching or ball games with the other children.

• Some children with autism develop repetitive movements such as headbanging, rocking, lip smacking or hand slapping. These can interfere with activities in class and make the social exclusion worse.

• Your son may be obsessional about certain activities, toys or interests and become distressed if he is forced away from these.

• If you look back to when he was a baby you may remember it was difficult to make eye contact and engage your son in cooing or babbling from as early an age as four or five months.

If you suspect your son has autism you should talk to your health visitor or GP. If you have already done so and this is how he came to be assessed this would usually be part of an ongoing process of assessment by the Child Development Team in your area.

This team includes not only child psychologists, who usually do the assessment you mention, but also paediatricians, speech and language therapists, a hearing specialist, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. The paediatrician is usually the specialist who first sees you with your son to discuss your concerns and who then oversees his assessment as well as any investigations and therapy he may need.

Even if your son is not autistic he may still have learning difficulties and will benefit from help which can be arranged by the team. It is especially important that your son is checked over thoroughly to make sure there are no underlying problems, such as difficulty with hearing.

Children can be mistaken for having behavioural or autistic problems when in fact they are unable to function properly because they cannot hear.

If your son's assessment was carried out by a private assessor he needs to be referred to the Child Development Team by your GP. If he is already under such a team ask your GP to find out what further steps they are planning to take to help your son.

For further advice on autism contact the National Autism Society on 020 7833 2299 or call the Autism Helpline on 0870 600 8585.

We recommend readers seek personal medical attention in appropriate circumstances.