As a parent with an autistic child, you want to do everything you can to protect your child, especially in daycare. We don’t want to place our children in circumstances that scare them, however, setting your child up in a program or providing them with social activities can significantly help. Did you know autism affects male children four times more than female children? The characteristic feature of autism in children includes non-verbal and impaired verbal communication. In addition to this the autism in children creates imaginative personalities but potential social impairment. Here is some information about how to navigate autism with your daycare-aged child.
Educating the Child and the Parents
Have you ever felt difficulty in expressing yourself? Have you ever come across a point in your life when words are not enough to give justice to what you feel? For many children with autism, this is a constant feeling. Putting yourself into these shoes can help you understand what your child is going through, and it can also help educate their teachers and classmates.
Bringing Up Bright and Happy Children with Autism
Ask any parent and they’ll tell you that parenting a child is the most difficult task they’ve ever encountered. They’ll also tell you it’s the most rewarding. Parenting a child with autism, however, can be a little more stressful.
Autism and Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a nine amino acid peptide produced in the brain and released by the pituitary gland. It is produced in the body naturally, by both males and females, and plays a role in reproduction and may even contribute to those feelings we call love.
Autism: A Brief Overview
Autism has affected more than 1.5 children in the USA. It is a lifelong condition for which there is no cure. Autism is a disorder caused in children during the first three years of their life. Autism is essentially a brain disorder.
Child Autism Behavior
Autism is a developmental disorder and the specific cause for autism is not known. It is believed that some biochemical imbalance would have caused autism, and some believe that it is a psychological disorder. Children with autism cannot communicate as efficiently as their peers, so they may need additional assistance.
Cure For Autism
There are many methods and therapies that have been shown to improve the symptoms of autism. However, at this point in time there is no single method that has been medically proven that will cure autism.
Category: General
Hearing Aids to Best Suit Your Kid’s Needs
Studies show that one-tenth of the American population is hearing-impaired, and numbers are increasing among children. Over the years, hearing aids have helped a great deal in eliminating this deficiency, but finding an aid for your daycare-aged child can be difficult.
Hearing aids are small audio devices which are attached to the ears. Most models now are “hidden” to a casual observer. They offer a superior sound quality which helps lessen, if not eliminate, the loss of hearing.
As technology evolves, the science behind manufacturing hearing aids have become more and more advanced. While talking with your child about hearing aids may be difficult, technology has advanced since we were kids. Hearing aids are now much easier to maintain, and they are not as obvious.
Here are the three basic types of hearing aids:
1. Conventional hearing aids
These are the very first types and brands of hearing aids which were released in the market. Although not as technologically advanced as the programmable digital hearing aids, the conventional type can be adjusted in a way that will fit the user’s needs. With this type, the volume is manually adjusted by the user. The sound can be turned up or down, depending on the softness or loudness of the source of sound. The only minor disadvantage of this type of hearing aids is that if a person’s hearing loss level improves or worsens, it must be sent back to the manufacturer so that adjustments can be made. This can be quite inconvenient for the user. A conventional hearing aid may not be the best option for children, as they may play with the volume adjuster.
2. Programmable hearing aids
This is more advanced in terms of technology, as compared to the conventional type. Programmable hearing aids have adjustable circuits which may be adjusted, depending on the user’s level of hearing. The volume control is automatic, making life easier for the patient. This is a great choice for children who need pre-programmed volume control.
3. Digital hearing aids
Depending on the patient’s needs, a digital hearing aid may be ordered to suit a specific situation. This is by far the best and most convenient type to use. There are hearing health care professionals whose job is to find the hearing aid that will be beneficial for the user. The patient’s lifestyle and level of hearing loss is considered when looking for the best hearing aid to buy. Digital hearing aids also feature an automatic volume control.
However, it may take one or two visits to a health care professional before the settings of the hearing aid can be adjusted to the user’s satisfaction. Physically, this type of hearing aid is easier to wear and is “kinder” to the ears. The circuit within the hearing aid automatically increases or decreases the level of sound. There is a microphone and an amplifier that gathers and adjusts the sound respectively. Finally, the speaker transmits the byproduct of the altered and digitally-enhanced sound to the user’s ears.
The downside is that this type of hearing aid is more expensive than the programmable and conventional hearing aids. However, this is an excellent choice for young children who need hearing aids. Once you have invested in a digital hearing aid, it will surely be convenient for you and will fit into any lifestyle.
4. Disposable hearing aids
This type offers the sound quality of a conventional hearing aid and is more cost-effective than its more technologically advanced counterparts. Disposable hearing aids have a shorter shelf-life. They can last 40 days at most, and once the battery expires, a new one should be purchased. This is not a great option for children, as they can easily destroy the disposable aid.
To choose a hearing aid that is right for you, make sure that you consult your ear doctor or otologist/audiologist. When consulting a professional to choose the right hearing aid for you, give them an overview of your lifestyle and budget to determine the best hearing aid that will suit your needs.
Finally, try it out for a few days and if you find that the hearing aid that you bought does not fit your ear, your needs and your way of living, go back to your health care professional so that another type can be purchased.