Sensory overload: Teaching children with autism to take medication

 Whether they don’t like the taste of liquid, are afraid of or unable to swallow pills successfully, or fear injections, some children struggle to successfully take their medications.

For parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making sure they’re taking medication that keeps them healthy can be an especially difficult task. This guide will explain why children with autism reject medication and specific tips to make taking medicine as easy as possible.

Read more here at The Checkup. 

AUTISM FOR RURAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS

 The ECHO Autism for Rural Healthcare Providers will offer healthcare providers best practice strategies and support for working with patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The network is being operated by the Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (URLEND) and the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND).

Find more information here. 

Tips for Helping Children With Autism Cope With Dental Visits

Booking the Appointment

• Tell the dentist office your child is on the autism spectrum and ask if they have a hygienist who has experience working with kids with disabilities.
• Be sure to book a day and time where your child is the calmest and avoid times when they may be tired or irritable.
• Request a private treatment room. Some dentist offices have pediatric treatment chairs in clusters and some in private rooms. The fewest distractions possible will help the visit go more smoothly.

The Day of the Appointment

• Have a reward for your child for after the appointment. Maybe a wrapped new toy or the promise of a trip to the park. Pick something highly motivating for them to get them excited about the appointment. Rewards can sometimes be faded out over time, but using them in the beginning is a great way to build motivation.
• Read more here. 

Autism Navigator Courses for Family Members and Professionals

Find more information here. 

HEALTHCARE TOOLKIT: Patient Centered Care Tools for Autistic Adults

Primary Care Resources for Adults on the Autism Spectrum and their Primary Care Providers

This web site has information and worksheets for adults on the autism spectrum, supporters, and healthcare providers. It focuses on primary healthcare, or healthcare with a regular doctor.

The resources on this site are meant to improve the healthcare of autistic adults. They were made by the Academic-Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) through a series of research studies funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. AASPIRE hopes that you will find these resources helpful.

Find more information here. 

Personal Emergency Profile

Download here at the National Autism Association 

Large study ties gut issues in autism to inflammation

Children with autism are at an increased risk for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a large survey of electronic medical records1.

IBD includes the painful conditions Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and is associated with an overactive immune system.

The analysis, based on almost 300,000 children in the United States, reveals that children with autism are 67 percent more likely than typical children to have a diagnosis of IBD. They also are more likely than other children to be prescribed certain medications for their bowel problems.

Numerous studies indicate gastrointestinal (GI) problems are unusually common among people with autism. For example, a 2014 study suggests that children with autism are about four times as likely as other children to have symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea or abdominal discomfort.

The findings suggest that clinicians should consider IBD in children with autism who have these symptoms or show poor growth.

Read more here at Spectrum. 

Suicidal tendencies hard to spot in some people with autism

The statistics around suicide in people with autism are startling: Up to 50 percent of adults with the condition have considered ending their own lives, a rate two to three times that seen in the general population1.

Adults newly diagnosed with autism are particularly at risk, having spent decades feeling atypical without knowing why2. Rates of suicide attempts and death are also elevated among individuals on the spectrum3,4.

In the general population, we often think of suicidality as going hand in hand with depression. Although depression does emerge as the leading predictor of suicidality in people with autism, there is mounting evidence that a substantial proportion of people on the spectrum who contemplate suicide would not meet the criteria for depression3,5,6.

Read more here at Spectrum. 

Archived Webinar - Nutritional Strategies for Addressing Constipation

1. Studies have shown that constipation is among co-morbid symptoms that persons with autism may experience. Tune in to learn nutritional strategies for managing abdominal pain associated with GI problems and ASD.

View the archived webinar here. 

Autism and Health: A Special Report by Autism Speaks

The last decade has brought tremendous advances in understanding and addressing the many physical and mental health conditions that frequently accompany autism. We now know that autism is a whole-body disorder for many people on the spectrum. Its common co-morbidities include epilepsy, gastrointestinal distress, sleep disturbances, eating and feeding challenges, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

While each new piece of high-quality research adds to our understanding of autism, it also adds to the complexity of developing the best practices to address the diverse needs of the autism community.

So in this, our inaugural special report, we have gathered the most-authoritative research on autism-associated health conditions and the latest guidelines on treatment and support for those affected by them.

This report – and much of the research behind it – would not be possible without the passion and generosity of our community of volunteers, donors and families.

You can download a copy of the 35-page report from our website
here.

Autism's Drug Problem

Many people on the spectrum take multiple medications — which can lead to serious side effects and may not even be effective.

It’s not unusual for children with autism to take two, three, even four medications at once. Many adults with the condition do so, too. Data are scant in both populations, but what little information there is suggests multiple prescriptions are even more common among adults with autism than in children. Clinicians are particularly concerned about children with the condition because psychiatric medications can have long-lasting effects on their developing brains, and yet are rarely tested in children.

In general, polypharmacy — most often defined as taking more than one prescription medication at once — is commonplace in people with autism. In one study of more than 33,000 people under age 21 with the condition, at least 35 percent had taken two psychotropic

Read more here on Spectrum.

Autism: Beware of Potentially Dangerous Therapies and Products

FDA Cracks Down on False Claims

According to Commander Jason Humbert, M.H.S., R.N., a regulatory operations officer in the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs, the agency has warned and/or taken action against a number of companies that have made improper claims about their products’ intended use as a treatment or cure for autism or autism-related symptoms. Some of these so-called therapies carry significant health risks and include:

• “Chelation Therapies.” These products claim to cleanse the body of toxic chemicals and heavy metals by binding to them and “removing” them from circulation. They come in a number of forms, including sprays, suppositories, capsules, liquid drops and clay baths. FDA-approved chelating agents are approved for specific uses that do not include the treatment or cure of autism, such as the treatment of lead poisoning and iron overload, and are available by prescription only. FDA-approved prescription chelation therapy products should only be used under professional supervision. Chelating important minerals needed by the body can lead to serious and life-threatening outcomes.
• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. This involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber and has been cleared by FDA only for certain medical uses, such as treating decompression sickness suffered by divers.
• Detoxifying Clay Baths. Added to bath water, these products claim to draw out chemical toxins, pollutants and heavy metals from the body. They are improperly advertised as offering “dramatic improvement” for autism symptoms.
• Various products, including raw camel milk and essential oils. These products have been marketed as a treatment for autism or autism-related symptoms, but have not been proven safe and effective for these advertised uses.

Humbert offers some quick tips to help you identify false or misleading claims.

• Be suspicious of products that claim to treat a wide range of diseases.
• Personal testimonials are no substitute for scientific evidence.
• Few diseases or conditions can be treated quickly, so be suspicious of any therapy claimed as a “quick fix.”
• So-called “miracle cures,” which claim scientific breakthroughs or contain secret ingredients, may be a hoax.

Read more here. 

Archived Webinar - Educating First Responders: Working with Caregivers and Individuals with ASD

Watch the webinar here.

Archived Webinar - Think Twice: Appropriate Medical Support for Your Child

Whether you go to see your regular pediatrician, a specialist in autism or an integrative physician, you should know what questions to ask and why they may ask certain questions. This lecture will help you to discover how to get the most information and support for all of your time, money and effort.

View the archived webinar here.

Archived Webinar - Practical Strategies to Reduce Stress & Anxiety in Children During Medical Appointments & Procedures

Visiting the doctor or dentist, having blood drawn for labs, shots, vitals checks, and other medical procedures are often very stressful for children, compounded in children with ASD because of transition and communication issues. Learn some practical strategies and tips to make these experiences less stressful and more successful for the children (and the parents!).

Watch the archived webinar here.

Expert Advice on Caring for Your ASD Child’s Teeth for Life

We all know that dental health is important, but it can present extra challenges to children with autism.

Taking care of your children’s teeth is an important aspect of their overall health and can prevent more serious problems from developing later on. Most dentists advise brushing your child’s teeth from the appearance of their first tooth but some children will take longer to adapt to a dental care routine than others. If you are working towards a regular dental care routine, it will probably take a while — and this is fine.

Brushing your autistic child’s teeth
Your child may find the sensation of tooth brushing alien and very unpleasant. If they are struggling in the atmosphere of the bathroom, why not try moving to a more comfortable atmosphere, such as your living room?

Read more here. 

Pediatrics publishes research & guidelines on autism-related health issues

The new and much-expanded supplement includes treatment recommendations for such autism-associated health issues as

* anxiety,

* depression,

* disturbed sleep and

* severe irritability and problem behaviors.

It also includes much-needed guidance on

* the special needs of adopted children who have autism,

* transition plans for teenagers with autism as they move from pediatric to adult healthcare systems,

* autism-tailored hospital care plans and

* autism-sensitive emergency room procedures.

Read more here. 

NOTE: Full articles are available on the Pediatrics web site for a fee. However, speak to your school or community librarian and they may have access to the articles. 

Medical Support Videos

Social Story - Today I Am Having A Blood Draw


Easing Anxiety - Medical Play

Visual Supports Ease Medical Visits for Kids with Autism

What are you going to do to me?” “When can I go home?” When a child with autism arrives for an appointment at our clinic, these are some of the important questions we try to answer visually.

 Read more here. 

31

15 Recommendations on Brushing an Autistic Child's Teeth

Take things slow; there is no need to rush through the process. There are no horsemen chasing you and an autistic child often requires more time than a typical child when learning to deal with something that might be bothering them terribly. Talk the child through it. Left, then right, over and over until it becomes routine. Count the strokes. When you give a definite amount to go for, there is a goal set. The child knows ho much longer he must endure it, making it easier to go through with it. He also knows exactly when to switch sides, go up and down or back and forth. Give the child as much control as you can. When they get to decide times when to brush teeth, how many strokes to do, what toothbrush to use, what toothpaste to use, what stool to stand on, etc., things will be easier on both of you. Let the child do most of the brushing. No matter how terribly it works out, it empowers the child and lets him or her feel capable. You can always go over it afterwards. If the brush is a problem, opt out and go for a toothette with a sponge at the end instead of bristles

 Read more here. 

31