Special Situations
Fact Sheet # 4: Toilet Training. All you ever wanted to know and some things you'd prefer not to know!
Fact Link # 4a: Warning. What to do (and not do) if you get mad at your kid.
Fact Link # 4b: Avoiding Unfortunate Situations. Dennis Debbaudt's pamphlet on autism for parents and law enforcement officers. Great for sharing with your local police department. Also see Dennis Debbaudt's Autism Risk Management (ARM) Project web page for info on videos.
Fact Sheet # 4c: Echolalia - Understanding echolalia as part of the person's developmental, cognitive, and linguistic growth. Understanding why children use echolalia and practical treatment ideas to improve the child's use of creative language. A final word on echolalia and helpful references. Many thanks to Barry Prizant.
Fact Link # 4d: Autism and the Visually Impaired - A great article by Terese Pawletko and Lorraine Rocissano (published at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired web site). Discusses symptoms of autism that may be present in those with visual impairment and an insightful discussion of the symptoms of autism that cannot be seen (no pun intended).
Fact Sheet # 4e: Autism and Sexual Issues - Information on the difficult topic of sexuality and those with autism.
Fact Sheet # 4f: Autistic Savant Syndrome - Information and links on autistic savant syndrome. Persons with savant skills, while they may have autism or even mental retardation, may also possess remarkable abilities to calculate numbers, or play music, or write music, or many other genius-like abilities.
Fact Link # 4g: Know Your Rights if You Get Arrested - A copy of a brochure developed by the ARC for persons with mental retardation. This is a great way to introduce your child or adult with autism to the law enforcement system. The language is simple and includes pictures. A good preventive strategy - almost reads like a social story.
Fact Sheet # 4h: Siblings of Children with Autism: The Other Angels - Links to information to help the sometimes forgotten or "lost in the shuffle" siblings of those with autism.
Fact Link # 4i: Special Needs Planning - Information on financial planning for families with special needs children. Includes a very helpful checklist.
Fact Link # 4j: How to Take a Child With Autism to Disney World - Practical information on how to make "The Magic Kingdom" a more pleasant experience for all of you. The only thing I would add is to write and use a social story about Disney World prior to leaving.
Fact Sheet # 4k: Sleep and Autism - Children with autism have been known to have difficulty sleeping at times. For some it is staying in bed, for some it is "needing" to sleep with Mom or Dad, and others it is just being too active at night. This page has some practical suggestions and a few links to help.
Fact Sheet # 4l: Social Circles - A Technique for Teaching Personal Safety - Children with autism often are not aware of danger, especially social dangers. Couple this with difficulty communicating and you have a parent's worst nightmare: "My child has been abused but he can't tell me!" This is a technique to teach personal space and safety.
Fact Sheet # 4m: Constipation - Children with autism frequently also have gastrointestinal problems that may include constipation or diarrhea. Here are some practical treatment ideas and links.
Fact Link # 4n: Door Alarms to Keep Your Kid Safe - Stanley, the door hardware people, have developed some door alarms and other devices to keep your child safe. They also sell a portable unit here.
Fact Link # 4o: Your Next Patient Has Autism - A wonderful brochure for physicians who treat children with autism. From the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System. It gives very simple, clear, and practical suggestions to help physicians make each visit to the doctor a success for kids with autism. Print it out and give it to your child's physician.
Fact Sheet # 4p: Seizures and Autism - Information and links related to the relationship between autism and seizures.
Fact Sheet # 4q: Bipolar Disorder and Autism - Many children with autism are also diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Information on diagnosis and treatment.
Fact Sheet # 4r: What To Do If Your "Kid" Is Out Of Control - Most children or adults with autism are not violent but some may be. Here are step-by-step procedures for dealing with violent, out-of-control children and adults with autism. This is a worst-case-scenario.
Fact Sheet # 4s: Self-Injurious Behavior - When a child hurts himself it must be taken seriously and treated aggressively. While there are levels of self-abuse that can be treated in less-restrictive ways, this article also discusses an extreme measure.
Fact Sheet # 4t: Toe Walking and Autism - Various approaches to understanding and treating toe walking in children diagnosed with autism and related disorders.
DISCLAIMER: This site is intended to provide basic information resources on Autistic Disorder. It is not intended to, nor does it, constitute medical or other advice. The author of the web site is not a medical doctor. Readers are warned not to take any action with regard to medical treatment or otherwise based on the information on this web site or links without first consulting a physician. This web site does not necessarily endorse any of the information obtained from any of the links on this page or links that other pages may lead you to. Neither does this web site promote or recommend any treatment, therapy, institution or health care plan. The information contained in this site is intended to be for your general education and information only and not for use in pursuing any treatment or course of action. Ultimately, the course of action in treating a given patient must be individualized after a thorough discussion with the patient's physician(s) and family.