iPad Applications For Kids With Autism

ipad applications for kids with autism

Technology was created to facilitate human life. Although technology also has negative impact on human life, still we can't hardly live without the help of technology, in all life parts. Technology and education are close things. Apple iPad is so amazing that education experts are raving over it, but not for its ability to help children with their homework, but in the spotlight today is the iPad applications are revolutionizing the way we train kids with autism.

There are five basic skills which kids with autism learn by playing games and other iPad applications.

1. Social skills
2. Fine motor skills
3. Language and communication skills
4. Sensory skills
5. Stress reduction

Here are recommended iPad applications for kids with autism, followed by their customer reviews

Angry Octopus. ($7.99)

Children relate to the Angry Octopus in this story as the sea child shows him how to take a deep breath, calm down, and manage his anger. An effective stress and anger management technique known as progressive muscular relaxation focuses awareness on various muscle groups to create a complete resting of the mind and body. This engaging story quiets the mind and relaxes the body so your child can let go of anger and fall asleep peacefully.

First Then Visual Schedule. ($9.99)

Designed for caregivers to provide positive behavior support. For individuals with communication needs, developmental delays, Autism or those who benefit from a structured environment; visual schedules serve to increase independence and lower anxiety during transitions through different activities.

AutismXpress (Free)
The ‘Autism Xpress’ has been created to help promote greater awareness about autism spectrum disorders. It is designed to encourage people with autism to recognizes and express their emotions through its fun and easy to use interface.

Model Me Going Places 2 (Free)
It is a great visual teaching tool for helping your child learn to navigate challenging locations in the community. Each location contains a photo slideshow of children modeling appropriate behavior.


Social Skills ($3.99)
It offers parents and educators the ability to interact with six social narratives (broken into 2 levels which give a total possible of 12 social narratives) designed to help individuals improve their social ability. With Social Skills (S2L), the stories contain targeted instruction in the following core areas: Joint Attention; Non-Verbal Communication; Greetings; Structured game play; Turn Taking; Classroom rules; and Imitation.


Look2Learn ($14.99)
Look2Learn was developed by an educational team consisting of teachers, a speech therapist, and a school psychologist specializing in educating individuals with communication challenges. L2L addresses the communication needs of multiple populations including: early development communication enhancement (e.g., a two year old whose cognitive skills currently exceed his or her expressive communication); individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder; individuals who have short or long-term communication challenges due to medical needs; as well as others who have a speech and language disorder.


Stories2Learn ($13.99)
It is an affordable and powerful way to promote social messages to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.


Look in My Eyes ($2.99)
Eye contact is an important social skill that some children find challenging. “Look in My Eyes” helps them practice this skill - while earning fun rewards and playing creatively. It was designed for children on the autism spectrum - especially those with Asperger’s Syndrome - but any child who has difficulties with eye contact may benefit from playing. The game rewards players for quickly focusing in on a person’s eyes. Through repeated practice we attempt to develop a habit that families can transfer to real life settings as they remind children to use the skills they have practiced in the game.


Eye Contact ($2.99)
This game helps them practice the skill while earning fun rewards. The game is similar to those in our "Look in My Eyes" series - but the reward is easier and more immediate. We developed this easy reward because of parent feedback on our previous games. Some parents who loved the eye contact practice in our "Look in My Eyes" series expressed the desire for a reward that was simpler.


Sources: 

• Apple's Application Store
• Huffington Post
• Bookroom Reviews
• B12 Patch
• Youtube

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Down Syndrome Symptoms in Pregnancy

down syndrome symptoms in pregnancy

According to National Center for Biotechnology Information, the definition of Down syndrome is a genetic condition in which a person has  47 chromosomes, instead of the usual 46. Mostly, Down syndrome happens when there is an excess copy of chromosome number 21, that called as Trisomy 21. This disorder has many impacts on the body and brain developmental.

Down syndrome symptoms

The symptoms of Down syndrome is very variable, and can be mild or severe. Children with Down syndrome have a recognized characteristic appearance, such as: smaller had with abnormal shape, the inner cornea may be rounded not pointed. Another Down syndrome symptoms are: decreased muscle tone at birth, flat nose, small ears, small mouth, separated joints between skull bones, short hands, short fingers, and white spots on the central eye called Brushfield spots. Children with Down syndrome have a slower physical, social, and mental development. They tend to have impulsive behavior and poor judgment.

Down syndrome symptoms in pregnancy

Diagnosis of Down syndrome can be made through 2 ways: directly after birth as described above or while pregnancy. Nowadays, technology is very helpful for us to improve methods of fetal abnormalities early detection. How to diagnose Down syndrome will be described below:

• Obtaining fetal tissue samples through amniocentesis and chorionic villi sampling (CVS). They are better to be done in 10-12 weeks of pregnancy.
• USG findings: fetus with Down syndrome sometime (not always) show some characteristics signs on USG, such as: decreased femur length, increased skin behind the neck, and choroid plexus cysts.
• Maternal serum testings. These tests are better to be done in 15-18 weeks of pregnancy.
• Alpha fetoprotein. The level will decrease in mother with Down syndrome fetus.
• Estriol. It is also decreased in the Down syndrome pregnancy.
• HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). It is increased in the Down syndrome pregnancy.
• Inhibin A. It is also increased.
• PAPP-A (pregnancy associated plasma protein A). In the first trimester, low level of PAPP-A is found in Down syndrome pregnancy.

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Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms In Children

autism spectrum disorder symptoms in children

What is autism? And what is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism is a very complex developmental disabilities that cause problems with communication and social interaction. Signs and symptoms of autism start at 18 months old and then will cause delays in social developmental from infancy to adulthood. 

According to National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, people with autism have variable different symptoms so health care providers conclude autism as a "spectrum" disorder: a group of disorders with similar features. One children may show mild symptoms but another may have very serious symptoms. But both of them have an autism spectrum disorder. There are three categories of autism spectrum disorder:

1. Classic autism or autistic disorder
2. Asperger syndrome
3. Atypical autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, or shortened as pervasive developmental disorder.

So we use terminology "autism spectrum disorder" and "autism" to mean the same disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder symptoms in children

There are three main points of autism spectrum disorder:

• Communication disorder: both verbal and non verbal communication. There are difficulties in speaking, pointing, smiling, eye contact, etc.
• Social interaction incapability, such as how to give empathy, sharing emotions to others, how others think and feel, and how to hold a conversation
• Routines or repetitive behaviors disorder, such as playing in repetitive ways, repeating actions or words, obsessively following certain routines.

Autism spectrum disorder treatments

• As quoted from Center for Disease Control, there is no single best treatment for all children with autism spectrum disorders.
• The most important of treatment program is structured teaching of specific skills.
• Regular medical and dental examination should also be included in the treatment program.
• Three basic treatments:

1. Behavioral therapy, based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Speech therapy can help autism children improve their communication ability. Occupational therapy can help children adjust tasks to match their needs and abilities. Physical therapy is also important to build motor control and improve posture and balance.
2. School-based options. Public schools are required to provide appropriate public education from age 3 until high school. Parents should consult to the teachers, school psychologists, and child developmental specialists to design an individual plan for their children.
3. Medication. There are no medications that can cure autism spectrum disorder symptoms in children. SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor), anti psychotics, stimulants, tricyclics, and anti anxiety are often prescribed. A hormone that helps digestion called secretin is not recommended as autism spectrum disorder treatment.

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Treatment For Bulimia And Anorexia

treatment for bulimia and anorexia

Anorexia and bulimia are the most common eating disorders, especially in adolescence females. As quoted from Online Medical Dictionary, bulimia means episodic binge eating; the episodes may be associated with the fear of not being able to stop eating, depressed mood, or self-deprecating thoughts (binge-eating disorder), may frequently be terminated by self induced vomitting as compensate for the effects of binge eating. This also called bulimia nervosa. While anorexia nervosa is syndrome in which the primary features include excessive fear of becoming fatty/overweight, body image disturbance, significant weight loss, refusal to maintain minimal normal weight, and amenorrhea. This disorder happens most on adolescent women. Both of bulimia and anorexia are not just eating disorders, but mental health problems. They are associated with symptoms of depression and social adaptation failure. 

What is the difference of bulimia and anorexia?

Anorexia is different from bulimia in the binging vomiting and purging cycle. Bulimia patients usually have normal weight, while anorexia patients usually underweight. Overall, bulimia is a more serious condition than anorexia.

Symptoms and Sign

There are three major symptoms of bulimia:

• Eating large amounts of food and then feeling control-loss of it
• Followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviors like: using laxative, fasting, self induced vomiting, obsessive compulsive physical exercises
• Extreme care about body shape and body weight

According to Mayo Clinic, anorexia nervosa shows extreme underweight-related symptoms, such as: thin appearance, abnormal blood counts (anemia, etc), fatigue, insomnia, dizziness, absence of menstruation, constipation, dry skin, dehidration, osteoporosis, etc. Emotional characteristics related to anorexia include: refusal to eat, denial of hunger, excessive exercise, flat emotion, irritability, depression, abnormal use of herbal diet products, reduced sexual desire, etc.

Chronic bulimia and anorexia will lead to some health disturbances, such as:

• Electrolyte (sodium and potassium) imbalance, because of purging behaviors. Extreme electrolyte imbalance may possible cause heart failure and death. 
• Frequent stimuli of vomiting may cause inflammation and rupture of the esophagus.
• Excessive eating can cause gastric rupture.
• Bowel disturbances and constipation caused by inappropriate use of laxatives.

Treatment for bulimia and anorexia is a long term treatment. Initial assessment should be done properly and as early as possible, consists of how severe the problems are, and if there are medical conditions that need special hospital management, such as: severely malnourished.. Outpatient treatments for bulimia and anorexia are described below.

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).  Main purposes of CBT are training you how to eat healthy diets properly and regularly, reduce your worry or concerns about body weight, control emotions and desire to binge eating, develop skills to prevent future relapse.
• Nutritional therapy, involves dietician or nutritionist. They will teach about meal plan to reach and maintain a normal and healthy body weight 
• Pharmacological therapy, especially antidepressants such as Prozac. The goals are relieving symptoms of depression and also reducing binge eating cycles . 

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