Autism

Effective or Reflective? “Two plus two equals four,” the professor stated. “Why?” his students questioned. The teacher responded, “because of the rule of addition.” In order to teach a topic, a professor has to back it up with evidence. Otherwise, it has no basis for being anything other than their opinion. Similarly documentaries have to use support for their arguments. A documentary called “The Greater Good,” a movie raising awareness about vaccines, uses techniques to engage its audience…

Exploring the Ignorance in Our Communities: How a Pediatrician is Challenging the Conventional Wisdom? Dr. Hassan, a community activist, pediatrician and reformer, advocates health awareness in the community, an issue he feels strong about. His goal is to teach people about the psychology of child abuse and make a mutual relationship between both parents and child. He has appeared on multiple Bengali TV Channel’s health programs in U.S to reach out and educate people. “I enjoy participating in…

level the playing field for students with disabilities. Assistive technologies are tools that help children with disabilities succeed despite their disabilities (Schwab Foundation). Assistive technologies are helpful in many specific areas including autism, difficulties with writing, math, communication, and reading, physical and visual impairments, memory problems, and difficulties with focusing and…

Rett Syndrome Rett Syndrome is an uncommon neurodevelopmental disorder that is first discovered when a child is still an infant. This disorder is mostly found in girls, rarely is it ever found in boys. Rett Syndrome cannot be inherited from an early on ancestor, and statistically this syndrome affects one in every 10,000 to 20,000 children. Rett Syndrome has many side effects such as, teeth grinding and delayed development. Rett Syndrome is named after a physician and author who first discovered…

“Welcome to Look Me in the Eye and my Aspergian world” says John Elder Robison. I spontaneously giggled imagining a circus ringleader bowing before a crowded tent. I had a feeling that I was about to go on a magical journey and Mr. Robison was my Willy Wonka or the “Cat in the Hat”. The author did not disappoint. He manages to temper despair with a touch of comic relief and tells his stories of anger, want, pride and joy with honesty. I read three-quarters of the novel that first day. Mr.…

The signs and symptoms of autism are widely acknowledged, one of these symptoms being, trouble with communication. These communication skills particularly relate to their mental processes (Yeung, Han, Sze, & Chan, 2016). This specific impairment has intrigued many researchers interest in discovering if cognitive flexibility is also effected by autism due to the structures of the brain. Without cognitive flexibility one’s ability to use…

Science Education Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) interventions (EIBI, PECS, and Video Modeling) may seem to be utilized for improving behavioral, social, and communication skills, but, they can also be used for academic development especially science. For instance, since autistic students are considered to be more visual learners than auditory, then PECS and video modeling can be used for their education (Dettmer, et.al. 2000). However, due to the limited amount of research conducted…

ʺI had people in my life who didn't give up on me: my mother, my aunt, my science teacher. I had one-on-one speech therapy. I had a nanny who spent all day playing turn-taking games with meʺ - Temple Grandin (Autism Speaks, 2014). As a parent with children on the Autism Spectrum, we will go to any length to help our children succeed. To reach this goal takes a team of specialists ranging from occupational therapists, special education teachers, and psychologists to create effective…

up in a world, that at the time knew little about autism and/or how to handle it. Ferguson makes an effort to clearly capture the feelings and behavior as well as the profound effect that her behavior has on her family and community, as well as disprove the common misconception that people with autism are not smart and will never be able to make an impact on the world. Temple becomes a testament to the fact that just because you suffer from autism does not mean you wont be able do anything with…

I work as a company director for a business providing marketing services. During the past year I have volunteered to support two autistic boys to enable them communicate more effectively. My interest to involve myself in working with autistic children evolved as I was observing my friend’s 7 year old, able and verbal autistic son Matthew (name changed to protect the confidentiality) trying to play with other children and failing it every time due to his limited communication skills. As I…