Is an Atypical Cry an Early Biomarker for Autism?

At about the same age all typically developing children, no matter what culture they are born into, manifest similar patterns of speech and language acquisition. In autism, however, there is no clear and rigid pattern during the first year... Read more

Are early motor delays and sensory differences clues to atypical language/ communication development in ASD?

Impairments of social communication are seen as one of the essential diagnostic features of autism. However, they cannot be considered as primary characteristics because all the ‘communication symptoms’ appear later in life. For... Read more

Autism: Selecting Communication Systems

To communicate successfully children have to have a communication tool. We should introduce them to the systems of communication as soon as possible. The selection of a particular communication system should be based on the child’s... Read more

Sign language vs. mime-signing (for ‘kinaesthetic-speaking’ children)

Although sign languages were first developed as a means of communication for the deaf (e.g., British Sign Language – BSL), they have been also used to teach people with developmental disabilities communication skills. However, it is... Read more

Communication via objects

For visualisers who don’t understand symbols, pictures or signs, the closest to their native language would be a concrete, visible, spatial external language: a language of objects. The advantage of this mode of communication is that... Read more

Visual Systems for Visual Thinkers

Visual systems (PECS, visual timetables, etc.) are widely used, and are very helpful for autistic visual thinkers both to understand what’s going on and to express themselves. PECS Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) was... Read more

Visual Thinking

One of the characteristics of autism is the remarkable ability of most autistic individuals to excel at visual-spatial skills while performing very poorly at verbal skills. Research has revealed that there are several types of... Read more

Autism: Do we speak the same language?

Traditionally, language is looked on as one of the key prognostic factors in autism and the level of language and communicative competence achieved is seen as a measure of the outcome. Besides, language development is closely related to... Read more

Fussy Eaters or Fussy Bodies, Part 2

Understanding causes of children’s food intolerances and idiosyncratic ‘eating behaviours’ is vital if we want to help them. If we start with addressing ‘diagnostic features’ of the condition, neglecting their causes (that can... Read more

Fussy Eaters or Fussy Bodies, Part 1

‘We are what we eat’ – is heard all around us, and most people do try to eat healthy foods to improve their well-being. However, if we deal with autistic children there are many problems related to healthy food, balanced diet and... Read more