Learning About Special Needs

This section briefly reviews some of the more common special needs children may experience. If you suspect that your child may have a special need, discuss it with your pediatrician immediately. This section is NOT designed to diagnose your child but is presented to help all families understand some of the more common special needs.

Autism Spectrum Disorder [ASD]

  • Health care providers think of autism as a “spectrum” disorder, a group of disorders with similar features
  • One person may have mild symptoms while another may have more severe symptoms, but both have an autism spectrum disorder
  • The spectrum includes autism, Rhett’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, Asperger’s, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified [PDD-NOS]
  • Children with ASD do not follow the typical patterns of child development. In some children, hints of future problems may be apparent from birth. In most cases, the problems in communication and social skills become more noticeable as the child lags further behind same-age peers
  • All children with ASD demonstrate deficits in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and exhibit repetitive behaviors or interests
  • Children with ASD often have unusual responses to sensory experiences, such as certain sounds or the way objects look or feel
  • Symptoms vary from mild to severe and manifest differently in each child

Autism

  • Autism is one of several conditions in a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders [ASDs]
  • Autism is a disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and non-verbal communication, and unusual repetitive or severely limited activities and interests
  • Individuals with autism demonstrate varying levels of abilities and needs depending on the specific disorder or where they fall on the spectrum
  • Individuals with autism exhibit a range of social, emotional, language, communication, motor, cognitive, and sensory-based abilities
  • A lag in language or utter disinterest in others is strikingly apparent
  • Each child will display individual communication, social, and
    behavioral patterns
  • Many parents often realize that their child is different during the first twelve months of life

Asperger’s

  • Asperger’s is one of several conditions in a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders [ASDs]
  • Asperger’s tends to be more subtle than “classic” autism
  • Individuals may not be “anti-social,” but may have difficulty having conversations or reading social cues
  • Individuals have good language skills
  • This disorder is typically diagnosed around age 6 or older

Sensory Dysfunction

  • Sensory Dysfunction is the inability of the brain to correctly process information brought in by the senses
  • The central nervous system [brain, spinal cord, and millions of neurons] is responsible for processing and interpreting the sensory information we receive
  • Sensory processing difficulties can also occur in the sense of body position. Children who do not process body position efficiently[information from the muscles] may not know how much force to exert when performing a task
  • Children who do not efficiently process information from the muscles may have difficulty manipulating utensils, doorknobs, writing tools, and typical toys such as blocks, puzzles, and pegs
  • Sense of movement may also be impaired which can cause difficulty with gross motor skills such as jumping or riding a bike
  • Some children often prefer not to participate in movement activities and might feel insecure when placed on a swing or slide

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD]

  • ADHD is a biological disorder whose origins aren’t yet clearly understood. No single cause has been identified; however, researchers are exploring possible environmental and genetic links
  • Most physicians do not diagnose ADHD until the child is five or six years old
  • Many three or four-year-olds are active and distractible, but the degree to which this behavior is manifested and interferes with skill acquisition is what separates a typical high activity level from one that is dysfunctional
  • Children with ADHD fall into three sub-types: an inattentive type; a hyperactive-impulsive type; or a combined type
  • The inattentive type exhibits signs that include: inability to pay attention to details or a tendency to make careless errors in schoolwork or other activities; difficulty with sustained attention in tasks or play activities; apparent listening problems; difficulty following instructions; distractibility; forgetfulness in daily activities
  • The hyperactive-impulsive type exhibits signs that include: fidgeting or squirming; having difficulty remaining seated; excessive running or climbing; difficulty playing quietly; always “on the go;” excessive talking
  • The combined type involves a combination of the other types and is the most common

Challenging Behaviors

  • Challenging behaviors are an emerging special need that can vary depending on the child
  • Challenging behaviors are described as any behavior that challenges the patience and understanding of a caregiver
  • Challenging behaviors become problematic when they begin to affect how a parent thinks about or how a parent intervenes and interacts with a child
  • Challenging behaviors can include difficulty with cooperating, and/or controlling emotions, being disruptive and causing physical harm to self and others
  • Challenging behaviors can improve by teaching and modeling alternate behaviors

Cerebral Palsy [CP]

  • CP is a neurological disorder affecting body movement and muscle coordination
  • CP is typically caused by an injury to the brain before, during or shortly after birth
  • When a brain injury occurs while the baby is still in the womb
    [70% of reported cases], it is difficult to explain what caused the problem. It may be caused by abnormal fetal brain development, an infection, an accident in which the mother was injured, a medical condition that the mother had during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, or unknown biochemical or genetic factors
  • If the injury occurs during birth [20% of reported cases], it may be due to a baby being born prematurely, where his or her body is not ready to survive outside the mother’s womb.
  • In some cases CP develops after birth due to infection [10% of reported cases], brain damage in the first few months or years of life and can follow brain infections, such as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, or the results of head injury — most often from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse
  • Approximately 1 in every 1,000 infants have some form of CP

Down Syndrome

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in every 700 babies in the United States is born with Down Syndrome, making Down Syndrome the most common chromosomal condition. About 6,000 babies with Down Syndrome are born in the United States each year.
  • Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.
  • Children with Down Syndrome have certain physical features such as a flatter face, eyes that slant down, and a slightly larger tongue
  • Children with Down Syndrome may have learning disabilities, but can go to regular schools, make friends, and get jobs when they are older.
  • Though each person with Down Syndrome is different, an increase in stomach and heart problems has been seen with Down Syndrome.
  • For more information, visit www.ndss.org.

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