•
| The Movie, “Walking in the Dark”, created and produced by award-winning filmmaker Brian K. Dery, is making another film debut in Atlanta on April 30th. This movie/documentary about the world of Autism is exceptional and it has helped and touched the lives of many in regards awareness, and as a practical guide to those of the Autism Community and all others who would like to understand and help those that struggle for answers. A huge “Congratulations” and “Thank You” goes to Brian K. Dery for the great efforts he made in getting this film made! Here is the link to the movie trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =c_erZhKP018 |
•
| “Autism’s Effect on Siblings” I am passing along a You Tube link to a very interesting and insightful news story featured by CBS News. This story delves into the struggles, the emotions, and the day to day living, from the viewpoint of the Sibling in the Autism Spectrum Family. In my practice, treating children on the Autism Spectrum, I have come to admire these brothers and sisters. It is important to recognize their great contribution to the family. I hope you enjoy this news story as much as I did.
Here is the link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEX-5YxUUoA&feature=relmfu |
•
Strength Beyond What Is Normal …A Mother’s Story…
(this is a true story)
His name was “Curley”, and he was the meanest Bull that you had ever seen…and yes…I am talking about a real “Bull” with four legs and horns. Uncle Homer had always warned about Curley, and the whole family would shutter, as he would tell the tale of the time when Curley had him cornered and he had to crawl under the truck.
Well one day, as the family sat by the lake, my mother and her cousin who were only little girls at the time, were walking along the fence when they saw to their horror, “Curley was out!” My mother still remembers feeling Curley’s hot breath on the back of her heels, as she and her cousin Nancy ran toward the rest of the family, down by the lake.
Needless to say, when the family saw the scene, they all leaped up from their chairs and started running, all except one person…My Nana, my mother’s mother. She stood up, feet planted and with a determination, that we see in movies where the hero sacrifices himself on behalf of the noblest of causes…She picked up a lawn chair, and held it in front of Curley’s charging advances, while she said, “Stop, Curley!” Her voice was low, and resolute, and her stance was firm and unshaken…and…Guess What? Curley stopped…yes he stopped right then and there, and slowly turned and walked away.
You all may be wondering why I have just related this story, and what it may have to do with Autism. Well, I personally gain a tremendous amount of strength from the deeper meaning as we answer the pending question that we all have. Why would a slight little woman of only 5ft 4in, go up against this ferocious animal…especially, when everyone else just ran for their lives…a pretty normal reaction to a charging bull…don’t you think?
Well, you see, that little lady was reacting to an instinct that is stronger than any force out there…The intense Love and Protective Bond that a mother has for her child. Her child, her little girl, that she loved more than life itself, was in imminent danger, and so there was never a question in her mind when she held up that chair…she had to “Stop the Bull!”
All mothers have this knee/jerk reaction when it comes to the protection of our most precious possessions, our children, but when it comes to mothering a child that is on the Autism Spectrum…well, that is a whole different level and dimension of protection. To me, “Curley the Bull” represent “The Autism Spectrum”…and this bull is charging…head on towards our children. As mothers, and parents of our beloved children…we see the danger…and we face it, with feet planted, head on! We don’t hesitate, and we don’t even think of ourselves or our own fears…even though we may have them…Our children are our priority, and nothing shakes our focus from our love and protection of them.
We muster up, with strength beyond what is normal to face the bull that is Autism, and we grab a chair and hold it firmly in front of it’s advances. We face the bull that is Curley everyday with gut wrenching courage. It can take quite the toll as well, because the world that we live in, sometimes feels very ill equipped to deal with the “Bull” that is Autism. It is a constant protection that we feel we must bolster up as well, as this Bull of Autism has many faces, and of things that most mothers of typical children are not used to facing and protecting their children from. Things like school, peers, society, ect.
Others may not understand us, or comprehend the magnitude of this level of protection that we have developed deep in our hearts, just as all the others in my story that ran away. Nevertheless, they see it, and they admire it as something very rare indeed. As this is story of my grandmother and “Curley” the Bull is still a favorite tale in my family that is told again and again with much fondness, for now some 60 years.
So be of good courage, my friends…and stand firm…put on your concrete shoes, and grab up your chair! Take a firm grip, and “Face It”…with unrelenting vigor…The “Bull” that is “Autism”.
Kimberly Larochelle
•
Time magazine put Temple Grandin on its list of the 100 most influential people of the year! HBO produced an award winning movie based on her life! Books such as, “Thinking in Pictures” and “Emergence: Labeled Autistic”, have been written as well in which Temple Grandin wrote about Autism.
Grandin, now considered a high-functioning person with autism, earned a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University . It is amazing to realize that when she was a child, the doctors told her parents that she should be institutionalized. This was a common recommendation for autistic children in the 1950’s. Thankfully, her parents refused and got her intensive intervention.
Temple Grandin spoke to an audience of 2,500 at Drury University . Mary Failla, and received a standing ovation. The autism community understandably admires her very much and her life’s work is exceptionally motivating. Here is a clip of part of her speech, and I hope all find it as inspiring as I did.
http://www.theautismnews.com/2011/03/04/autistic-professor-temple-grandin-inspires-crowd/
•
Last week ABC Action News, Medical Correspondent, Linda Hurtado came to my office to interview me about my thoughts on this study. The study in BMC Medicine suggests that it may be possible to predict which infants are at risk of developing ASD based on patterns of brain activity. In this study, there were 79 infants, between ages 6 to 24 months, 46 of whom were considered at a high risk of developing ASD. Infants were fitted with net containing electrodes and their brain waves were measured, as the children watched a researcher blow bubbles. The brain wave pattern in the high risk group was different. If they can find a marker like this, it will give us some glimpse of early detection and therefore incorporate earlier intervention, thus leading to the best outcomes for these children.
Link to study and ABC News Story:
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/health/using-brain-waves-to-predict-autism-spectrum-disorder-in-infants
•
I have a tattered little piece of paper that decorates my fridge, and it’s nothing fancy…really quite worn…but on it is written some of the best advice that I have ever given myself. It is called “10 Helpful Hints”. The reason I keep it on my “fridge” is so that I may FOLLOW this advice that I have given to myself…And…I am reminded everyday, several times a day, every time I open the fridge…”Follow Your Own Advice”…
It seems that the closer I follow these 10 little tips…Life flows a little easier, and the world seems a little brighter. The more I read them and keep these tips foremost in my mind…I seem to be able to muster up more Hope in my heart, along with Courage and Strength.
I have found that in our Autism Spectrum Community, the struggle can be quite hard, and it can take a toll, physically, mentally, and emotionally. If we can muster up though, and be strong enough one day, while our fellow may be lacking on that very same day…then…we can pass along a “shoulder to lean on”…and maybe someone will provide a “shoulder” for us, on another day…when we may be stumbling… The point is, we are all on the same “crooked road”…and just as I have been up built by this tattered little slip of paper…I will pass it along…in the hopes that it may give someone else a boost.
- Never give up on a cure.
- Read, read, and read some more everything on the subject…then keep what’s good, and discard what’s not…and keep a “not sure” file as well.
- Listen to your “Gut”…there is no one on this earth that loves this child as you do…or that knows this child better that you do…so “Arm” yourself with your own wisdom of your child, and become his or her best Advocate.
- If a therapist, doctor, teacher, etc…does not connect with your child…Find someone that does.
- If a therapy or diet is not having successful results…stop…and find something that will bring success.
- Ask questions…lots of questions…and write them down, so that you can carry them with you when you go to your child’s doctors, therapists, etc…and if your questions are met with distain, sarcasm, or with a patronizing response…Find someone that will answer your questions with respect and dignity.
- When you feel like the world is caving in on you…take a Bubble Bath, a Long Walk…or anything to help you re-group to face the challenge again.
- Try to stay healthy yourself…this is hard as you may feel selfish about giving yourself any attention…so…just remember who you need to be healthy for…Your child… and they are depending on you…You cannot assist them very well if you get sick…
- Join a Support Group…and not just any support group. Make sure that you will be able to gather “purposeful” support from this group…and that it truly satisfies your need of support in both a practical, and in an emotional sense. Ask yourself, “What was I able to take away from this meeting?” Any tips or information, and maybe even play dates for my child, etc…not just a “Gripe Session”.
- Do not feel guilty that your child is in this situation, and do not plague yourself with the “What if’s” or the “If only I knew then what I know now”…and Do not look back with regret…just keep moving forward to Accomplishment!
•
Our model of autism deals with under functioning areas of the brain as well as difficulty with different areas of the brain communicating with each other. Our treatment approach is based on eliminating issues with fuel delivery to the brain as well as activating the under functioning, under commmunicating pathways, and circuits in order to optimize brain function. This is our general approach to autism as well as many other neurological disorders. We know that the brain is changeable, neuroplasticity, and thus we use this information to stimulate targeted areas of the brain through the senses in order to promote positive changes in the patients nervous system. The stimulation should be targeted and specific to the patients particular area of weakness. I am not a fan of generalized right or left brain stimulation as you can create an imbalance as well as correct one. This is particularly important with regard to children on the autism spectrum as each child is so different even if they have some commonalities. Having established that I prefer specific treatment protocols based on a clinical examination by a functional neurologist, I recognize that I am often asked if there is any general type of stimulation or exercises that a parent that has a child with autism can do at home or by themselves that might be in accordance with the concepts of functional neurology, hemispheric integration and neuroplasticity. Something that I have found that seems to be beneficial in most,but not all cases, is musical training. Obviously, this would depend on where the lesion, problem in the brain, is and what you child’s level of function. Although, in Hemispheric Integration Therapy a great emphasis is placed on balancing the right and left sides of the brain. I again reiterate that there are 2 sets of peripheral nerves, 2 cerebellums, 2 basal ganglias etc and one can not simply stimulate on one side or the other and expect an optimum result. Much of the communication between right and left hemispheres is done through an area know as the corpus callosum which musical training has been shown to increase in size. In addition, musicians have shown larger brain areas for motor, auditory, and visual spatial center of the brain. And I think we have heard it said that musical training improves math skills. This is exactly what neuroplasticity is all about and a good example as to how appropriate stimulation cannot only make a pathway or area more efficient but also make it physically larger. This is exactly what the functional neurologist does with his patient’ s except that the exercises and stimulation are directed toward the area which was found to be deficient on functional neurological examination. Both of my children play the piano. I would say that in general, if you have a child on the autism spectrum, musical training is something you may want to investigate as a way to improve his or her functionality. This is not medical advice as I have not had the opportunity to examine your son or daughter, but simply a suggestion in response to a question that I am often asked. I personally don’t play an instrument, but have it on my list of things to do simply as I like the neurological implications.
J Neurosci. 2003 Oct 8;23(27):9240-5.
Brain structures differ between musicians and non-musicians.
Gaser C, Schlaug G.
Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Abstract
From an early age, musicians learn complex motor and auditory skills (e.g., the translation of visually perceived musical symbols into motor commands with simultaneous auditory monitoring of output), which they practice extensively from childhood throughout their entire careers. Using a voxel-by-voxel morphometric technique, we found gray matter volume differences in motor, auditory, and visual-spatial brain regions when comparing professional musicians (keyboard players) with a matched group of amateur musicians and non-musicians. Although some of these multiregional differences could be attributable to innate predisposition, we believe they may represent structural adaptations in response to long-term skill acquisition and the repetitive rehearsal of those skills. This hypothesis is supported by the strong association we found between structural differences, musician status, and practice intensity, as well as the wealth of supporting animal data showing structural changes in response to long-term motor training. However, only future experiments can determine the relative contribution of predisposition and practice.
PMID: 14534258 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Cereb Cortex. 2003 Sep;13(9):943-9.
Cerebellar volume of musicians.
Hutchinson S, Lee LH, Gaab N, Schlaug G.
Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Abstract
There is evidence that the cerebellum is involved in motor learning and cognitive function in humans. Animal experiments have found structural changes in the cerebellum in response to long-term motor skill activity. We investigated whether professional keyboard players, who learn specialized motor skills early in life and practice them intensely throughout life, have larger cerebellar volumes than matched non-musicians by analyzing high-resolution T(1)-weighted MR images from a large prospectively acquired database (n = 120). Significantly greater absolute (P = 0.018) and relative (P = 0.006) cerebellar volume but not total brain volume was found in male musicians compared to male non-musicians. Lifelong intensity of practice correlated with relative cerebellar volume in the male musician group (r = 0.595, P = 0.001). In the female group, there was no significant difference noted in volume measurements between musicians and non-musicians. The significant main effect for gender on relative cerebellar volume (F = 10.41, P < 0.01), with females having a larger relative cerebellar volume, may mask the effect of musicianship in the female group. We propose that the significantly greater cerebellar volume in male musicians and the positive correlation between relative cerebellar volume and lifelong intensity of practice represents structural adaptation to long-term motor and cognitive functional demands in the human cerebellum.
PMID: 12902393 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Free Article
Clin Med. 2008 Jun;8(3):304-8.
Do musicians have different brains?
Stewart L.
Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London. l.stewart@gold.ac.uk
Abstract
The search for anatomical correlates of special skills dates from the end of the 19th century, when post-mortem brains of gifted individuals, including musicians, were examined for clues as to origins of their prized abilities. Modern neuroimagingtechniques provide the chance to interrogate the brains of living musicians. Structural and functional specialisations have been demonstrated across several sensory, motor and higher order association areas. These specialisations are often instrument- or effector-specific and correlate with aspects of the training history supporting the view that they are the result, rather than the cause, of skill acquisition. Musicians constitute a model, par excellence, for studying the role of experience in sculpting brain processes. A key challenge for the future will be to develop theoretical frameworks within which musicians and other occupationally specialised groups can be studied in order to investigate the nature, scope and limits of neuroplasticity.
PMID: 18624043 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE
Neuropsychologia. 1995 Aug;33(8):1047-55.
Increased corpus callosum size in musicians.
Schlaug G, Jäncke L, Huang Y, Staiger JF, Steinmetz H.
Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Abstract
Using in-vivo magnetic resonance morphometry it was investigated whether the midsagittal area of the corpus callosum (CC) would differ between 30 professional musicians and 30 age-, sex- and handedness-matched controls. Our analyses revealed that the anterior half of the CC was significantly larger in musicians. This difference was due to the larger anterior CC in the subgroup of musicians who had begun musical training before the age of 7. Since anatomic studies have provided evidence for a positive correlation between midsagittal callosal size and the number of fibers crossing through the CC, these data indicate a difference in interhemispheric communication and possibly in hemispheric (a)symmetry of sensorimotor areas. Our results are also compatible withplastic changes of components of the CC during a maturation period within the first decade of human life, similar to those observed in animal studies.
PMID: 8524453 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2002 Jun;3(6):473-8.
The musician’s brain as a model of neuroplasticity.
Münte TF, Altenmüller E, Jäncke L.
Department of Neuropsychology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, Gebäude 24, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany. thomas.muente@med.uni-magdeburg.de
Abstract
Studies of experience-driven neuroplasticity at the behavioural, ensemble, cellular and molecular levels have shown that the structure and significance of the eliciting stimulus can determine the neural changes that result. Studying such effects in humans is difficult, but professional musicians represent an ideal model in which to investigate plastic changes in the human brain. There are two advantages to studying plasticity in musicians: the complexity of the eliciting stimulus music and the extent of their exposure to this stimulus. Here, we focus on the functional and anatomical differences that have been detected in musicians by modern neuroimaging methods.
PMID: 12042882 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
•
Thus the take home for parents is to know your risk factors and if they start to add up be on the look out for early signs. Early detection leads to early treatment which is always best.
Neonatal jaundice: a risk factor for infantile autism?
Maimburg RD, Vaeth M, Schendel DE, Bech BH, Olsen J, Thorsen P.
Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark. rmai@soci.au.dk
Abstract
In a previous study, we found that infants transferred to a neonatal ward after delivery had an almost twofold increased risk of being diagnosed with infantile autism later in childhood in spite of extensive controlling of obstetric risk factors. We therefore decided to investigate other reasons for transfer to a neonatal ward, in particular hyperbilirubinaemia and neurological abnormalities. We conducted a population-based matched case-control study of 473 children with autism and 473 matched controls born from 1990 to 1999 in Denmark. Cases were children reported with a diagnosis of infantile autism in the Danish Psychiatric Central Register. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals [CI] and likelihood ratio tests were used to test for effect modification. We found an almost fourfold risk for infantile autism in infants who had hyperbilirubinaemia after birth (OR 3.7 [95% CI 1.3, 10.5]). In stratified analysis, the association appeared limited to term infants (>or=37 weeks gestation). A strong association was also observed between abnormal neurological signs after birth and infantile autism, especially hypertonicity (OR 6.7 [95% CI 1.5, 29.7]). No associations were found between infantile autism and low Apgar scores, acidosis or hypoglycaemia. Our findings suggest that hyperbilirubinaemia and neurological abnormalities in the neonatal period are important factors to consider when studying causes of infantile autism.
PMID: 19000294 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
•
A recent article on Spectrum Magazine regarding a study that finds older moms having a higher risk of having autistic children. For more information regarding this study and Dr. Nelson Mane’s perspective on the subject click on the link below:
http://www.spectrumpublications.com/index.php/news/total_load_phenomenon/
•
Those of you that have heard me speak regarding autism spectrum disorders as it relates to functional neurology and hemispheric integration therapy many times here me discuss brain development from the bottom up and also brain function from side to side. Although this is an older video it’s still briefly discusses brain development and function from the lower centers to the higher centers as well as between and about the cerebral hemispheres. Carl Sagan who is featured in the video does discuss brain development from an evolutionary perspective , if that bothers you consider it an exercise in comparative anatomy and not dealing with evolution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfBKZYrxgM&feature=player_embedded.
