Women who smoke during pregnancy ‘may be more likely to have a child with Asperger’s syndrome’

Women who smoke during pregnancy could be more likely to have a child with high-functioning autism, say researchers.

‘It has long been known that autism is an umbrella term for a wide range of disorders that impair social and communication skills,’ said lead author Professor Amy Kalkbrenner from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

‘What we are seeing is that some disorders on the autism spectrum, more than others, may be influenced by a factor such as whether a mother smokes during pregnancy.’

 

Babies who don’t recognize their name may be autistic

Babies who do not respond when their name is called at the age of one are more likely to be diagnosed with autism, say researchers.

They claim the simple test could pick up babies who need help at an earlier age, which will improve their prospects.

 

Games for Autistic Kids

Autism is a neurological development disorder that affects approximately three to six children in every 1,000, reports the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Children with autism often suffer from difficulty communicating, impaired social connections and repetitive behavior. It is sometimes difficult to engage children with autism in activities, but there are many games to play with autistic kids to help them learn and grow while having fun
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Slow Down When You Communicate

Here is another post about something you, as a parent could do that would help your child learn new communication skills faster than anything a Speech & Language Pathologist could do in a weekly therapy sessions. Slow Down when you communicate.

 

Benefits of Speech Therapy for Autism

Autism is a developmental disability that usually shows up before age 3. Autism may be linked with a wide range of traits. These include: