The Super Mom » karami

New Study Finds Differences in Way Autistic Children Learn

karami — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:00:30 +0000

Scientists at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have been working together to determine the neurological aspects of autism. Through this, they have now found differences in how autistic children learn.

In a new study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, scientists have examined how autistic children move as they learn about a new tool. What researchers have found is that autistic children seem to rely more on their own internal sense of body position rather than visual information as other children do. The scientists have also found that the more a child does this, the greater is the child’s impairment in certain social and motor skills.

Motor skills have been found to be difficult for autistic children, as the disorder seems to be associated with brain abnormalities related to the learning of motor actions. By determining how uniquely autistic children learn, new methods can be found for treating these children. “ Dr. Stewart H. Mostofsky, study author and a pediatric neurologist in the Department of Developmental Cognitive Neurology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute maintains, “If done early enough, this could help to improve development of motor, social and communicative skills in children with autism. Further, it could also improve their ability to understand social cues because the brain systems critical to forming internal models of behavior that guide our actions are also critical to developing an understanding of the meaning of those actions.”

Autistic children have difficulty with imitating behavior and many have problems with language. They are, however, sometimes able to learn special skills like playing the piano or drawing. Although motor skills may be difficult for autistic children, certain talents and abilities may override this; and the child’s performance will be considerably above functioning levels in other areas.

These new research studies have been promising in helping parents and professionals learn new ways of working with autistic children. The Autism Society of America stresses the importance of research and of parents involvement with their children. The organization points out that although there is “no single known cause or cure, autism is treatable. Children do not “outgrow” autism, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention can lead to significantly improved outcomes. With the right services and supports, people with autism can live full, healthy and meaningful lives.”

Hopefully this new research on how autistic individuals learn new behaviors will help in providing appropriate educational services in order to help them learn skills to aid their development and adjustment.

Heavy Youngsters at Risk For Asthma Symptoms

karami — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:10:57 +0000

This is an interesting article about how being overweight as a child can increase the risk of that child having problems breathing, or have asthma-like symptoms. As a sufferer of asthma and allergies myself, I worry about Deklen ending up having the same, but I am definitely hopeful that I won’t have to worry about it being due to the fact that he’s overweight. It is just another study along with many others that show how being overweight as a child is just as unhealthy as being overweight as an adult, or even more so.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Children who are overweight at age 6 to 7 years are at increased risk for having symptoms of asthma like shortness of breath and “twitchy” airways when they are 8 years old, results of a study conducted in the Netherlands show.

However, children who are overweight at a younger age but reach a normal weight by age 6 to 7 do not appear to have an increased risk for asthma symptoms, according to the study.

“These findings suggest that being overweight may affect a child’s development of asthma symptoms,” Dr. Salome Scholtens from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven told Reuters Health.

“However, if a previously overweight child develops a normal weight, then the asthma symptoms are less likely to persist. We propose that development of a normal weight might positively affect asthma symptoms in overweight children,” Scholtens added.

Each year until the age of 8, Scholtens and colleagues had the parents of 3756 children report their children’s weight and any episodes of wheezing or other breathing difficulties as well as the use of inhaled steroids. The researchers tested the children to see how sensitive their airways were to various inhaled allergens.

When the children were 8 years old, 275 (7.3 percent) wheezed, 361 (9.6 percent) had difficulty breathing and 268 (7.1 percent) had a prescription for an inhaled steroid in the preceding year.

According to the investigators, children who were persistently heavy from a very young age and between age 6 to 7 years were 68 percent more likely to have breathing difficulties and 66 percent more likely to have twitchy airways at age 8 than children who were leaner in childhood.

As mentioned, children who were heavier at a very young age, but who developed a normal weight at age 6 to 7 did not have an increased risk of breathing difficulties.

These findings suggest that being overweight in early childhood does not have a lasting effect on breathing difficulties if the child develops a normal weight by 8 years old.

The writers of a commentary published with the study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology call the findings “encouraging.”

SOURCE: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, June 2009.

Miche Bags Review

karami — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:55:16 +0000

For those of us who like one purse, but want it to match with every outfit, voila, this purse does! No longer do you have to go with a basic boring black in order to be able to wear it anywhere, the Miche Bag covers all the bases. These purses are usually sold at trade shows or online, or at little booths in the middle of malls for limited times.I happened upon one in a mall nearby luckily, and was able to pick one up.You buy the purse (plain black) and it comes with three covers. There are a multitude of covers from incredibly girly pink to a wicked giraffe skin pattern. There are magnets in the exterior lining of the purse and magnets in the covers, so they just pull on and off. This sounds flimsy, but they hold on incredibly well,as they don’t slip or work their way off at all no matter how hard I have tried. (within reason of course). Inside the purse there is one large zipper on one side, and the other side has two elasticized pockets, perfect for keys and my cell phone so I can easily find it. It comes with two sets of straps in differing lengths. I bought the mid length ones with the bit of chain for an extra $25 and found them to be the perfect length to carry especially when carrying a child.

This was a spur of the moment buy to treat myself, and I have no regrets,I can’t wait to wear that giraffe print with my favorite red coat. I ended up purchasing the black alligator skin-ish one, the giraffe and a gorgeous white with an embroidered flower.

You can take a look at their site MicheBag, and see all the great colors and patterns they have, what a original idea!

Super Mom Review: Etsy Artist Eleven Stones

karami — Mon, 25 May 2009 11:00:22 +0000

I have always had an eye for natural stones as I feel quite drawn to them. Most of the jewelry manufactured today is made of plastic, and sure some of it is pretty, but it doesn’t give off quite the same vibe for me. I find I can pick the stone for my mood and it will usually give me a bit of a lift for the day. I have purchased three necklaces from Elevenstones and they are gorgeous, with the added bonus of being really well made. One is a bright blue Andean opal, (my first purchase and is the one pictured) one a mauve and grey/white fluorite, another a green and brown Chrysocolla and a Malachite. The necklaces themselves are made from a waxed polyester string and they are very strong and durable. They clean up with a good scrub brush if needed and even though they look stiff, they soften up the more you wear them. I also find they are not a bother to sleep with it on, and I am a picky sleeper! I liked my first one so much that I went back and picked out another two.

You can visit her Etsy store and take a look, but be warned, the most popular necklaces are bought almost as soon as she puts them up for sale! You can also add her on Facebook, Celeste Marchand, where she sells her necklaces first, so add her as a friend and keep your eyes peeled for new necklaces if you are interested.