Monday, December 2, 2013

Raising a Child With Autism

What are some things parents of autistic children should know and do to make their jobs easier?Receiving a DiagnosisFor many parents, once a child is diagnosed with autism, there is a corresponding sense of relief. When you know what you're facing, you can make a plan for dealing with it, and can face your emotions honestly. Robert A. Naseef, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in Philadelphia who is the father of a grown son with autism, and is the author of Special Children, Challenged Parents. Naseef encourages parents to be honest about their own emotions: "You don't have to kid yourself about how hard it is." He says that the "good thing about getting the diagnosis is that then you get a direction in what will help your child. Usually, when kids get the right help and start making progress, their parent's mood brightens and you have some hope again."Early InterventionExperts advise that early intervention is very important, since time is of the essence when facing a diagnosis and treatment. Parents need to be educated about autism so that they can focus on what they can do for their child.

Every parent has dreams and aspirations for his or her child, and an autism diagnosis changes those dreams dramatically. Once a diagnosis is made, parents should formulate a plan for their child that includes treatment and a reassessment of goals.Build a Treatment TeamEvery child will have different needs, so parents must work with their child's pediatrician to assemble a care team of specialists that might include developmental pediatricians, psychiatrists, speech-language pathologists, physical and occupational therapists, and others. There may be a wait to see these professionals, however, so parents should be proactive about getting recommendations for specialists who can see their child right away.Early Intervention and Public School ProgramsParents should check with their pediatrician for referral to publicly funded programs designed to help children at risk for developmental delays. States provide early intervention programs for children under age 3; for children over age 3, public school districts should provide education through an individualized education program. Because these programs vary from state to state and district to district, parents should research what is available in their state and obtain assistance as soon as possible.Financial ConsiderationsOften, the work of coordinating care falls on one parent, who is then unable to remain in the workforce and contribute financially to the family. Care for autistic children can be very costly and insurance coverage thin. Parents should work with their insurance carriers to get as many services paid for as possible, and look into training themselves to provide some of the services autistic children need, such as development of communication skills or play therapy. Meeting with a financial planner may assist parents in mapping out a plan to finance treatment.Deal with the StressNetworking with other families and taking a break from talking about autism can help families deal with the inevitable stress of raising an autistic child. Take some time to devote to your marriage and to other children in the family, who are no doubt feeling the stress of the diagnosis as well. Keep in mind the goals you have for your child and celebrate milestones. Parents are only human, after all, and need a break, so allow yourself that down time when you need it.



For more information on Autism behavior characteristics of autism or Signs of Autism please visit us at http://www.childdevelopmentmedia.com

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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Prevent Teen Drug Abuse Using Drug Testing Kits at Home

Teen drug abuse became a serious health problem in United States. It is hurting the healthcare system, burdening the economy, and causing millions of deaths every year. Of the many causes that promote drug abuse among teens, lack of parental supervision is a major one. Teens should be guarded properly by their parents as they are still immature.Since, early intervention leads to effective prevention of this unhealthy habit, parents should identify drug abusing habits in teens and take preventive measures. Parents can take help of home drug testing kits which are effective and easy to use.In this article, we will discuss about teens and their vulnerability to drug abuse; how to identify teen drug abuse and how important are drug testing programs at home to prevent teen drug abuse.Teens - vulnerable to drugs abuse: Many scientific studies have already proved that teenagers are more prone to risk taking and are vulnerable to drug abuse when compared to adults. This typical behavior of teens during adolescence is because of the major changes in parts of the brain that are responsible for functions such as self-control, judgment, planning, organization, and emotions. Since teen brains are not yet fully developed, they cannot take proper decisions and fall victims to unhealthy habits like drug and alcohol abuse.Signs and symptoms of drug abuse: The primary step towards prevention of drug abuse in teens is to identify their unhealthy habits. Prominent changes, both in their behavior and in physical appearance can be noticed even at the early stages of abuse. Following are the warning signs:Physical and emotional changes:• Red eyes• Finding difficulty to speak• Sudden fall or rise in weight• Lack of hygiene and showing less interest in personal grooming• Aggression and arrogance• Depression and irritationSocial and behavioral changes:• Dissociation from old friends and acquiring new social group• Sudden anger or depression• Poor attendance and academics at school• Spending time lonely• Abnormal odor in breath or clothing• Pipes, needles and other suspicious substances in their roomImportance of home drug test kits: The moment you see the signs that indicate drug abuse in your teen, it is the time to confirm drug abusing habits using reliable methods. They are useful devices for the parents to confirm these unhealthy habits in teens. They are simple, easy to use, provide instant and accurate results, cost-effective and above all ensure privacy. Some multi-panel drug testing kits can detect multiple drugs of abuse at a shot.Best drug test methods to implement: When it comes to home drug testing, urine and saliva tests are considered to be the best methods. There are two other methods - blood and hair tests also, but they need special devices and expert supervision, hence are not recommended for home testing.Urine test can detect the drugs in your teen's system up to three days after use. If you believe that your teen has taken drugs during the last few days, then this method is effective in offering accurate results. However, it is necessary to check that your teen is not providing fake urine sample which can lead to false results.Saliva drug testing is an ideal drug test if you suspect that your teen abused drugs on that particular day. These kits can detect drug use up to 48 hours.Need for random drug testing: If you are conducting drug tests on your teens at regular intervals, following a regular pattern, your teen may notice the pattern and either try to manipulate the sample before the test or stop abusing drugs few days before the test. Hence, practicing random drug tests is always an ideal way to identify the drug use which effectively helps in detecting the drug abuse among your teens. Random testing makes teens say 'NO' to drugs as they know that you can conduct drug testing any time at home.Home drug testing kits can be considered as effective solutions in controlling and preventing drug abuse in your teens. So, make sure that you have some of them at home to test your teen to help him stay away from drugs.



Drug alcohol test is an online store offering quick, easy to use and FDA approved drug testing kits at guaranteed low prices. Our marijuana testing kits detects the presence of THC metabolite in human urine. It is available in form of single-panel or multi-panel test kits or integrated E-Z drug test cups.

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