[Samurai]

An United Air pilot does emergency landing after he finds out that an autistic teenage girl might throw a tantrum. What a brave pilot, and what a presence of mind... somebody give him top most medal available for stupidity.

http://themighty.com/2015/05/police-...ly-off-a-plane

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Samurai

An United Air pilot does emergency landing after he finds out that an autistic teenage girl might throw a tantrum. What a brave pilot, and what a presence of mind... somebody give him top most medal available for stupidity.

http://themighty.com/2015/05/police-...ly-off-a-plane

That's just ignorance. Mishandling special-needs individuals is bad anywhere in the world, especially so in a first world country where they actually have the means and infrastructure to tackle such situations.

I can't begin to imagine what individuals with special needs feel and experience in a third world country like ours where most public organisations make no provisions to accommodate them at all.

The link says the mother is suing the airline, I hope demands for crew training are part of the lawsuit.

[gaddiwale]

As per recommendations by American Journal of Medical Genetics CMA (chromosomal microarray) should be the first tier of diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorders or other developmental disorders.

In India, Dr Lal PathLabs and some other labs now offering microarray based tests for autism.

[amitoj]

Truth be told, the parents of the girl seemed horribly unprepared for the flight as well. Did they inform the airline in advance about their special needs?

[Samurai]

AIIMS recently released couple of very useful booklets on Autism. Very educative stuff, and it busts some alternative therapy myths like HBOT or B12.

http://www.aiims.edu/images/pdf/autism.pdf

http://www.aiims.edu/images/pdf/Autism%20Booklet.pdf

Originally Posted by amitoj

Truth be told, the parents of the girl seemed horribly unprepared for the flight as well. Did they inform the airline in advance about their special needs?

There is nothing like that. An autistic person is like a toddler, and will behave like one. Does one have to warn the airline in advance if you are taking a toddler on board? We take our kid everywhere on car or flight, we take food and toys to keep him entertained. We don't have to warn anybody. He handles 8-9 hour long drives better than many adults I know.

Sometimes these crazy security measures stop the autism parents from carrying food or drink on flight. On these matters airline staff can be extremely unreasonable. And it is impossible to explain to the autistic child that his favorite drink was confiscated by TSA to keep the aircraft safe from terrorism, just like you can't explain it to a two year old.

[Samurai]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r05BUkOfOk8

[navin]

Originally Posted by Samurai

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=r05BUkOfOk8

Thanks Samu, that video linked to this one and I can really relate to some of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6-PwVuYy2Y

[bblost]

A very good initiative from SAP.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/47878243.cms

[kishgator]

At last, a thread I can relate closely with, since my daughter is having development disorder (which gets misbranded by doctors/experts with various names like PDD, ADHD, Mild Autism etc.)

Really appreciate the information that Samurai and others have posted on this thread.

Here is a list of things we have been doing since 2010 for our 7 year old. I have also mentioned the % of success obtained, which is just a ball park figure

Early Intervention therapy
This is still going on, results are good so far. Probably 15-20 improvement so far

Speech therapy
We stopped this last year after understanding that speech therapy will no longer help

Homeopathy
Tried two doctors (or quacks I should say), one of them promised miracle cure in 6 months, the only cure we got was a regular bowel which might have helped 10% to the cause. The other one was neither knowledgeable or able to really help. So stopped this

Ayurveda
Tried two places for a year each, no sharp results but might have helped the kid to some extend adding another 10% success

Music Therapy
This is going on since a year, and I think is helping another 10%

Home Therapy
For last few years, I have devised a plan which include things already discussed on this thread like exercises, diet, super yoga (baski), cognition exercises etc. which might have helped another 10%

My kid goes to regular mainstream school which provides a special educator assistance and is doing quite well academically. My goal is to enable her to lead a full and normal life as she grows up without external dependence.

[MinivanDriver]

Hi Kishgator, for my nephew, I would like to try out some of the items you mentioned such as Music Therapy and Home Therapy. Could you please share some details on these? reAny web links that would throw more light would also be of help. Also could you elaborate a bit more on why speech therapy will no longer help? Is it based on age? My nephew is 9 years old. Much appreciate all the help. Thanks in advance.

[Samurai]

There is another dangerous pseudo-scientific technique called facilitated communication or FC, which has been debunked now. But like most debunked pseudo-science, it refuses to die since the believers carry on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxEqaIYucrw

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by kishgator

Homeopathy
Tried two doctors (or quacks I should say), one of them promised miracle cure in 6 months, the only cure we got was a regular bowel which might have helped 10% to the cause. The other one was neither knowledgeable or able to really help. So stopped this


Music Therapy
This is going on since a year, and I think is helping another 10%

Can you elaborate on what kind of homeopathy and music therapy was used in this case?

[kishgator]

Mod note: Back to back posts, please use EDIT once the post is Approved. Thanks.

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Can you elaborate on what kind of homeopathy and music therapy was used in this case?

Homeopathy:
The first homeopath had arranged monthly visits for us, initially he had briefed how homeopathy works, how the medicine is made etc., then we started the course, every month he would change the pills (they looked the same though), if we would ask more information then he started giving frustrated answers. Since 6 months had passed and no improvement was present, we discontinued.

The second homeopath tried to lure us into a 1 year program which cam with freebies like free home delivery, free medicines for entire family etc.
After researching myself and also consulting other parents, dropped the idea.

Music Therapy
This is just Carnatic music which will be taught and recited 1 to 1, this might help in concentration, co-ordination, eye contact etc. However it cant be the sole program for treatment

Originally Posted by MinivanDriver

Hi Kishgator, for my nephew, I would like to try out some of the items you mentioned such as Music Therapy and Home Therapy. Could you please share some details on these? reAny web links that would throw more light would also be of help. Also could you elaborate a bit more on why speech therapy will no longer help? Is it based on age? My nephew is 9 years old. Much appreciate all the help. Thanks in advance.

I have provided details for Music therapy in previous reply, as far as speech therapy since my kid became articulate enough in speech and language along with age, the speech therapy was stopped after she became 5 years old.

[rav11stars]

Hey guys, @Samu, thanks a lot for starting this thread and keeping it alive.
My 15-month old son is showing symptoms of autism. He doesn't point at things nor look at things when we point them out; likes doing things repeatedly. We're still going through the initial stages of disbelief with my wife slowly realizing but not wanting to believe he has it.

I'm in Pune; so googled and scheduled an appointment with "Child guidance centre, Erandwane" for a diagnosis tomorrow. I'm posting this to seek your advice of any other institutions too where we can get diagnosis and therapies. My dad noticed it initially and suggested that we take him to http://niepmd.tn.nic.in/ for a diagnosis. I've read that early diagnosis and intervention/therapy helps.

[CBlazer]

Originally Posted by kishgator

My kid goes to regular mainstream school which provides a special educator assistance and is doing quite well academically. My goal is to enable her to lead a full and normal life as she grows up without external dependence.

I realize it has been a long time since this post was made. Could anyone help with a list of schools in Bangalore that allow an educator assistance for children who have been facing challenges with "attention deficiency"? Any feedback on alternative or open schools in this context would also help.