Developmental Disabilities

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Often vaccines are blamed for Autism and there maybe something to that, although some studies seem to indicate that ultrasounds during pregnancy might also be a real problem. This makes sense as the brain cells are forming in the beginning the slightest problem could cause them to fail to make the needed connections. How can that happen? Well, because sound echoes inside the womb and heats up the unborn fetus, that would normally be protected against just about everything.

Under-stimulation of the cerebellum and thalamus affects both executive and motor functions. In other words, the cerebellum and thalamus (portions of the brain) are under-stimulated, and this affects the ability to move in a fully coordinated way and to think and process information in optimal ways.

Hints For Working with People with Developmental Disabilities

Tips and Suggestions:

• SMILE and be friendly.
• Focus on abilities, not disabilities.
• Remember a person is a person first with a disability second.
• Be positive, have a good attitude and be patient.
• Encourage by praising good behavior.

Cognitive Training

Many children with problems are receiving extra help through tutoring or have been placed in special education classes, as well as, being placed on medication. Often, these remedies are not producing the permanent results that parents and teachers had expected. Time is enemy for these children who are struggling and discouraged. Each day millions of parents are told their child has a learning disability.

Cognitive Therapy and Training For Children

Children start out in life eager to learn everything. When they start school, they enjoy learning and competing with their classmates. When they realize that they are not able to keep up with their friends, they will try to compensate for their problem. When the problem becomes to much for them to master, they will give up and resort to a change in character. Then, not understanding what to do, parents will sometimes resort to punishment of some type or medication. This will only enhance the problem.

Self-Injurious Behavior and Learning Disability

One of the reasons that self-harming behavior remains largely an enigma is that when useful studies are done or appropriate theories developed they, too often, remain within a single domain such as mental health; and their broader application is not investigated. Therefore, a separate bodies of literature that consider the causes of self-harm for a particular group like people with learning difficulties are over due.

These pervasive developmental disabilities impair many areas of development including socialization, cognitive functioning, and physical ability. Autism tends to greatly impair the individual's ability to develop speech, as well as to interact socially (and appropriately).

The state of California spends over $200 million per year providing supported living services to developmentally disabled adults. According to California Department of Developmental Services, this number is expected to grow significantly as the population of people diagnosed with mental retardation, epilepsy, and other forms of developmental disabilities rises. Of particular concern is a spike in the number of children diagnosed with autism. As these children become adults, they will require supported living services.