Speech And Learning Difficulties

Aspergers is a form of Autism. People with Aspergers syndrome are on the higher end of the spectrum. They usually have normal language skills. Their main problem is dealing with people socially. Usually these problems are first noticed when a child begins school. The child can have all the signs of Aspergers, or only a few. Here are some of the common signs of Aspergers syndrome.
1. Have a hard time talking to other kids. Kids with Aspergers syndrome have a hard time going up to someone and starting a conversation.
2. Speak in words that are very advanced for their age. The Asperger’s child may use words that adults would use.
3. Have trouble understanding when someone is joking, or being sarcastic. Children with Aspergers have a hard time understanding tones of people’s voices. They tend to take everything said seriously.
4. Have very limited interests. A child with Aspergers syndrome may only want to focus on one thing. They may take a liking to puzzles, and only want to do puzzles all the time. They will often learn everything they can about one subject. That will be all they focus on.
5. Have a hard time with changes in their routine. This can be hard for a child starting school. They had a routine at home and now that is being changed. The same thing can happen during breaks during the school year. This is a common problem of Autistic children.
6. Talking a lot. Children with Aspergers usually talk a lot. They often say whatever they are thinking whether it is appropriate or not. Most of the conversations they have are one sided. While it looks like the child is talking to you, they are really talking at you.
7. Problems making friends. Kids with Aspergers have trouble making friends due to their inability to relate to the other children. They sometimes try to hard to make friends and scare the other kids away.
8. No eye contact. Children with Aspergers usually will not look you in the eye when speaking. This is another common trait of an Autistic child.
9. Using repetitive movements. This can be a movement like spinning around, or bouncing back and forth while sitting. These movements are calming to the Aspergers child.
10. Problems with speaking. The Aspergers child may speak really fast. They usually do not stop to see if the person they are talking to is paying attention. Their tone of voice is flat and does not change to show emotions.
11. Problems with movement. Children with Aspergers often have trouble with their coordination skills. They may always be tripping or stumbling over their own feet. They may take a long time to learn how to ride a bike.
Asperger children have the most positive outcome on the Autism spectrum. They have high intelligence and language skills. They can often be taught the social skills they need to get by. If you notice any of these signs in your child mention them to the doctor.

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A person with bipolar disorder experiences the best and worst of both worlds. Like two-face from Batman. It can be a psychological disorder that proceeds without warning.
Imagine being confronted by a person with the happiest personality and then suddenly, without any reason, he diminishes to a lower aura and starts to cry.
The extremes that are associated with someone who is bipolar are ranging from an attitude of recklessness to listlessness. This kind of instability of moods can become a serious problem that greatly affects the person who has the disorder and the people around him as well.
Other terms for this mind boggling disease are manic-depressive or manic-depression illness. Both extremes are experienced and exhibited by the person suffering from it.
Mood swings that are caused by this disorder can last for a couple of weeks or even months if not taken care of. This kind of behavior can cause massive disturbance to the lives of friends, family and whoever is close to the person.
According to researches, there is a major occurrence of this uncontrolled behavior across variety of symptoms and can affect almost everyone in the group.
Sadly, this disease is not diagnosed accordingly which is not very helpful and most often, people mistaken this kind of behavior as somewhat ordinary. Untreated, this attitude problem worsens and results to high tendencies of suicidal rates.
Although, if diagnosed and treated at an early stage, people who suffers from this disease can enjoy a life worth living.
What is the cause of bipolar disorder?
Nowadays, the exact cause of the mood disorder is unknown. Although there are beliefs that it can be connected within the family down from their bloodline.
Usually, people who are diagnosed with the disease tends to have a relative who also suffers from it as well or somewhat similar conditions. Modern science believes that other probable causes that can trigger someone to experience the disorder are:
• Environmental effects. In some way, the person’s environment can take the blame for suffering the psychological disease. Factors may include severe problems with peers, family, and the like; other elaborates the stressful situations that are surrounding the person. A loss of a loved one can also be one of the environmental causes.
• Chemical effects. Studies have shown the indications of chemical within the body made the brain function differently. Significant changes may still be uncertain but in an eventual process, may help in pinpointing the causes. Hormonal imbalances and neurotransmitters are also being accepted as one of the chemical causes.
Based on statistical findings, there are about three million Americans who suffer from this psychological disorder. People who experience this illness will experience mood swings that are extreme joined with multiple behaviors and symptoms. Mood swings are oftentimes categorized as depressive episodes, manic episodes and mixed episodes.
Depressive episode symptoms are:
• Extreme feeling of sadness or emptiness • Lack of needed energy • Lack of interest in important things • Decreased concentration • Imaginary thoughts about suicide or dying
Manic episode symptoms are:
• Elevation of extreme mood swings • Extreme anxiousness and irritability • Talking in a fastmanner • Unusual energy increase with a reduced need to sleep
Mixed episode symptoms are basically the combination of the depressive and manic episode symptoms.
Bipolar disorder can be evident in teenagers although, there are studies showing cases prevalent in children and adults.
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“It runs in the family…”
With the above stated fact, it goes to show that children and adolescents can acquire bipolar disorder if their parents or someone within the family is also suffering from the disease. More likely, children may adopt the illness but symptoms will show only when they have reached their adolescent stage.
Although, compared to adults who have the disorder and symptoms is more defined, diagnosing based on the evident manifestations through the behavior of children and adolescents are hastened and can be experienced almost every day. Mood swings that include mania and depression can occur multiple times a day.
Children who experiences mania are expected to be irritable and have destructive tantrums that is caused by being joyful or elated. Symptoms of mixed episodes are common in adolescents or youths having the disorder. Older adolescents who have developed the illness have symptoms and episodes that are more notable in adults and are considered more classical.
Diagnosing bipolar disorder in children and adolescents is harder than with adults. Apart from mood swings that are obvious because of the unstable swinging of emotions caused by terms of growing up, being hyper and depressed is also considered normal and is within the range of children and adolescent behavior.
Furthermore, there are some symptoms that can also be associated with other disorders like the aggressiveness and irritability of a child can also be associated with ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and other mental disorders. Drug abuse is also one factor that may cause such symptoms which are not totally connected with the illness.
According to researches, the disorder may have the possibility to begin during childhood or teenage years but the exact diagnosis of the diseases can be proven upon adulthood. This mental illness can affect anyone most especially if that person is exposed to contributing risk factors.
Studies also said that when both parents manifest the illness, it has a greater chance for their children to have the disorder. Alcohol and drug abuse through the history of the family can also be considered as a contributing factor.
Symptoms in children and adolescents are almost the same with adults but some may differ and may be lighter.
Manic episodes may include the following:
• Unrealistic increase in self-esteem (a child perceiving that he is Superman)
• Easily distracted
• Repeated increased risk-taking attitude that may be associated with sexual promiscuity, alcohol and drug abuse, etc.
• Ability to talk in a fast-paced manner and at the same time talking too much
• Increased energy and has the ability to go on for days without the appropriate amount of sleep
Depressive episodes include the following:
• Persistent emotional disturbance like frequent outburst of emotions
• Always in a depressed mood with irritability
• Lack of enjoyment in usual activities
• Poor concentration, boredom, fatigue and low energy level
• Abrupt change in sleeping and eating patterns
• Frequently complains about physical pains
Teenagers having bipolar disorder may have the greatest possibility to be treated compared to adults already manifesting the illness. Some of the major treatment modalities are medications that can used to stabilize the person’s mood swings, educating the family and friends, and preventing depression. In order to treat the illness effectively, medical authorities must diagnose the disorder correctly.