Epilepsy is a seizure disorder. According to the Epilepsy Foundation of America, a seizure happens when a brief, strong surge of electrical activity affects part or all of the brain. About three million Americans have epilepsy. Of the 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year, nearly 45,000 are children and adolescents. Following a brief story of a…

"Intellectual disability" is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental functioning and in skills such as communicating, taking care of him or herself, and social skills. These limitations will cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than a typical child. Following a brief story about a child with an intellectual…

Each of the disorders on the autism spectrum is a neurological disorder that affects a child's ability to communicate, understand language, play, and relate to others. They share some or all of the following characteristics, which can vary from mild to severe: (1) Communication problems (for example, with the use or comprehension of language); (2)…

When a baby is born with Down syndrome, his or her parents should know that there's a lot of help available--and immediately. Shortly after the diagnosis of Down syndrome is confirmed, parents will want to get in touch with the early intervention system in their community. Early intervention is a system of services designed to help infants and…

Cerebral palsy--also known as CP--is a condition caused by injury to the parts of the brain that control the body's ability to use muscles effectively. Often the injury happens before birth, sometimes during delivery or soon after birth. The symptoms will differ from person to person and change as children and their nervous systems mature. This…

This self-instructional module is intended to provide basic information on autism and can be used alone or with supplementary videos. The module is divided into short sections, with each section including review questions and with a self-test (and answer key) on the whole module. After introductory material on the module's purpose and use and an…

This guide for parents and service providers contains information on autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children and is the product of a review of research-based programs and models and requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The document begins with discussion of the definition of ASD, possible causes of ASD, and…

This guide offers practical guidance for parents and practitioners working directly with children who have autism or Asperger's Syndrome. Chapter 1 distinguishes between the two conditions, offers a practical definition of autism, and stresses the importance of individual differences. Chapter 2 is on identifying special needs in autism and notes…

This book reviews the current state of research and practice in intervention for children with autism. The 10 chapters are organized into three parts, on the nature of autism, treatment of autism, and possibilities for a cure and recovery from autism. Chapter 1 introduces definitions and characteristics of autism. Chapter 2 considers what it is…

This briefing paper uses a question-and-answer format to provide basic information about children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). It is intended to help parents, teachers, and others interested in AD/HD know what to look for, what to do, and how to get help. Questions address the following concerns: nature…

This guide to pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) first provides a review of the literature on defining characteristics of PDD/ASD, causes of PDD, and diagnosis of PDD. Review of intervention and treatment comprises the major portion of the paper. After briefly considering parent education, this section…

This book is intended as a practical guide for parents and teachers in managing children or students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specific strategies and techniques are presented that will facilitate learning for individuals with ADHD in both the home and school environment. Chapters include: "ADHD at Home and in the…

This handbook was written to share the feelings, experiences, and knowledge of parents of children with emotional disorders. The first chapter, "Feelings Come First," considers recognition of unusual behavior patterns underlying emotional disturbances and the difficulty of determining their causes, their impact on the family, and coping…

This resource guide provides information on organizations, publications, legislation, and other resources relating to autism. Sections include: (1) commonly used disability acronyms and definitions; (2) the educational definition of autism; (3) the medical definition of autism; (4) special education offices and special services of the Missouri…