Pregnant with my third child, I am very excited to say the least. I have 2 girls and people always assume that I want a boy.  The most common questions are “when are you due?” or “do you know what you are having?”.   My reply is often, “Not soon enough!” and “A baby I hope!”. Pregnancy is a miracle and I am blessed to be able to have another child, however I don’t suit pregnancy very well.  There are women who love being pregnant and glow and others such as me who really don’t enjoy the physical changes at all.  I personally wish that I could be pregnant for 30 days and then be presented with a beautiful healthy baby.  Unfortunately, this is not the case and I have to endure my discomfort for 9 months.   Whether I have a girl or boy isn’t an issue for me.  I will be just as happy with a girl as I would be with a boy.  If I think about it rationally I already know how to care for 2 girls, it would be cheaper for me to have a girl as the baby can use hand me downs, and frankly, I just don’t know what I would do with a boy.   What every pregnant woman wants is to have a healthy baby regardless of gender. I can imagine how devastating to learn that your child has a serious health condition, and my heart goes out to all families that are dealing with such issues.  A year ago I was at an Erin Oaks fundraiser and met a wonderful family with a daughter who was born with a disease that affected her growth and learning. They shared their story with me about how they learned about this condition and where they were directed for help.   Recently I met a woman whose son was diagnosed with Autism.  What I learned about autism in my brief talk with her has compelled me to spread the awareness of autism to Moms who may not have a clear understanding of what it actually is.  I don’t know what it is like being a Mom of a child with Autism. However, I do know that the Moms who I have met who have autistic children are very special.  I myself occasionally complain about trivial issues regarding my two girls.  I often have to remind myself of the countless number of Moms who have such incredible strength, and are raising children with far deeper and challenging issues. What is Autism? Autism is a complex brain developmental disorder whereby children have difficulty relating  normally to others, have impaired communication  and are often unable to bear too much sensory “input” or stimulation.  There is no definitive cause or cure for this disorder.  Children are diagnosed based on a series of characteristic behaviours. According to the Health Canada website, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a group of disorders characterized by difficulties with social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviours.  Individuals with these conditions are affected to varying degrees with the most heavily affected having severe, often violent, behavioural problems and little or no communication ability. While an ASD diagnosis can be made by the age of two to three years, these conditions are life-long and have a significant impact on families.   The United Nations designated April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day.  The UN recognizes that autism is a lifelong developmental disability affecting children all over the world, regardless of race, gender or socio economic status.  Realizing that early diagnosis and intervention are vital to the growth of an individual with autism the UN encourages members of State to raise social awareness of this disorder.   My connecting with the Mom with a 4 year son who has autism and then a week later chatting with another women on the phone who informed me of her 18 month old being diagnosed with autism was not a coincidence. After both of them sharing their experiences with me, I know that they would like society to be aware and have more support and understanding of what they are going through.  I know that they want their children to be socially accepted and not have other children or parents distance themselves or fear being around an autistic child.  I also know that it is up to us parents to become more informed, so that we can teach our children about their peers who may be diagnosed with autism.   Below I have listed a few websites and resources that can provide you with more information on autism. If you suspect that your child may have autism contact your Doctor or check out ErinOakKids which is an organization that offers several programs and resources such as early identification clinics, autism intervention services and school support programs for autism spectrum disorders.   ErinOakKids www.erinoak.org   Autism Canada Foundation   www.autismcanada.org   Autism Ontario  www.autismontario.com   Autism Society Canada   www.autismsocietycanada.ca   Geneva Centre for Autism www.autism.net   CAIRN – Canadian Autism Intervention Research Network  www.cairn-site.com

Autism Characteristics By Victor Raff Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a group of serious developmental problems caused by a problem in the brain of a young child. ASD appears usually before the age of 3 and lasts throughout a person's life, early recognition and treatment will positively change the severity of the disorder. All forms of Autism affect the ability to communicate and interact with other people. We still don't know what causes this disorder or how to prevent and cure it. Early treatment, however, can make an enormous difference. Autism signs and symptoms are seen in crucial developmental places. A child with Autism can have social interaction problems, as well as problems with language and behavior. Difficulty learning, or learning in a non conventional way can also be a sign. The child may also have a difficult time paying attention or reacting to something. Signs of Autism are seen in infancy and childhood. Signs of Autism in a social setting can be: a child showing little or no acknowledgment to their name being called, not wanting to make eye contact, not hearing you at times, not wanting to cuddle or be held (or only wanting to when they feel like it), no consideration of other's feelings, affinity for solitude, and difficulty in expressing their feelings. Language: Starts talking later than other children, loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences, does not make eye contact when making requests, speaks in an abnormal tone or rhythm, can't start a conversation or keep one going, may repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn't understand how to use them, has trouble expressing their needs. Behavior: repeat actions over and over again, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping, develops specific routines or rituals, becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals, moves constantly. They also may be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car, may be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and yet oblivious to pain, not pointing at objects of interest (point at an airplane flying over). If your child loses a skill at any age, call your doctor right away. Ask to be referred to a developmental pediatrician. Being proactive as quickly as possible will be the key to making a difference. Don't feel as if you have to master parenting alone. There are lots child development resources available. Go to parentinginformed.com and browse all the topics on parenting, you may just find what you have been looking for! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Raff