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Conventional Treatment Conventional medicine maintains that there is no known cure for autism, but recommends an early, intensive treatment program of psychosocial and behavioral interventions, including applied behavior analysis (ABA) and a wide range of drugs: antipsychotics, SSRIs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, stimulants, and others. Increasingly, the parents of kids with ASDs are questioning the safety and efficacy of these drugs, and are seeking alternative treatments. The alternative approach has been championed by celebrity Jenny McCarthy, who believes that her son Evan recovered from autism through biomedical treatment....

Directions Look around inside and outside with your child to try to find some textured surfaces on which to make rubbings. Small objects, such as coins, are good to start with. Later, try manhole covers, plaques, stucco, etc. Place the paper over the object and rub firmly back and forth with a crayon. An outline will soon appear. Rubbings can also be made of leaves, keys, woven baskets, and sidewalk cracks....

Family tree gifts are becoming more and more popular and accessible. Although every family has a self-proclaimed genealogy expert, most family members love displaying their family history. Since holidays and special occasions like Christmas and birthdays are always around the corner, we’ve come up with a list of our favorite family tree gift ideas for any genealogy enthusiast. More: 8 Family History and Genealogy Gift Ideas When we researched our family tree gift ideas, we found items with the best reviews and quality....

Sheets of plain paper (recycled preferably) Stopwatch or watch with a second hand The object of this activity is to make a paper airplane and to see how long it can stay in the air. Try several shapes and designs and test them in an open space. Time the flight from the moment it leaves your hand until the moment it touches the floor or another object. What flight pattern tends to keep the airplane aloft?...

Who’s calling me? Infants love to look at human faces and eyes, bright primary colors, andsimple designs. In their first few months, babies develop enough muscle controlto lift their heads. A baby will hold his head higher and keep his eyesmoving (or at least try to) when you do the following activities together. What you need: Just you, a baby, and a brightlycolored object. The activity: Lie down on your back holding the babytummy-down on your stomach....

5 to 10 minutes Materials Small pile of pillows Directions Extensions Cover your baby (except for her face) with pillows so the soft weight is felt.Fluff a small pillow on your tummy and then on your baby’s. Repeat gently with other body parts as you talk about what you are doing.Gently roll your baby across the pillows.

They’re Not Ready Before the age of 18 months, most toddlers do not have control of urination and defecation to consciously delay it until they can get to the bathroom. If you catch your child at the right time and put them on the toilet, they will use it, but that doesn’t mean they are ready to get there in time on their own. Even older children may have trouble learning to use the toilet for a variety of reasons....

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan was the first to implement the global gag rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy. The ruling prohibits legal abortion services, referrals, or advocacy for abortion law reform by foreign non-government agencies (NGOs) receiving global health assistance from the United States government. “This policy devastated underserved communities and impacted health care programs across 64 countries,” says Emma Corbett, director of communications at Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts....

We won’t give you any Smokey lectures here. You know you shouldn’t play with matches. You know smoke detectors are an essential element in home decor. (You do, right? If you don’t, get this wisdom, and fast. If your home doesn’t have hard-wired detectors, buy and install battery-powered ones, and make sure you keep them in proper working order.) But we will say this: The best way to deal with kitchen fires is to keep them from happening in the first place....

Rules of Punishment

Puppies, and many adult dogs, need to go through at least one obedience class. Many people take their puppies through puppy kindergarten and then at least one obedience class. Most classes run from 6 to 12 weeks, and you should plan to spend at least a half-hour every day on doggy homework (which should really be called “doggy home play for education”). You’ll also need to spend time exercising your dog....

Quinn is one of the first Irish unisex names on the rise for both genders, though there are now far more girl Quinns than boys. If you have a baby boy or girl on the way, Quinn just might be a win for your family. How Popular is the Name Quinn? The name Quinn experienced its first sharp rise in popularity between 1997 and 1999, and has been climbing ever since....

Some research on the effects of this kind of nonionizing radiation has raised a red flag on excessive exposure. High levels of nonionizing radiation in humans has been associated with (but not scientifically proven) to cause genetic damage, spontaneous abortion, and birth defects. But the tested levels have been extremely high, far above what we are exposed to normally. You can sit two inches in front of your TV everyday all day long during your pregnancy and not worry about radiation damage to your fetus (you should be more worried about your sanity)....

According to Michael Pfahl, executive director of the National Youth Sports Coaches Association, “The number one reason [why they quit] is that it stopped being fun.” With figures like these, it’s time we rethink how we present youth sports to kids. With that in mind, here are some key points to remember about kids’ playing sports: Preschool Focus on the element of play in any sports activity you introduce to very young kids....

With all that is going on those first few days, you might not realize that you’re a dad until the first time your baby grasps your finger or the first time he smiles at you. For some dads it may not even happen until the first time your baby says “dada.” If you are not feeling like a dad, you likely need to spend more time bonding with your baby....