Therapy Video. Gift Annuities Jim Burke is a lifelong baseball fan who feels like he hit a grand slam after establishing two Easter Seals Gift Annuities. Events Advocacy Volunteer. Get involved There are many ways for you to volunteer at our centers or events.
Zip Code Distance Distance 50 miles 75 miles miles miles miles. Enter Search Text Search Submit. Our Services At Atlanta Autism Center we provide comprehensive, family-centered diagnostic and therapy services.
Atlanta Autism Center. Our Services. Meet Our Team. Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Ashton Nalley. Jacqueline specializes in diagnostic evaluation of children with suspected ASD.
Jacqueline Luby. Tiye specializes in diagnostic evaluation of children with suspected ASD. Tiye King. Request an Appointment. AMC is proud to partner with the Autism Society to offer unique movie showings where we turn the lights up, and turn the sound down, so you can get up, dance, walk, shout or sing! Our Sensory Friendly Film program is available on the second and fourth Saturday family-friendly and Tuesday evenings mature audiences of every month. Please check your local theatre listings for specific showtimes, and don't forget to share your family fun with AMCSensoryFriendly.
It provides families the opportunity to practice entering the airport, obtaining boarding passes, going through security and boarding a plane. Airport, airline, Transportation Security Administration professionals, and other personnel also have the opportunity to observe, interact, and deliver their services in a structured learning environment. Enjoy the freedom of jumping. Sensory hours provide a quieter, toned-down jumping experience for those with special needs.
Chuck E. Cheese's is proud to support families who have children with autism and special needs. We now offer a sensory-friendly experience on the first Sunday of every month. Our trained and caring staff is there to make sure each guest has a fun filled visit. The Sensory Sensitive Sundays experience includes:. All Abilities Night at iFLY is a unique event that makes the dream of flight a reality for those in the special needs community.
This program has been custom designed for those with physical and cognitive challenges to create an environment of support and inclusion, while focusing on making what seems impossible, possible. Maybe look in a neighboring state? Autism-Friendly Activities in.
Georgia Symphony Orchestra. Sensory Friendly for the Family Concert Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and designed specifically for individuals with sensory sensitivities and their families, the Georgia Symphony's annual Sensory Friendly Concert features a range of enjoyable musical selections.
The Georgia Ballet. Sensory Friendly Performances From the Ballet: The Georgia Ballet is thrilled to introduce sensory friendly shows to their season. Tellus Science Museum. The Southern Museum. Free for members! Ages: All ages welcome!
Popadoodle Kids Imagination Center. Children's Museum of Atlanta. Sensory Friendly Saturdays From the museum: "The Museum will open at 9 AM for families with children on the autism spectrum or children with sensory processing disorders.
Jump Street Indoor Trampoline Park. Lawrenceville, GA Andrew Wakefield published a paper where he claimed that the MMR vaccine may cause autism. Thus began the anti-vaxx movement. The original paper that began this movement was flawed. In fact, the publisher later redacted this paper. This review was written to address three specific concerns that have been raised: Does the MMR vaccine cause autism?
Does thimerosal, a preservative sometimes used in vaccines, cause autism? This paper looks at many different studies and determined that: The MMR vaccine does not cause autism.
Thimerosal does not cause autism. Giving multiple vaccines at once is safe and does not overwhelm or weaken the immune system. The Importance of Vaccinations Protecting Your Child: By vaccinating your child, you are helping her immune system learn to recognize and fight off an illness before she even gets sick. Protecting the Community: Vaccinations not only protect the vaccinated individual, but they help protect the community from the disease as well!
When many people are vaccinated in a community, it becomes harder for diseases to spread from one person to another. By vaccinating yourself and your family, you are helping prevent the spread of disease in your community! This can be because children with ASD may have a preference for specific foods and reject other food, leaving them with a limited diet. Common symptoms include: stomach pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting Food Sensitivities: In some cases, the GI issues mentioned above may be the result of food sensitivity, which is common in children with ASD.
Some of the more common food sensitivities are casein and gluten. Casein is a protein found in milks, eggs, yogurts, cheeses and other dairy products. Some individuals may be sensitive to this protein, causing GI issues. What is Gluten? Gluten is a wheat protein found in many breads.
Crackers, baked goods and cereals also contain gluten since many of these foods contain wheat products. Celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction to gluten, is common among those with autism. Gluten and casein sensitivities are common among those with autism. Experts do not recommend starting on this diet unless your child has a casein or gluten sensitivity. There is a possible risk of nutrient deficiency due to the restrictive nature of this diet. Many children with autism also have hyperactivity disorders such as ADHD.
Some believe that this hyperactivity can be linked to the amount of sugar consumed. Because of this, some parents claim to have success in alleviating behavioral issues their child with ASD may have. There is very little research to back up these claims that a sugar-free diet helps those with autism. In fact, the link between hyperactivity disorders and sugar intake is still being investigated.
Some research shows that the consumption of high sugar foods had no effect on hyperactivity in children. Other research suggests a link between insulin release and autism. Much more research needs to be done before the scientific community can make a final conclusion about the effect of a sugar-free diet on autistic or hyperactive children.
Ketogenic Diet KD : What is a ketogenic diet? A ketogenic diet consists of a high fat, low carbohydrate diet. You may have heard of this kind of diet before. Why do some parents try a ketogenic diet for children with ASD? Individuals with autism can sometimes also have epilepsy recurrent seizures. Because of these two things, some parents try the ketogenic diet in hopes of preventing seizures in their child and to help better the behavioral symptoms associated with ASD.
What do the experts say about a ketogenic diet? Studies have shown a ketogenic diet to be beneficial in helping to prevent seizures when used alongside other preventable treatments like anti-seizure medications. Some studies have also reported that a ketogenic diet improved behavioral symptoms in children with ASD. Scientists believe this diet helps those with ASD by decreasing inflammation, balancing out certain neurotransmitters in the brain, and regulating bacteria in the gut.
Overall, the ketogenic diet shows promise as a therapy for ASD. Are there any risks to starting a ketogenic diet? While a ketogenic diet as a therapy for ASD does sound promising, some side effects of this diet have been noted. Common side effects in children: GI issues such as constipation and vomiting, lack of energy, complaints of hunger Risk of nutritional deficiencies: Many children with ASD are picky eaters and only eat a limited number of foods.
Because of the restrictive nature of this diet, they may be even more limited in the foods that they eat, leading to nutritional deficits. Long-term use of this diet in older individuals may lead to High cholesterol, hyperuricemia high amounts of uric acid in the blood , and kidney stones Probiotics What are probiotics?
In particular, probiotics are thought to restore or improve the microbiota of the gut. Though probiotics are generally thought to be safe, it is important to consult with your primary care provider prior to starting probiotics to ensure that they could be of benefit in treating GI symptoms. Why do some people with ASD use probiotics?
Compared to their typically developing peers, children and adults with ASD tend to have more GI symptoms, such as abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea. One concern regarding the health of children with ASD is the tendency to only eat a few foods selective eating , sometimes preferring processed foods to fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Using probiotics has been shown to help and prevent and relieve GI symptoms experienced by those with ASD.
In addition, recent studies have recognized a microbiota-gut-brain axis as a key modulator of neuropsychiatric health-improving general health, depression, anxiety, and stress. Probiotics have beneficial effects regardless of ASD diagnosis and could be helpful in relieving some of the GI symptoms present.
Encouraging a balanced healthy diet is also helpful in preventing GI distress. Music therapy is the clinical use of music to accomplish individual goals such as reducing stress, improving mood and self-expression.
It is an evidence-based therapy that may include listening, singing, composing music, or play instruments. Does music therapy work? There is evidence both supporting and denying the efficacy of music therapy. Research supporting music therapy claims that it reduces anxiety and can alleviate social problems in children with ASD. However, other studies found that music therapy has no effect on improving social flexibility, responsiveness, or attentiveness.
It is also possible that different people may achieve different results with intervention. It is important to note that music therapy should be discussed with your primary care provider to ensure efficacy and proper utilization of this intervention. To learn more about music therapy in ASD, please see the articles below: Music therapy for people with autism spectrum disorder Summary : This study assessed music therapy in those with autism spectrum disorder in randomized controlled trials with groups consisting of music therapy, standard care, and no treatment.
The findings of this updated review provide evidence that music therapy may help children with ASD to improve their skills in primary outcome areas that constitute the core of the condition including social interaction, verbal communication, initiating behavior, and social-emotional reciprocity.
Music therapy may also help to enhance non-verbal communication skills within the therapy context. Furthermore, in secondary outcome areas, music therapy may contribute to increasing social adaptation skills in children with ASD and to promoting the quality of parent-child relationships.
In contrast to the studies included in an earlier version of this review published in , the new studies included in this update enhanced the applicability of findings to clinical practice. More research using larger samples and generalized outcome measures is needed to corroborate these findings and to examine whether the effects of music therapy are enduring. When applying the results of this review to practice, it is important to note that the application of music therapy requires specialized academic and clinical training.
Music interventions for children with autism: a narrative review of the literature Summary: This is a literature review emphasizing the contradiction in support of music therapy in those with ASD. Composed songs and improvisational music therapy were the predominant music techniques used. There was somewhat limited evidence to support the use of music interventions under certain conditions to facilitate social, communicative, and behavioral skills in young children with autism.
The implications of these findings in terms of the use of music interventions, issues related to generalization and maintenance, and future research are discussed. Summary: This study aimed to determine the anxiolytic anxiety-reducing effects of music therapy, lavender essential oil, and chamomile essential oil.
The study was performed by nurses and measured anxiety after usage of the targeted methods. Results showed that the interventions of music therapy and chamomile-lavender essential oil could reduce the anxiety of the participants and were recommended for use. Animal Therapy What is Animal Therapy?
Animal therapy is utilized based on the pre-existing human-animal bond. Animal therapy has been shown to have a beneficial effect on various physical and mental conditions. Studies show that it can help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. Does it help people with ASD? One aspect of animal therapy that may benefit those with ASD is that this intervention can trigger a release of endorphins, which can produce a calming effect.
It should be noted, however, that credible positive research for animal therapy is sparse and that support animals may come with safety, sanitation, and allergies concerns.
Is it safe? Accredited organizations that perform animal therapy have processes for ensuring that animal therapy is suitable for individuals with ASD and treatment is personalized for each patient. Consultation with your primary care provider is essential to find an appropriate animal accustomed to each.
When contacting animal therapy providers, ask about their qualifications. Some reasons researched and supported by this source are positive effects on social facilitation, attentional focus, and nonjudgmental companions. The source states the need for high-quality research supporting this intervention and how to further rigorous research is underway.
Autism and Equine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Mapping Review Summary: This systematic mapping review organized current knowledge of equine-assisted interventions for people with autism to help guide future practice and research. The study stated that although literature reflected early scientific development, it offered broad proof of concept that equine-assisted interventions can benefit children and adolescents with ASD.
Companion animals and human health: benefits, challenges, and the road ahead for human-animal interaction Summary: This study emphasizes the benefits and challenges of human-animal interaction associated with health. The health benefits demonstrated typically include reductions in depression and loneliness while enhancing social interaction or social skills, and decreasing anxiety and arousal. Other benefits are the encouragement and promotion of physical activity or exercise.
Problems associated with human-animal interactions are high expense, allergies, asthma, zoonoses, animal bites and scratches, and human falls. There are inconsistent policies permitting animals into public places as well as housing developments. The study states that additional research is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of each type of animal therapy intervention on the overall health of humans.
A variety of essential oils have been suggested as possible remedies for ASD symptoms. There is minimal research on the beneficial effects of essential oils on individuals with ASD.
There are claims by parents of children with ASD that the essential oils listed below can potentially reduce behaviors such as anger, anxiety, attention deficit, hyperactivity, sensory overload, sleep issues, and meltdowns. With the use of any essential oils, there is a risk of allergic reaction. Essential oils should not be ingested, applied undiluted to the skin, or overused.
All essential oils are not regulated by the FDA; therefore, it is important to speak with your healthcare provider prior to use of the following: Vetiver is an essential oil used as aromatherapy that could help treat nervousness, insomnia, and joint and muscle pain.
There is little accredited research done to prove vetiver aromatherapy as a beneficial holistic care method for individuals with ASD; however, it has been shown to have some antimicrobial factors as well as positive effects on insomnia Sources: Modification of sleep-waking and electroencephalogram induced by vetiver essential oil inhalation Anxiety-like behaviour and c-fos expression in rats that inhaled vetiver essential oil Cedarwood is an essential oil used as aromatherapy originally to prevent moths from eating clothing and repelling ants.
Further research revealed that it may benefit acne treatment, antibiotic activity, pain relief, decrease swelling, decrease inflammation, stress relief, anxiety relief. Research has also suggested that cedarwood can promote better sleep and help lengthen sleeping time when used with a diffuser.
EPA states there are no safety concerns with use. Essential oils can cause skin irritations; however, few have been reported with cosmetics use. There is minimal accredited research supporting the benefits for individuals with ASD; however, the benefits discovered could show beneficial results for poor sleep and anxiety.
Sources WebMD Characteristics of two cedarwood essential oil emulsions and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities The anxiolytic effect of Juniperus virginiana L.
Many essential oils used as aromatherapies are not regulated by the FDA and could cause allergic reactions when used on the skin. Small doses are encouraged when applied to the skin and when used as aromatherapy. The research for this essential oil is in its early stages, and doctors are not ready to make wide-ranging declarations about the effectiveness of frankincense on an ongoing basis. Speaking with your primary care physician prior to use is encouraged prior to use. Sources WebMD The Effects of Frankincense Essential Oil on Stress in Rats Lavender is an essential oil used for calming and relaxing, improving sleep, promoting healing, relieving pain, having antibacterial properties, and potentially improving memory.
The research involving lavender and individuals with ASD have mixed results supporting its effectiveness at improving sleep, although some parents support putting a few drops in bathwater prior to bed.
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