and places.Children may sit at a workstation and be required to complete certain activities such as matching pictures. The finished assignments are then placed in a container. Children may use picture communication symbols (small laminated squares that contain a symbol and a word) to answer questions and request items from their teacher. The symbols help relieve frustration for nonverbal children while helping those who are starting to speak to recall and say the words they want.One drawback of TEACCH is that social interaction and verbal communication may not be heavily stressed. Also, more research is needed into the effectiveness of TEACCH, especially in comparison to Applied Behavior Analysis. TEACCH has not published comprehensive, long-term studies of its effectiveness in treating and educating children (Autism Web, 2001).New Discoveries In AutismSome new information about the diet of autistics is headlining the battle for autism. New research has shown substantial evidence that diet can play a role in the source of autism. Two proteins - Gluten and Casein seem to be the underlying drug in the behavior of children with autism (Autism Web, 2001). Gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, oats, rye, barley and spelt. It is also found in food starches, some vinegars, soy sauce, flavorings and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins (ingredients that may be found in commercially prepared foods, sauces and condiments). Casein is a protein found in milk and products containing milk, such as cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream and even some brands of margarine. It also may be added to non-milk products such as soy cheese. Some parents and researchers say that children have shown mild to dramatic improvements after these substances were removed from their diet (Autism Web).The theory is that some people with autistic spectrum disorders cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which break down into substances that act like...
