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Cerebral palsy is a disorder of the nervous system that affects a person’s muscles and coordination. It is caused by damage to the brain or by abnormal brain development that…

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Cerebral palsy

A child with cerebral palsy being assessed by a physician

Symptoms

Poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, tremors

Complications

Seizures, intellectual disability

Usual onset

Early childhood

Duration

Lifelong

Causes

Often unknown

Risk factors

Preterm birth, being a twin, certain infections during pregnancy, difficult delivery

Diagnostic method

Based on child's development

Treatment

Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, conductive education, external braces, orthopedic surgery

Frequency

2.1 per 1,000

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the name given to a number of motor problems (trouble moving the body). CP is usually caused by damage done to the brain during early childhood. It is called "cerebral palsy" because the part of the brain that is damaged is the cerebrum. CP cannot be cured. It is treated with therapies.

CP was first identified by an English surgeon called William Little in 1860.

There are several types of cerebral palsy. The most common type is spastic cerebral palsy.

Today, 1 in every 400 children in the UK has cerebral palsy.

People with CP often have trouble standing or walking. They may also be partly paralysed.

While the main problem of cerebral palsy is problems with moving, difficulties with having thoughts, learning, feeling, talking and behaviour often come with cerebral palsy.

Of children with cerebral palsy, 3 out of 4 children have pain, 1 out of 2 have intellectual disability, 1 out of 3 children cannot walk, 1 in 3 have a hip displacement, 1 in 4 cannot talk, 1 out of 4 children have epilepsy, 1 in 4 have behaviour disorders, 1 out of 4 children have trouble controlling their bladder, 1 in 5 have trouble with sleep (sleeping too much or not enough), 1 out of 5 children dribble, 1 out of 10 are blind, 1 out of 15 need to be fed through a tube, and 1 in 25 are deaf.

Most people with cerebral palsy live for as long as people without CP. 5-10% of children with CP die before growing up.

Over time, the way to take care of cerebral palsy has changed from fixing a person's physical problems such as spasticity in one leg or arm. Now, the way to take care of cerebral palsy is about making therapies for the body part of a larger purpose of making the person's quality of life better, helping them have choice and make their own decisions about looking after themselves, and helping them be part of society. Much of children's therapy is about helping them walk better. Roughly 60% of people with CP are able to walk by themselves or with mobility aids when they become grown up.

Mobility aids may help people with CP move around more easily.

Images for kids

Micrograph showing a fetal ( placental) vein thrombosis, in a case of fetal thrombotic vasculopathy. This is associated with cerebral palsy and is suggestive of a hypercoagulable state as the underlying cause.

The Amsterdam Gait Classification facilitates the assessment of the gait pattern in CP patients. It helps to facilitate communication in the interdisciplinary team between those affected, doctors, physiotherapists and orthotists.

Child with cerebral palsy and orthotics with adjustable functional elements to improve safety when standing and walking.

In Spanish: Parálisis cerebral para niños

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NCMH (National Centre for Mental Health)

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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a behavioral syndrome. It is characterized by inattention and distractibility, restlessness, inability to sit still, and…

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Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder Facts for Kids

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Learn Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder facts for kids

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Dyslexia is a very common problem and has an effect on the way our brain understands words. The most common signs of dyslexia are reading and writing problems. Estimates are that in the United States between five and nine percent of schoolchildren have dyslexia, though estimates go as high as fifty percent.

Classification

Dyslexia is thought to have two types of cause, one related to language processing and another to visual processing. It is considered a cognitive disorder, not a problem with intelligence. However, emotional problems often arise because of it. Some published definitions are purely descriptive, whereas others propose causes. The latter usually cover a variety of reading skills and deficits, and difficulties with distinct causes rather than a single condition. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke definition describes dyslexia as "difficulty with phonological processing (the manipulation of sounds), spelling, and/or rapid visual-verbal responding". The British Dyslexia Association definition describes dyslexia as "a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling" and is characterized by "difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed".

Definition

There is some variability in the definition of dyslexia. Some sources, such as the U.S. National Institutes of Health, define it specifically as a learning disorder. Other sources, however, define it simply as an inability to read in the context of normal intelligence, and distinguish between developmental dyslexia (a learning disorder) and acquired dyslexia (loss of the ability to read caused by brain damage). ICD 10, the manual of medical diagnosis used in much of the world, includes separate diagnoses for "developmental dyslexia" (81.0) and for "dyslexia and alexia" (48.0). DSM 5, the manual of psychiatric diagnosis used in the United States, does not specifically define dyslexia, justifying this decision by stating that "the many definitions of dyslexia and dyscalculia meant those terms would not be useful as disorder names or in the diagnostic criteria". Instead it includes dyslexia in a category called specific learning disorders.

Signs and symptoms

In early childhood, symptoms that correlate with a later diagnosis of dyslexia include delayed onset of speech, difficulty distinguishing left from right, difficulty with direction, and a lack of phonological awareness, as well as being easily distracted by background noise. A common myth closely associates dyslexia with mirror writing and reading letters or words backwards. These behaviors are seen in many children as they learn to read and write, and are not considered to be defining characteristics of dyslexia.

School-age children with dyslexia may exhibit signs of difficulty in identifying or generating rhyming words, or counting the number of syllables in words - both of which depend on phonological awareness. They may also show difficulty in segmenting words into individual sounds or may blend sounds when producing words, indicating reduced phonemic awareness. Difficulties with word retrieval or naming things is also associated with dyslexia. People with dyslexia are commonly poor spellers, a feature sometimes called dysorthographia or dysgraphia, which depends on orthographic coding.

Problems persist into adolescence and adulthood and may accompany difficulties with summarizing stories, memorization, reading aloud, or learning foreign languages. Adults with dyslexia can often read with good comprehension, though they tend to read more slowly than others without a learning difficulty and perform worse in spelling tests or when reading nonsense words - a measure of phonological awareness.

The orthographic complexity of a language directly impacts how difficult learning to read the language is. English and French have comparatively "deep" phonemic orthographies within the Latin alphabet writing system, with complex structures employing spelling patterns on several levels: letter-sound correspondence, syllables, and morphemes. Languages such as Spanish, Italian and Finnish have mostly alphabetic orthographies, which primarily employ letter-sound correspondence - so-called shallow orthographies - which for dyslexics makes them easier to learn. Logographic writing systems, such as Chinese characters, have extensive symbol use, and pose problems for dyslexic learners.

Associated conditions

Dyslexia is often accompanied by several learning disabilities, but it is unclear whether they share underlying neurological causes. These associated disabilities include:

Dysgraphia - A disorder which primarily expresses itself through difficulties with writing or typing, but in some cases through difficulties associated with eye-hand coordination and direction or sequence-oriented processes such as tying knots or carrying out repetitive tasks. In dyslexia, dysgraphia is often multifactorial, due to impaired letter-writing automaticity, organizational and elaborative difficulties, and impaired visual word forming which makes it more difficult to retrieve the visual picture of words required for spelling.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - A disorder characterized by problems paying attention, excessive activity, or taking action without forethought. Dyslexia and ADHD commonly occur together. Either 15% or 12-24% of people with dyslexia have ADHD. 35% of people with ADHD have dyslexia.

Auditory processing disorder - A listening disability that affects the ability to process auditory information. This can lead to problems with auditory memory and auditory sequencing. Many people with dyslexia have auditory processing problems, and may develop their own logographic cues to compensate for this type of deficit. Some research indicates that auditory processing skills could be the primary shortfall in dyslexia.

Developmental coordination disorder - A neurological condition characterized by marked difficulty in carrying out routine tasks involving balance, fine-motor control, kinesthetic coordination, difficulty in the use of speech sounds, problems with short-term memory, and organization.

Researchers have been trying to find the neurobiological basis of dyslexia since the condition was first identified in 1881. For example, some have tried to associate the common problem among dyslexics of not being able to see letters clearly to abnormal development of their visual nerve cells.

Neuroanatomy

Modern neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have shown a correlation between both functional and structural differences in the brains of children with reading difficulties. Some dyslexics show less electrical activation in parts of the left hemisphere of the brain involved with reading, such as the inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and the middle and ventral temporal cortex. Over the past decade, brain activation studies using PET to study language have produced a breakthrough in the understanding of the neural basis of language. Neural bases for the visual lexicon and for auditory verbal short-term memory components have been proposed, with some implication that the observed neural manifestation of developmental dyslexia is task-specific (i.e. functional rather than structural). fMRIs in dyslexics have provided important data which point to the interactive role of the cerebellum and cerebral cortex as well as other brain structures.

The cerebellar theory of dyslexia proposes that impairment of cerebellum-controlled muscle movement affects the formation of words by the tongue and facial muscles, resulting in the fluency problems that are characteristic of some dyslexics. The cerebellum is also involved in the automatization of some tasks, such as reading. The fact that some dyslexic children have motor task and balance impairments has been used as evidence for a cerebellar role in their reading difficulties. However, the cerebellar theory is not supported by controlled research studies.

Research into potential genetic causes of dyslexia has its roots in post-autopsy examination of the brains of people with dyslexia. Observed anatomical differences in the language centers of such brains include microscopic cortical malformations known as ectopias, more rarely, vascular micro-malformations, and microgyrus. The previously cited studies and others suggest that abnormal cortical development presumed to occur before or during the sixth month of fetal brain development was the cause of the abnormalities. Abnormal cell formations in dyslexics have also been reported in non-language cerebral and subcortical brain structures. Several genes have been associated with dyslexia, including DCDC2 and KIAA0319 on chromosome 6, and DYX1C1 on chromosome 15.

Gene-environment interaction

The contribution of gene-environment interaction to reading disability has been intensely studied using twin studies, which estimate the proportion of variance associated with a person's environment and the proportion associated with their genes. Studies examining the influence of environmental factors such as parental education and teacher quality have determined that genetics have greater influence in supportive, rather than less optimal, environments. However, more optimal conditions may just allow those genetic risk factors to account for more of the variance in outcome because the environmental risk factors have been minimized. As environment plays a large role in learning and memory, it is likely that epigenetic modifications play an important role in reading ability. Animal experiments and measures of gene expression and methylation in the human periphery are used to study epigenetic processes; however, both types of study have many limitations in the extrapolation of results for application to the human brain.

Mechanisms

The dual-route theory of reading aloud was first described in the early 1970s. This theory suggests that two separate mental mechanisms, or cognitive routes, are involved in reading aloud. One mechanism is the lexical route, which is the process whereby skilled readers can recognize known words by sight alone, through a "dictionary" lookup procedure. The other mechanism is the nonlexical or sublexical route, which is the process whereby the reader can "sound out" a written word. This is done by identifying the word's constituent parts (letters, phonemes, graphemes) and applying knowledge of how these parts are associated with each other, for example, how a string of neighboring letters sound together. The dual-route system could explain the different rates of dyslexia occurrence between different languages (e.g. the Spanish language dependence on phonological rules accounts for the fact that Spanish-speaking children show a higher level of performance in non-word reading, when compared to English-speakers).

Dyslexia disorder is not caused by mutation in one gene; in fact, it appears to involve the combined effects of several genes. Studying the cognitive problems associated with other disorders helps to better understand the genotype-phenotype link of dyslexia. Neurophysiological and imaging procedures are being used to ascertain phenotypic characteristics in dyslexics, thus identifying the effects of certain genes.

Management

Through the use of compensation strategies, therapy and educational support, dyslexic individuals can learn to read and write. There are techniques and technical aids which help to manage or conceal symptoms of the disorder. Removing stress and anxiety alone can sometimes improve written comprehension. For dyslexia intervention with alphabet-writing systems, the fundamental aim is to increase a child's awareness of correspondences between graphemes (letters) and phonemes (sounds), and to relate these to reading and spelling by teaching how sounds blend into words. It has been found that reinforced collateral training focused on reading and spelling yields longer-lasting gains than oral phonological training alone. Early intervention that is done for children at a young age can be successful in reducing reading failure.

There is some evidence that the use of specially-tailored fonts may help with dyslexia. These fonts, which include Dyslexie, OpenDyslexic, and Lexia Readable, were created based on the idea that many of the letters of the Latin alphabet are visually similar and may, therefore, confuse people with dyslexia. Dyslexie and OpenDyslexic both put emphasis on making each letter more distinctive in order to be more easily identified. The benefits, however, might simply be due to the added spacing between words.

There have been many studies conducted regarding intervention in dyslexia. Among these studies one meta-analysis found that there was functional activation as a result.

There is no evidence demonstrating that the use of music education is effective in improving dyslexic adolescents' reading skills.

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Dyslexia is a very common problem and has an effect on the way our brain understands words. The most common signs of dyslexia are reading and writing problems. Estimates are that in the United States between five and nine percent of schoolchildren have dyslexia, though estimates go as high as fifty percent.

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Peter works so hard at reading, but it just never gets easier. He knows he's smart, so why can't he read like the other kids? Peter has a problem called dyslexia.

Dyslexia (say: dis-LEK-see-uh) is a learning problem some kids have. Dyslexia makes it tough to read and spell. The problem is inside the brain, but it doesn't mean the person is dumb. Plenty of smart and talented people struggle with dyslexia.

But dyslexia doesn't have to keep a kid down. With some help and a lot of hard work, a kid who has dyslexia can learn to read and spell.

How Does Reading Happen?

To understand dyslexia, it helps to understand reading. Reading is a real workout for your brain. You need to do the following steps - and all at once:

1. Understand the way speech sounds make up words.

2. Focus on printed marks (letters and words).

3. Connect speech sounds to letters.

4. Blend letter sounds smoothly into words.

5. Control eye movements across the page.

6. Build images and ideas.

7. Compare new ideas with what is already known.

8. Store the ideas in memory.

Phew! Kids who have dyslexia struggle with the beginning steps, so that makes doing the rest of the steps even harder. It's no surprise, then, that trying to read and dealing with dyslexia makes a kid's brain really tired really fast.

How Kids Become Readers

Most kids start learning to read by learning how speech sounds make up words. Then they connect those sounds to alphabet letters. For example, they learn that the letter "b" makes a "buh" sound.

Then kids learn to blend those sounds into words. They learn that "b" and "at" makes "bat." Eventually, most kids don't have to sound words out and can instantly recognize words they've seen many times before.

But it's tougher for kids who have dyslexia. They may struggle to remember simple words they have seen many times and to sound out longer words. Why is it so hard?

Dyslexia means that a person's brain has trouble processing letters and sounds. That makes it tough to break words into separate speech sounds, like b-a-t for bat. When it's hard to do that, it's really hard to connect speech sounds to different letters, like "buh" for b, and blend them into new words.

So a kid who has dyslexia will read slowly and might make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes he or she will mix up letters in a word, such as reading the word "was" as "saw." Words may blend together wrong.

What's It Like to Have Dyslexia?

Even before kindergarten, a kid who has dyslexia usually has trouble with letters and sounds. Later, a teacher might say that the kid is smart, but doesn't seem to be getting the hang of reading. Other times, it's a parent who notices the kid is struggling. The best thing to do is to go to a specialist who can help figure out what's wrong.

A specialist in learning disabilities knows a lot about learning problems that kids have and what to do about them. During a visit with a specialist, a kid might take some tests. But the idea isn't to get a good grade; it's to spot problems. Discovering a learning disability is the first step toward getting help that will make it easier for the kid to learn.

Making Reading Easier

Most kids with dyslexia can learn to read with the right kind of teaching. They might learn new ways for remembering sounds. For example, "p" and "b" are called brother sounds because they're both "lip poppers." You have to press your lips together to make the sound.

Thinking about the way the mouth needs to move to make sounds can help kids read more easily. Learning specialists know lots of special activities like this to teach reading to kids who have dyslexia.

Kids with dyslexia also might use flash cards or tape classroom lessons and homework assignments instead of taking notes about them. They may need parents and tutors to help them stay caught up.

Extra time for tests is really important, so kids with dyslexia have enough time to finish and show their teacher how much they have learned. Computers help a lot, too. You can get programs that "read" books out loud from the computer or even download recorded books to an iPod!

How Do Kids With Dyslexia Feel?

Kids who have dyslexia might get frustrated, angry, or sad because reading and spelling are so hard. They may not like being in a different reading group than their friends or having to see a special reading tutor.

But getting this help is so important and will help them go on to do great things in life. Some of the most creative and successful people have dyslexia, but it didn't stop them from chasing their dreams!

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Peter works so hard at reading, but it just never gets easier. He knows he's smart, so why can't he read like the other kids? Peter has a problem called dyslexia. Dyslexia (say: dis-LEK-see-uh) is a learning problem some kids have. Dyslexia makes it tough to read and spell.

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I AM DYSLEXIC - Short Animated Student Film

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Debunking the myths of OCD - Natascha M. Santos

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (often shortened to OCD) is a mental disorder that causes repeated and unwanted thoughts and/or feelings (obsessions) and actions (compulsions).

Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms and can lead the individual to believe that if a task is not completed, something bad may happen. Such a task may be washing hands many times. This belief leads to more anxiety and tension. OCD affects around 1.2% of the world's population, and it affects the lives of around 15%. In the United States, about one in fifty adults has OCD.

Many people with obsessive-compulsive disorder act in a certain way to stop the obsessive thought. These specific actions are known as compulsions. To someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder, doing these compulsions are a way to stop the obsessive thought. They may also think that doing the compulsion will stop something bad from happening to them or someone they care about.

Some examples of compulsion include:

Hand washing

Cleaning themselves or things around them

Doing something (like turning lights on and off) a certain number of times

Putting objects in certain orders

Counting to a certain number many times

Checking that they did some action, usually checking a certain number of times

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder usually know that their compulsions do not make sense, but do them anyways to stop the feelings of panic or anxiety. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder may do their compulsions for hours every day.

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Obsessive compulsive disorder Facts for Kids

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (often shortened to OCD) is a mental disorder that causes repeated and unwanted thoughts and/or feelings (obsessions) and actions (compulsions). Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms and can lead the individual to believe that if a task is not completed, something bad may happen.

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Hearing loss

Synonyms

Hearing impaired, Hard of hearing; anakusis or anacusis is total deafness

The international symbol of deafness and hearing loss

Symptoms

Decreased ability to hear

Complications

Social isolation, dementia

Types

Conductive, sensorineural, and mixed hearing loss, central auditory dysfunction

Causes

Genetics, aging, exposure to noise, some infections, birth complications, trauma to the ear, certain medications or toxins

Diagnostic method
Hearing tests

Prevention

Immunization, proper care around pregnancy, avoiding loud noise, avoiding certain medications

Treatment

Hearing aids, sign language, cochlear implants, subtitles

Frequency

1.33 billion / 18.5% (2015)

Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to hear. Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears.

In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to learn spoken language, and in adults it can create difficulties with social interaction and at work.

Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent.

Hearing loss related to age usually affects both ears and is due to cochlear hair cell loss.

In some people, particularly older people, hearing loss can result in loneliness.

Deaf people usually have little to no hearing.

Hearing loss may be caused by a number of factors, including: genetics, ageing, exposure to noise, some infections, birth complications, trauma to the ear, and certain medications or toxins. A common condition that results in hearing loss is chronic ear infections. Certain infections during pregnancy, such as rubella, may also cause hearing loss in the child.

Hearing loss is diagnosed when hearing testing finds that a person is unable to hear 25 decibels in at least one ear. Testing for poor hearing is recommended for all newborns.

Hearing loss can be categorized as mild (25 to 40 dB), moderate (41 to 55 dB), moderate-severe (56 to 70 dB), severe (71 to 90 dB), or profound (greater than 90 dB). There are three main types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss.

About half of hearing loss globally is preventable through public health measures. Such practices include immunization, proper care around pregnancy, avoiding loud noise, and avoiding certain medications.

Early identification and support are particularly important in children. For many, hearing aids, sign language, cochlear implants and subtitles are useful. Lip reading is another useful skill some develop. Access to hearing aids, however, is limited in many areas of the world.

As of 2013 hearing loss affects about 1.1 billion people to some degree.

Definition

Hearing loss is defined as diminished ability to hear sounds which would otherwise be heard normally.

Deafness is defined as a degree of loss such that a person is unable to understand speech, even when the sound is increased. In profound deafness, even the highest intensity sounds may not be detected. In total deafness, no sounds at all.

Speech perception is another aspect of hearing which is not only the ability to detect sound, but also the ability to understand speech. There are very rare types of hearing loss that affect understanding speech alone.

Use of the terms "hearing impaired", "deaf-mute", or "deaf and dumb" to describe deaf and hard of hearing people is discouraged by many in the deaf community as well as advocacy organizations, as they are offensive to many deaf and hard of hearing people.

Hearing loss is generally measured by playing generated or recorded sounds, and determining whether the person can hear them. Hearing sensitivity varies according to the frequency of sounds.

Prevention

It is estimated that half of cases of hearing loss are preventable. About 60% of hearing loss in children under the age of 15 can be avoided. A number of preventive strategies are effective including: immunization against rubella to prevent congenital rubella syndrome and immunization against influenza to reduce cases of meningitis, and avoiding or protecting against excessive noise exposure. The World Health Organization also recommends immunization against measles, mumps, and meningitis, efforts to prevent premature birth, and avoidance of certain medication as prevention. World Hearing Day is a yearly event to promote actions to prevent hearing damage.

Noise exposure is the most significant risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss that can be prevented. Different programs exist for specific populations such as school-age children, adolescents and workers. Education regarding noise exposure increases the use of hearing protectors.

Workplace noise regulation

Noise is widely recognized as an occupational hazard. In the United States, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) work together to provide standards and enforcement on workplace noise levels. The Buy Quiet program was created to encourage employers to purchase quieter machinery and tools. By purchasing less noisy power tools like those found on the NIOSH Power Tools Database and limiting exposure to ototoxic chemicals, great strides can be made in preventing hearing loss.

Companies can also provide personal hearing protector devices tailored to both the worker and type of employment. Some hearing protectors universally block out all noise, and some allow for certain noises to be heard. Workers are more likely to wear hearing protector devices when they are properly fitted.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends neonatal hearing screening for all newborns.

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children should have their hearing tested several times throughout their schooling:

When they enter school

At ages 6, 8, and 10

At least once during middle school

At least once during high school

Adults should be screened at least every decade through age 50 and at 3-year intervals thereafter, to minimize the detrimental effects of the untreated condition on quality of life.

Management

Management depends on the specific cause if known as well as the extent, type and configuration of the hearing loss.

Most hearing loss, that resulting from age and noise, is progressive and irreversible, and there are currently no approved or recommended treatments.

Some management options include hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive technology, and closed captioning. This choice depends on the level of hearing loss, type of hearing loss, and personal preference.

Hearing aid applications are one of the options for hearing loss management. For people with bilateral hearing loss, it is not clear if bilateral hearing aids (hearing aids in both ears) are better than a unilateral hearing aid (hearing aid in one ear).

Related pages

Images for kids

In Spanish: Sordera para niños

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You know what hearing is, but what is hearing loss? Hearing loss happens when there is a problem with one or more parts of the ear, the nerves coming from the ears, or the hearing part of the brain. People also may use the words deaf, deafness, or hard of hearing when they're talking about hearing loss.

Someone who has hearing loss might be able to hear some sounds or nothing at all. Some kids are born with hearing loss. A hearing problem can also show up later in life.

How Does Hearing Work?

To understand how and why hearing loss happens, it helps to know how the ear works.

The ear is made up of three different parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. These parts work together so you can hear. The outer ear, or pinna (the part you can see), picks up sound waves that then travel through the ear canal.

When the sound waves hit the eardrum in the middle ear, the eardrum starts to vibrate. When the eardrum vibrates, it moves three tiny bones in your ear. These bones are called the hammer (or malleus), anvil (or incus), and stirrup (or stapes). They help sound move along on its journey into the inner ear.

The vibrations then travel to the cochlea, part of the inner ear. The cochlea looks like a tiny snail shell. It is filled with liquid and lined with tiny hairs. The sound vibrations make the tiny hairs move. There are two types of hair cells: the outer and inner cells. The outer hair cells take the sound information, make it louder and tune it. The inner hair cells change the sound waves into electrical signals. The hearing nerve then sends the signals to the brain, letting you hear.

What Are the Types of Hearing Loss?

There are a few different types of hearing loss:

Conductive (say: kun-DUK-tiv) hearing loss. This happens when something blocks sound from going to the inner ear. Ear infections, ear wax buildup, and problems with the tiny bones of the middle ear are common causes of this type of hearing loss.

Sensorineural (say: sen-suh-ree-NUR-ul) hearing loss. This happens when there is a problem in the inner ear or with the connection from the inner ear to the brain. This can happen when the tiny hair cells in the cochlea or the hearing nerve are damaged.

Mixed hearing loss. This happens when a person has both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

Central hearing loss. This happens when the inner ear is working properly, but parts of the brain are not.

What Causes Hearing Loss?

There are many reasons why a person may not be able to hear. Hearing loss can run in some families, or a baby may be born with a problem with how the ear formed. Other causes of hearing loss include:

serious infections, such as meningitis

head injury

listening to very loud music, especially through headphones or ear buds

being around loud sounds over and over

Ear infections and fluid behind the eardrum can cause hearing loss. When the infection goes away, hearing gets better.

How Does a Doctor Test for Hearing Loss?

Doctors can do hearing tests at regular checkups or any time there is a concern that a kid does not hear well. The doctor will send a baby or child with hearing loss to an audiologist. An audiologist (say: ah-dee-AHL-uh-jist) is someone who does hearing tests and helps people with hearing loss.

The audiologist checks hearing by doing different types of tests. They even have hearing tests for babies! Maybe you've already had a hearing test? You probably wore headphones and had to raise your left or right hand to show that you could hear in each ear.

How Is Hearing Loss Treated?

The kind of treatment depends on the type of hearing loss, what caused it, and how bad it is. Kids with permanent hearing loss are helped by audiologists; ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors; speech-language therapists; and teachers.

Common treatments include

medicine, like antibiotics to treat ear infections

operations, to fix problems in the ear

hearing aids, to make sounds louder

assistive listening devices, so kids hear better in the classroom or other noisy places

cochlear implants for some kids who can't hear even with hearing aids

A cochlear (say: KO-klee-ur) implant is a tiny device that is put into the cochlea during an operation. It takes over the job of the cochlea and sends electrical signals directly to the hearing nerve. The sounds heard with cochlear implants are different from normal hearing. With therapy and practice, all kids can learn what these sounds mean to better understand speech.

Learning and Communicating

A kid with hearing loss may go to a special school, special classes within a regular school, or be part of a regular classroom. Kids with hearing loss may need hearing and speech therapy.

Some people with hearing loss use special ways to communicate:

Speech reading (also called lip-reading) involves looking closely at a person's lips, face expressions, and hand movements to help understand spoken words.

Sign Language is a language of hand movements that lets deaf people communicate without speaking.

Cued speech is a technique where the speaker makes hand gestures around their mouth. The person watching the speaker uses these hand cues to tell the difference between lip movements that look the same (such as "b" and "p").

Signing exact English includes sign language, but its sentence structure and grammar are taken from English.

What about talking on the phone? There are phones that can make voices louder or a conversation can be typed out instead of spoken. The messages appear on a screen.

You might wonder how someone who can't hear see a movie or watch TV. Closed-captioned TV shows and movies provide text at the bottom of the screen, so people with hearing loss can read along to follow the action.

So kids who don't hear well can go to school, talk on the phone, and watch a movie. If that sounds a lot like a typical kid's life, you're right!

How the Ears Work

The ears gather sounds from our environment and turn them into messages for the brain to decode. Learn more in this video about the ears.

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Hearing loss happens when there is a problem with the ear, nerves connected to the ear, or the part of the brain that controls hearing. Someone who has hearing loss may be able to hear some sounds or nothing at all. To learn more, read this article for kids.

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Eyeglasses (U.S), or spectacles (Brit.) are pieces of glass or clear plastic, called lenses, in a frame that holds them in front of someone's eyes.

Corrective lenses let some people see or read better if they have problems seeing. This is used by person who have poor eyesight. Contact lenses also help people see better.

Sunglasses are a kind of eyeglasses that keep too much sunlight from getting in people's eyes.

Some eyeglasses block blue light from a computer, game, smart phone and TV.

Eyeglasses have many models. So it may be worn for fashion.

Precursors

The use of a convex lens to form an enlarged/magnified image is discussed in Alhazen's Book of Optics (1021). Its translation into Latin from Arabic in the 12th century was instrumental to the invention of eyeglasses in 13th century Italy. Englishman Robert Grosseteste's treatise De iride ("On the Rainbow"), written between 1220 and 1235, mentions using optics to "read the smallest letters at incredible distances". A few years later in 1262, Roger Bacon is also known to have written on the magnifying properties of lenses.

Sunglasses, in the form of flat panes of smoky quartz, were used in China during the 12th century. Similarly, the Inuit have used snow goggles for eye protection. While they did not offer any corrective benefits they did improve visual acuity via the pinhole effect.

The first eyeglasses were made in Italy in about 1286, but it is not clear who the inventor was. In a sermon delivered on February 23, 1306, the Dominican friar Giordano da Pisa (ca. 1255-1311) wrote "It is not yet twenty years since there was found the art of making eyeglasses, which make for good vision... And it is so short a time that this new art, never before extant, was discovered. ... I saw the one who first discovered and practiced it, and I talked to him." Giordano's colleague Friar Alessandro della Spina of Pisa (d. 1313) was soon making eyeglasses. The Ancient Chronicle of the Dominican Monastery of St. Catherine in Pisa records: "Eyeglasses, having first been made by someone else, who was unwilling to share them, he [Spina] made them and shared them with everyone with a cheerful and willing heart." By 1301, there were guild regulations in Venice governing the sale of eyeglasses.

The earliest pictorial evidence for the use of eyeglasses is Tommaso da Modena's 1352 portrait of the cardinal Hugh de Provence reading in a scriptorium. Another early example would be a depiction of eyeglasses found north of the Alps in an altarpiece of the church of Bad Wildungen, Germany, in 1403. These early glasses had convex lenses that could correct both hyperopia (farsightedness), and the presbyopia that commonly develops as a symptom of aging. It was not until 1604 that Johannes Kepler published the first correct explanation as to why convex and concave lenses could correct presbyopia and myopia.

Early frames for glasses consisted of two magnifying glasses riveted together by the handles so that they could grip the nose. These are referred to as "rivet spectacles". The earliest surviving examples were found under the floorboards at Kloster Wienhausen, a convent near Celle in Germany; they have been dated to circa 1400.

Glasses come in many styles. They can be marked or found by their primary function, but also appear in combinations such as prescription sunglasses or safety glasses with enhanced magnification.

Corrective

Corrective lenses are used to correct refractive errors by bending the light entering the eye in order to alleviate the effects of conditions such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (Hypermetropia) or astigmatism. The ability of one's eyes to accommodate their focus to near and distant focus alters over time. Also, few people have eyes that show exactly equal refractive characteristics; one may need a "stronger", (i.e. more refracting), lens than the other. A common condition in people over forty years old is presbyopia, which is caused by the eye's crystalline lens losing elasticity, progressively reducing the ability of the lens to accommodate (i.e. to focus on objects close to the eye). Corrective lenses, to bring the image back into focus on the retina, are made to conform to the prescription of an ophthalmologist or optometrist. A lensmeter can be used to verify the specifications of an existing pair of glasses. Corrective eyeglasses can significantly improve the life quality of the wearer. Not only do they enhance the wearer's visual experience, but can also reduce problems that result from eye strain, such as headaches or squinting.

Pinhole glasses are a type of corrective glasses that do not use a lens. Pinhole glasses do not actually refract the light or change focal length. Instead, they create a diffraction limited system, which has an increased depth of field, similar to using a small aperture in photography. This form of correction has many limitations that prevent it from gaining popularity in everyday use. Pinhole glasses can be made in a DIY fashion by making small holes in a piece of card which is then held in front of the eyes with a strap or cardboard arms.

The most common type of corrective lens is "single vision", which has a uniform refractive index. For people with presbyopia and hyperopia, bifocal and trifocal glasses provide two or three different refractive indices, respectively, and progressive lenses have a continuous gradient. Reading glasses provide a separate set of glasses for focusing on close-by objects. Reading glasses are available without prescription from drugstores, and offer a cheap, practical solution, though these have two simple lenses of equal power, so will not correct refraction problems like astigmatism or refractive or prismatic variations between the left and right eye. For total correction of the individual's sight, glasses complying to a recent ophthalmic prescription are required. Adjustable-focus eyeglasses might be used to replace bifocals or trifocals, or might be used to produce cheaper single-vision glasses (since they don't have to be custom-manufactured for every person).

Safety glasses are worn to protect the eyes in different situations. They are made with break-proof plastic lenses to protect the eye from flying debris or other matter. Construction workers, factory workers, machinists and lab technicians are often required to wear safety glasses to shield the eyes from flying debris or hazardous splatters such as blood or chemicals. As of 2017, dentists and surgeons in Canada and other countries are required to wear safety glasses to protect against infection from patients' blood or other body fluids. There are also safety glasses for welding, which are styled like wraparound sunglasses, but with much darker lenses, for use in welding where a full sized welding helmet is inconvenient or uncomfortable. These are often called "flash goggles", because they provide protection from welding flash. Nylon frames are usually used for protection eyewear for sports because of their lightweight and flexible properties. Unlike most regular glasses, safety glasses often include protection beside the eyes as well as in front of the eyes.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses provide improved comfort and protection against bright light and often against ultraviolet (UV) light. Photochromic lenses, which are photosensitive, darken when struck by UV light. The dark tint of the lenses in a pair of sunglasses blocks the transmission of light through the lens.

Light polarization is an added feature that can be applied to sunglass lenses. Polarization filters are positioned to remove horizontally polarized rays of light, which eliminates glare from horizontal surfaces (allowing wearers to see into water when reflected light would otherwise overwhelm the scene). Polarized sunglasses may present some difficulties for pilots since reflections from water and other structures often used to gauge altitude may be removed. Liquid crystal displays often emit polarized light making them sometimes difficult to view with polarized sunglasses. Sunglasses may be worn just for aesthetic purposes, or simply to hide the eyes. Examples of sunglasses that were popular for these reasons include teashades and mirrorshades. Many blind people wear nearly opaque glasses to hide their eyes for cosmetic reasons.

Sunglasses may also have corrective lenses, which requires a prescription. Clip-on sunglasses or sunglass clips can be attached to another pair of glasses. Some wrap-around sunglasses are large enough to be worn over top of another pair of glasses. Otherwise, many people opt to wear contact lenses to correct their vision so that standard sunglasses can be used.

The illusion of three dimensions on a two dimensional surface can be created by providing each eye with different visual information. 3D glasses create the illusion of three dimensions by filtering a signal containing information for both eyes. The signal, often light reflected off a movie screen or emitted from an electronic display, is filtered so that each eye receives a slightly different image. The filters only work for the type of signal they were designed for.

Anaglyph 3D glasses have a different colored filter for each eye, typically red and blue or red and green. A polarized 3D system on the other hand uses polarized filters. Polarized 3D glasses allow for color 3D, while the red-blue lenses produce an image with distorted coloration. An active shutter 3D system uses electronic shutters. Head-mounted displays can filter the signal electronically and then transmit light directly into the viewers eyes.

Anaglyph and polarized glasses are distributed to audiences at 3D movies. Polarized and active shutter glasses are used with many home theaters. Head-mounted displays are used by a single person, but the input signal can be shared between multiple units.

Magnification (bioptics)

Glasses can also provide magnification that is useful for people with vision impairments or specific occupational demands. An example would be bioptics or bioptic telescopes which have small telescopes mounted on, in, or behind their regular lenses. Newer designs use smaller lightweight telescopes, which can be embedded into the corrective glass and improve aesthetic appearance (mini telescopic spectacles). They may take the form of self-contained glasses that resemble goggles or binoculars, or may be attached to existing glasses.

Yellow-tinted computer/gaming glasses

Yellow tinted glasses are a type of glasses with a minor yellow tint. They perform minor color correction, on top of reducing headaches due to lack of blinking. They may also be considered minor corrective unprescribed glasses. Depending on the company, these computer or gaming glasses can also filter out high energy blue and ultra-violet light from LCD screens, fluorescent lighting, and other sources of light. This allows for reduced eye-strain. These glasses can be ordered as standard or prescription lenses that fit into standard optical frames. Due to the ultra-violet light blocking nature of these lenses, they also help users sleep at night along with reducing age-related macular degeneration.

Anti-glare protection glasses

Anti-glare protection glasses, or anti-reflective glasses, can reduce the reflection of light that enters our eyes. The lenses are given an anti-glare coating to prevent reflections of light under different lighting conditions. By reducing the amount of glare on your eyes, vision can be improved. The anti-glare also applies to the outer glass, thus allowing for better eye contact.

Related pages

Images for kids

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Eyeglasses (U.S), or spectacles (Brit.) are pieces of glass or clear plastic, called lenses, in a frame that holds them in front of someone's eyes. Corrective lenses let some people see or read better if they have problems seeing. This is used by person who have poor eyesight.

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Have you ever put on a blindfold and pretended that you couldn't see? You probably bumped into things and got confused about which way you were going. But if you had to, you could get adjusted and learn to live without your sight.

Lots of people have done just that. They have found ways to learn, play, and work, even though they have trouble seeing or can't see at all.

How Seeing Happens

Your eyes and your brain work together to see. The eye is made up of many different parts, including the cornea, iris, lens, and retina. These parts all work together to focus on light and images. Your eyes then use special nerves to send what you see to your brain, so your brain can process and recognize what you're seeing. In eyes that work correctly, this process happens almost instantly.

When this doesn't work the way it should, a person may be visually impaired, or blind. The problem may affect one eye or both eyes.

When you think of being blind, you might imagine total darkness. But most people who are blind can still see a little light or shadows. They just can't see things clearly. People who have some sight, but still need a lot of help, are sometimes called "legally blind."

What Causes Blindness?

Vision problems can develop before a baby is born. Sometimes, parts of the eyes don't form the way they should. A kid's eyes might look fine, but the brain has trouble processing the information they send. The optic nerve sends pictures to the brain, so if the nerve doesn't form correctly, the baby's brain won't receive the messages needed for sight.

Blindness can be genetic (or inherited), which means that this problem gets passed down to a kid from parents through genes.

Blindness also can be caused by an accident, if something hurts the eye. That's why it's so important to protect your eyes when you play certain sports, such as hockey.

Some illnesses, such as diabetes, can damage a person's vision over time. Other eye diseases, such as cataracts (say: KAH-tuh-rakts), can cause vision problems or blindness, but they usually affect older people.

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What Does the Doctor Do?

A kid who has serious trouble with vision might see an ophthalmologist (say: af-thal-MAH-luh-jist), a doctor who specializes in eye problems. Even babies might see an ophthalmologist if their parents think they might be having trouble seeing.

At the doctor visit, the doctor will talk with the parents and the kid (if the kid is old enough to describe what's going on). A doctor might use an eye chart to find out how well the kid can see. You've probably seen these charts that contain letters of different sizes. It's a way of testing how well a person can see. Someone with really good vision would be able to read certain letters from 20 feet (6 meters) away.

Eyesight this good is called 20/20 vision, although some people can see even better than that. The numbers change depending on how clearly a person can see. The larger or closer something needs to be in order for it to be seen, the worse a person's vision is.

Many times, glasses or contact lenses are all that's needed to help kids see better. But if glasses and contact lenses can't make someone's vision any better - and the person needs to get really close to something to see it - he or she may be considered blind. For instance, someone with good vision might be able to see an object from 200 feet (61 meters) away, but someone is considered blind if he or she needs to be 20 feet (6 meters) away to see the same object.

Babies and little kids won't be able to use the eye chart, but doctors can check their vision by doing special vision tests or something as simple as putting a toy in front of the child to see if he or she can focus on it.

The ophthalmologist also will examine the kid's eyes using special medication and lighting that allows him or her to see into the eyeballs. The ophthalmologist will look at each part of the eye to check for problems, such as a cataract (cloudiness of the eye's lens). Once the doctor knows what's causing the vision problem, he or she can begin planning how to treat it.

In some cases, an operation can help improve a kid's vision. For example, if a kid has a cataract, doctors may do surgery to remove it.

Page 2

Is Learning Different?

A baby who is blind can still learn and develop normally. But the baby's parents will need the help of specialists who know how to help blind children. It's often a great idea for the child to attend special learning programs designed just for little kids who have trouble seeing. These programs would make the most of the senses that the kid does have, such as touch, hearing, smell, and taste.

Touch comes in handy when a child is older and wants to read books. Kids who are visually impaired can learn to read by using a special system called braille. Braille is a way of expressing letters, words, and thoughts. To read braille, a person feels a series of little bumps that are associated with letters in the alphabet. For instance, "A" is represented as one bump. Computer programs and other devices that can "see" turn the words on a page into braille.

Hearing is another important sense if a kid has vision problems. Some devices can read out loud what's written on a page. With special equipment, a visually impaired kid can read almost anything. These kinds of technologies can be helpful in learning. Kids who are blind might attend a special school, or they might attend regular classes, aided by special devices and specialists.

Hot Dog!

Kids who have vision problems will get help from their parents, doctors, and teachers. When they are older, some of them may get a hand - or should we say a paw? - from a guide dog. These helper dogs are trained to be a blind person's eyes. That means the dog learns to be very alert to surroundings so he or she can be a good guide for the person.

Not only are these dogs great friends, they give blind people independence, so they can accomplish what they want to accomplish.

Many blind people have gone on to do amazing things in many different fields, including music, the arts, and even sports. Serious vision problems didn't stop runner Marla Runyan. She was the first legally blind person to ever qualify for the Olympics!

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Kids who can't see, or can't see well, learn to live without using their eyes. To learn more about visual impairment and what causes it, read our article for kids.

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Understanding Vision Impairment in Children - Lily-Grace

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What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism (say: AW-tiz-um) spectrum disorder is a difference in the way a kid's brain develops. Kids with autism may have trouble understanding the world around them.

What's It Like to Have Autism Spectrum Disorder?

A kid with autism might have trouble:

talking and learning the meaning of words

making friends or fitting in

dealing with changes (like trying new foods, having a substitute teacher, or having toys moved from their normal places)

dealing with loud noises, bright lights, or crowds

Kids also might move in an unusual way (like flapping their hands) or do the same thing over and over (like saying the same word).

A kid with autism may have a little trouble with these things, or a lot. Some kids need only a little bit of help, and others might need a lot of help with learning and doing everyday stuff.

What Causes Autism?

Autism is something people are born with. No one knows exactly what causes it. It probably has something to do with a kid's genes and other things that change the way the brain develops.

How Is Autism Diagnosed?

Doctors check babies and little kids for signs of autism at every checkup. A parent may think that something is wrong and tell the doctor. Maybe the child is old enough to speak but doesn't. Or a kid doesn't seem interested in people or plays in unusual ways.

When a doctor thinks a kid might have autism, he or she will work with a team of experts to see if it is autism or something else.

How Is Autism Spectrum Disorder Treated?

There is no cure for autism, but treatment can make a big difference. The younger kids are when they start treatment, the better.

Doctors, therapists, and special education teachers can help kids learn to talk, play, and learn. Therapists also help kids learn about making friends, taking turns, and getting along.

What if My Friend Has Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Some people with ASD do not feel that they have a disorder and don't want to change. They're proud of who they are and they want to be accepted, even though they may have different strengths and weaknesses than most other people.

All people deserve respect. But kids with ASD may be teased, bullied, or left out because they're different. Bullying and teasing are never the right way to treat other people, but it may be hard to be a friend with someone who has ASD.

Kids with ASD often don't understand playful jokes. You may need to be very clear when you communicate with someone who has ASD.

Try to be patient and kind. Remember how hard it might be for the person with ASD to understand how to be a friend. Stand up for classmates who are bullied. Tell adults, so they can help protect kids who are bullied.

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Autism spectrum disorder makes it hard for kids to learn and communicate. Find out more in this article for kids.

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Autism, also called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) describes a group of complex disorders of brain development such as Asperger's Syndrome, Atypical Autism and Childhood Autism. ASD is a lifelong developmental condition that affects the way an individual relates to his or her environment and their interaction with other people. The word "spectrum" describes the range of difficulties that autistic people may experience and the degree to which they may be affected. The main areas of difficulty are in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and restricted or repetitive behaviours and interests.

People who have autism find it difficult to act in a way that other people think is "normal". They find it difficult to talk to other people and to look at other people. Often, they do not like being touched by other people. A person who has autism seems to be turned inwards. They may talk only to themselves, rock themselves backwards and forwards, and laugh at their own thoughts. They do not like any type of change and may find it very difficult to learn a new behaviour like using a toilet or going to school.

Autism is caused by the way that the brain develops, both before and after a baby is born. Around the world, about one in every 160 children has an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Early history

Three decades later, researchers in the United States began to use the term autism to describe children with emotional or social problems. Two researchers by the name of Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner were the pioneers of the research study for autism in the 1940s.

In 1943 Leo Kanner (a doctor from Johns Hopkins University) did a study of 11 children. The children were very intelligent. But he found out that they had difficulties like changing environments, being sensitive to certain stimuli, having speech problems and allergies to food. Later he named the children's condition "early infantile autism". Leo Kanner's discovery is now called autistic disorder, childhood autism, infantile autism, or simply autism.

In 1944 Hans Asperger studied separately a group of children and found very similar conditions. But the children in Hans Asperger's group did not repeat words. Also, they had no speech problems like Kanner's did. However, the children did have problems with fine motor skills such as holding a pencil. The children he studied seemed to be clumsier than other children. They also had "[...] a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest and clumsy movements". Hans Asperger described a "milder" form of autism, his discovery is now called Asperger syndrome.

The refrigerator mother theory

In 1943 and 1949, Kanner described the children he studied in scientific papers. In these papers, he wrote that he thought the children's parents were not loving them enough. He wrote that this might be part of the reason why the children had autism. For example, in 1949 he wrote that the children's parents showed no warmth, or love, to their children. He thought the parents were so "cold" that he compared them to refrigerators:

"[The children] were left neatly in refrigerators which did not defrost. Their withdrawal seems to be an act of turning away from such a situation to seek comfort in solitude".

This idea became known as the refrigerator mother theory. For decades parents were blamed for causing their children's autism by not loving their children enough. By now it is known that this theory is invalid.

Later history

Schizophrenia and autism were linked in many researchers' studies. Only since the 1960s, medical professionals began to have a separate understanding of these two disorders. Since 1980, Kanner's so called early infantile autism is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Precisely because of the vague distinction between schizophrenia and autism, the DSM came out with a more accurate definition of autism in 1987. Henceforth, early infantile autism is called autism disorder. Furthermore, for the first time the DSM introduced standardised criteria to diagnose autism. The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders expanded the definition of autism and included milder cases of autism. But especially the Asperger's syndrome was added in 1994. With the release of the fifth edition of the DSM in 2013 the subtypes of autism are summarized into the general term Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Individuals are now diagnosed on an autism spectrum with varying levels of intensity (mild, moderate and severe).

Interaction

A baby without autism will usually be interested in other people. Autistic babies may like objects more than faces and other people. They may look for a second at a face, but quickly turn. They may not smile or may just smile at what they are interested in. Autistic children may usually like to be by themselves. They may not be interested in making friends. They may also not react normally to hugging and other signs of love by their parents. This does not mean that they do not love their parents, they just do not know how to say it. Often, it is difficult for them to know what other people think or feel. For example, they might not see much difference between whether a parent is smiling or feeling sad. They may laugh and cry at the wrong times. Some do not understand that someone else can have different thoughts and feelings than they do. This is a sign of a missing Theory of Mind.

Communication

Restricted behaviour

Some autistic people spend a lot of time doing the same thing over and over again like spinning in circles or putting things in order. Other typical behaviours are rocking, twisting and flapping. These behaviours do not serve as communication. They often last up to adulthood and may turn into obsessions or motor tics. Some autistic people may also be interested in unusual things, and may spend all of their time learning about their interests. Many autistic people do not want any change. They will do exactly the same things every day and may even get upset if anything changes. But some can tolerate a change in routine with forwarning.

Sensitivity

When comparing autistic and non-autistic children, the autistic children show a greater sensitivity in all senses. This sensitivity may increase over age. But possibly autistic people are only better able to express sensory disturbances with age.

Many autistic children like junk food such as chips, crisps and lemonade but avoid vegetables. Often they do not like soft, mushy or lumpy food. Many do not want to try new foods. Many autistic children also try to eat metal, plastic, paper and stones. Sometimes autistic children do not seem to notice strong smells like foul scents. Numerous autistic children do not like to touch wet or sticky substances. Often they do not like to be touched by other people. The response is a distressed reaction like crying. Many autistic children do not show any sign of pain after a bee sting, a burn or a hard fall.

When it comes to sound, autistic children are attracted to specific sounds from aeroplanes, the ticking of clocks and other mechanical sounds. Often autistic children notice sounds earlier than others do. But many appear to be deaf when it comes to the human voice. Background noises like music, conversations or the wind can be very distracting for them. Many autistic children make unusual sounds that seem to be comforting for them. It is often noticed that their loudness of speech is too soft, too loud or changing continuously between these two levels. This may show a changing comfortable listening level.

A lot of autistic children pay attention to detail. They can look at pictures or books for a very long time. Some are frequently found to gaze into space.

A few autistic children show very good balance skills. Some do not show any dizziness after spinning around for a long time.

Different studies resulted in different numbers of the frequency of autism spectrum disorders. One study stated ten cases of classical autism, 2.5 cases of Asperger's syndrome and 15 cases of mild autism ( PDD-NOS) in 10,000 people - tendency: increasing. Other sources speak about 60 autism spectrum disorder cases in 10,000 people. However, the number of autism cases is not equal in men and in women. Here, the results of studies vary highly. Researchers in general say that 3-4 men are diagnosed for every woman that is diagnosed. This ratio decreases for severe cases to 1:1. It increases for high-functioning cases and in Asperger's syndrome reaches a ratio of 8:1. Recently, the awareness has increased that this ratio may be so high because studies are simply missing female autistic people. This could be because tests for autism typically focus on male autism traits. Another possible explanation is that autistic females may be better at adapting to social expectations and hiding their social problems. Studies have suggested that the brains of autistic females may rather be like neurotypical men's (non-autistic men) brains of the same age. These could be reasons why it is not so easy to realise whether a woman is autistic - and therefore, why more men than women are diagnosed.

Types of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Over the past years, individuals have been using the terms "autism" and "autism spectrum disorder" like they mean the same thing. Autism is a spectrum disorder. This means that some people who have autism are only mildly affected. These people may go to regular schools, go to work, and have partners and families. Some people are affected worse than others. These people may be able to take care of most of their own needs at home like dressing and getting food, but not be able to have a regular job or travel alone. A person who has severe autism may need to be cared for all their life. Few people with autism are extraordinarily gifted or talented. These people are said to have savant syndrome. They are often very good at just one thing in particular, like mathematics, playing the piano or remembering football scores.

The overall category of the Autism Spectrum Disorder is called Pervasive Developmental Disorder. The name describes medical conditions with developmental problems in a number of fields. In most cases, when referring to the Autism Spectrum Disorder, we are referring to the most common disorders:

Age of onset
Delay or abnormal functioning in communication, language, play and cognitive development before the age of three

Atypical Autism may differ from Childhood Autism in age of onset. Here, abnormal behaviour is only visible after the age of three.

No noticeable delay of communication, language, play or cognitive development during childhood

Communication
Is affected

No delay in language

The different categories, the so called "International Classification of Diseases" (ICD), are defined by the World Health Organization. As shown in the table, the diseases vary in several points. These are the age of onset, social interaction, communication and behaviour. An individual belongs to a certain category, depending on the areas of impairment. All three may seem similar in symptoms, yet are not the same. Still, people within one group show similar symptoms. The groups can be used to search for an underlying cause of the disease and to provide a better treatment.

Scientists do not know exactly what causes autism. There may be many different causes for the different types of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Scientists do know about some things that make a person more likely to have an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Genetics and Heritability

The autism spectrum disorders are highly heritable disorders. This means that it is very likely (over 90%) that the child of an autistic person will also be on the autism spectrum. The reason for this are certain genes. These genes are linked to autism and are passed on from a parent to the child. Already Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger noticed that fathers of autistic children often preferred being on their own over being with people. Therefore, Kanner and Asperger suspected a genetic cause. Studies with families with a child on the autism spectrum were done to investigate this theory. They found that sometimes the children's parents (fathers as well as mothers) also show social difficulties, shyness and problems with understanding contextual information when talking to someone. Some studies have found this in only 10 out of 100 families, some in as much as 45 out of every 100 families.

However, it is not a single gene that increases the risk for autism spectrum disorders. Several genes have been linked to the disorder. All of the identified genes can in sum only explain one or two out of every ten autism cases. None of the genes that have been found to play a role in autism can explain more than one out of every 100 cases.

The genetic influences include:

genetic syndromes (e.g. Fragile X syndrome),

de novo (newly occurring in a family) as well as inherited copy number variations (CNV) - a CNV is the duplication or deletion of a gene - and

single nucleotide variants (SNV) - an SNV is a change in one nucleotide that occurs with very low frequency.

The affected genes influence:

the interaction between brain cells and synaptic functioning,

neuronal growth and neuronal migration (the wandering of a neuron from its birthplace to its final location in the brain) and

inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission.

Neural Correlates

Researchers have not found a single neuronal correlate for autism spectrum disorders, i.e. no abnormal functioning of the brain is the only cause of autism. Nevertheless, scientists found some differences between the brains of autistic people and the typical human brain. These differences lie in the anatomy of the brain, the activity in certain brain regions as well as in the connections between brain regions. It is a general tendency that autistic people use the same brain regions as other people but show different activity. In some areas the activity is less, in others it is stronger. However, this may only be true for male autists. Throughout the last years, studies have shown that brains of autistic women might be like normal men's brains.

Some researchers grouped autistic people's difficulties into three main areas in order to investigate their neuronal basis.

Theory of Mind

Researchers say that building a Theory of mind is one of the main problems for autistic people. This makes it difficult for them to interact with others. Problems in social interaction are probably worsened by low preference for social stimuli, such as faces. This tendency has been found in studies tracking the person's eye movements and in EEG studies. EEG studies showed lower than normal activity in the fusiform face area (FFA), a brain region that is usually active when seeing faces. However, the results of other studies could not show this.

Also, scientists measured brain activity of people on the autism spectrum with fMRI while they were thinking about their own emotions. They found activity in the same brain regions as in non-autistic people. The difference was that some regions which are important for thinking about oneself and emotions (especially the anterior insula) were less active in autistic people. Other brain regions were much more active. These findings may explain the difficulties people with autism experience when trying to understand complex facial expressions and emotions (such as shame, jealousy).

Executive Function

People on the autism spectrum show a lower ability for executive function. Executive function means physical, emotional and cognitive self-control. This includes planning actions, focusing, shifting attention and flexibility of behaviour and thinking. Autistic people's ability can improve but it will remain below non-autistic people's ability in executive function.

Problems with executive function are probably caused by large networks in the brain. Grey matter and white matter irregularities have a negative influence on the way different brain regions work together (functional integration). A smaller corpus callosum leads to abnormalities in working memory (an active process of keeping a memory until it is needed) and planning actions.

Central Coherence

Central coherence is the ability to build wholes out of parts. It is weak in people with autism. This means that autistic people focus more on details. They cannot build wholes out of them. Not being able to pay attention to wholes results in difficulties with perception and language. Therefore, people with autism usually need more time for dealing with information coming from their surroundings. As a consequence, they typically also need more time for responding. However, performance varies between people on the autism spectrum. Moreover, the term central coherence may include many interacting aspects. This makes it difficult to find the cause for it in the brain. Neural correlates for central coherence are not yet known.

Familial risk factors

The risk for autism spectrum disorders can be increased if the mother uses thalidomide, valproic acid or drinks too much alcohol during pregnancy. The risk for autism also increases with the age of father and mother at the time of pregnancy.

Scientists know that parents do not cause their children's autism by not being loving enough.

Scientists do know for sure that vaccines do not cause autism. Vaccines do not even make a person more likely to have autism - even if they are already at a high risk for autism before they get their vaccines.

In 1997 A. Wakefield and others found autism signs one month after the measles- mumps- rubella (MMR) vaccine was applied. They released a paper in which they claimed that autism is caused by the MMR vaccine. However, the study had several flaws:

1. they did not exclude children of whom a genetic cause was known

2. they did not assess the children's abilities before the vaccine was given

3. neuropsychological and endoscopic assessments were not blind

4. they did not have control subjects.

Also, no plausible biological mechanism could explain how the MMR vaccine leads to autism. Since then many case-control studies have been done to investigate the relationship between vaccines and autism. This means, they compared a group which was vaccinated with a group that was not vaccinated but apart from that identical. They did not find MMR vaccines to be the cause of autism. Neither did they find an increased risk for autism by the vaccination.

Parents also worried that thiomersal (US: thimerosal - a substance that makes vaccines and other medicines usable for a longer time) might cause autism because it contains mercury. No harm from the amount of ethylmercury in vaccines was known. Yet, vaccines for infants containing mercury were taken from the market. Nevertheless, thiomersal as a cause for autism is biologically also not biologically. Mercury poisoning triggers clearly different symptoms than autism. Still, researchers did studies about this topic. They did not find a connection between thiomersal and autism.

Finally, a third theory was suggested. It was stated that many vaccines at the same time would weaken the immune system of infants. However, autism is not a disorder that is related to the immune system. Furthermore, single and also many vaccines do not weaken the immune system.

Diagnosis in children

A reliable diagnosis can usually be made by the age of two. At the age of 18- and 24-month every child should visit a pediatrician and receive well-child check-ups. If the screening shows abnormalities, an additional evaluation is needed. In this evaluation a team of professionals will interview parents or carers about the child's behaviour and observe the individual in multiple settings. Behavioural assessments, physical assessments and laboratory tests such as clinical observations, developmental and intelligence tests will be done too. Reviewing a detailed developmental history of the child is also essential in order to receive a diagnosis.

Diagnosis in adults

Autism can also be diagnosed later in life. But it is more difficult because symptoms of autism may overlap with symptoms of other diseases as for instance learning disability or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychologists developed behavioural checklists for the purpose of diagnosing children. These checklists do not apply for adults since they often unconsciously learned to hide their symptoms. An expert, most likely a psychologist, does not only ask the adult about concerns, challenges in social interaction and communication or behaviour routines and interest. He also tests the adult in standardised tests. These tests consist of self-assessments in social interaction, communication and relationships. To make a diagnosis information about the developmental history is also required.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5)

In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association published the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). In order to be diagnosed with autism, a person must fulfill two standardized criteria. It is important that individuals must show symptoms from early childhood, even if those symptoms are recognized later. These symptoms have to limit everyday functioning. Additionally, these symptoms cannot be explained by an intellectual disability or a developmental delay.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviours.

Diagnostic Criteria

Long lasting deficits in social communication and social interaction in multiple contexts, as explained by the following - currently or by history

1. Deficits in social-emotional interaction (e.g., responding inappropriately in conversations; reduced sharing of interests, emotions or affect; failure to respond to social interactions)

2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviours used for social interaction (e.g., difficulties with interpreting both verbal and nonverbal language like gestures, tone of voice, facial expressions; abnormalities in eye contact and body language; deficits in understanding and use of gestures; a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication)

3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships (difficulties in making friends, no interests in peers)

Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities, as explained by at least two of the following - currently or by history

1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects or speech (e.g., always using the same movements, objects or words)

2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines or re-occurring patterns of verbal or nonverbal behaviour (e.g., highly sensitive to changes in their environment; extreme distress at small changes; inflexible thinking patterns, overly dependent on routines)

3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., intensely focused on inappropriate items or unusual objects; highly-focused interests)

4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light, colours, temperatures or pain)

Co-occurring conditions

Autism spectrum disorder includes a wide range of symptoms, skills and levels of disability. Some autistic people also have learning disabilities, mental health issues or other conditions. This means that autism can also co-occur with other diseases and symptoms of the following disorders:

In the DSM-V, a diagnosis of autism excludes making a formal diagnosis of other psychiatric disorders. Therefore other mental health conditions may be undiagnosed in an autistic person, because it is impossible to make a comorbid clinical diagnosis.

Since autism is a spectrum, every person with autism is different. Different treatments help different people. There are a few different categories of treatment. The main ones are medication, different therapies and diets. The treatment is fitted depending on what a person with autism needs.

Medication

It is still unclear what causes autism. There may be a few causes. At the moment, it is only possible to lower the symptoms of autism. A full recovery from autism is not possible. If therapies cannot reduce the symptoms of autism, medications are used additionally. Often, several medications are used at the same time to treat different symptoms of autism.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI)

Serotonin is a chemical messenger. It helps to transport signals between cells. It is very important for the development of children, sensory perception, movements, learning, memory and sleep. All these functions are impaired in children diagnosed with autism. Researchers still try to find a link between serotonin and the development of autism. Yet, substances that inhibit the transport of serotonin have been relatively effective. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) stop the cells from taking up serotonin. Therefore more serotonin is available for the transport of signals. In the beginning, SSRIs were used to treat depressions in adults. But it also helped people diagnosed with autism. It helps to treat repetitive behaviour, aggression, the sudden outburst of bad tempers, hyperactivity and maladaptive behaviours like hurting themselves. Still, the SSRIs can have many side-effects. Usually the medication is better tolerated by adults than by children. Examples of SSRIs are Clomipramine, Fluvoxamine, Sertraline, Venlafaxine, Trazodone and Mirtazapine.

Antipsychotic medication

Dopamine is a chemical messenger in the brain. It helps to fulfill movements, release hormones and strengthen cognitive abilities. Researchers found that increasing the amount of dopamine in the brain will worsen the symptoms of autism. Decreasing the amount of dopamine will help to reduce symptoms of autism. Substances that help to reduce symptoms of autism are the antipsychotic drugs. There are two types of antipsychotic medications. One of the types are typical antipsychotics. They block the sites where dopamine would bind to a cell. Atypical antipsychotic drugs on the other hand block the sites where dopamine or serotonin would bind to a cell. Antipsychotic medicine is the most successful treatment for excitability in autism. It can also help to reduce aggression, self-injury, hyperactivity and repetitive behaviour. But it may have many side-effects. Originally, antipsychotic medications were used to treat mental disorders like depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Examples of antipsychotic drugs are Haloperidol, Clozapine, Risperidone and Paliperidone.

Psychostimulants

In the beginning, psychostimulants were only used for patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Researchers found out that they can also help patients with autism. The medication can reduce hyperactivity and inattention in people with autism. The medication can have many side-effects. Examples are Methylphenidate, Clonidine and Guanfacine.

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is designed for autistic people who do not speak. Pictures and symbols are used to communicate. For example, an autistic child wants to have a cup of water. So, it would show its mother a picture of a cup of water. Thereby, the mother knows what the child wants. So to say, the pictures and symbols will replace speech. The aim is a constant use of these symbols and pictures and to increase communication. Usually, this way of communication does not improve the spoken language.

People with autism often have problems with their digestive organs like the stomach or gut. These problems could be inflammations, abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea or bacterial overgrowth. The reasons may be malnutrition, food intolerances or allergies. Specific food products causing these problems are excluded from the diet. In many cases, products containing gluten or casein, the main protein occurring in dairy products, are excluded. In many cases vitamins, minerals as well as essential fatty acids are additionally provided. A big problem is that many autistic people cannot tell that they have pain. Therefore many problems concerning the digestive organs stay undetected.

Occupational Therapy

Typically, autistic people are either far more or far less sensitive to sensory information. For example a ringing telephone is perceived much louder or only very soft. This can make it very difficult to interpret the sensory information and create a good response to it. Because of that, autistic people often show enormous difficulties to fulfill daily life activities. Occupational therapy helps autistic people to minimize these difficulties. Individual therapy plans are created. The therapist tries to help the autistic person in many different aspects.

One aspect is the sensory integration. Here the therapist helps the autistic person to make sense of the different sensory inputs. This part of the therapy is important because sensory information is important for learning, communication and performing movements. An example to make children more aware of the sense of touch can be playing with finger paint or collecting objects from a bag of dried beans. Another important aspect of occupational therapy is the training of daily life activities. Here, the person learns things like getting dressed, eating, personal hygiene, cleaning, shopping or financial management. These activities include several steps. Usually only one step is trained at a time. Then it gets combined with the steps that the person has already learned.

Play therapy is also important - especially for children. It helps to learn about emotions like happiness or anxiety. It also helps to learn certain behaviours. An example would be learning to shake hands with unknown people instead of hugging them. The play therapy can also help to solve problems, learn basic forms of communication and improve creativity.

Free time between therapeutic activities is important as well. Here, the person can do whatever he or she likes. For example, playing with toys, sleeping or doing a physical activity like running, swimming or climbing. Sports can also help to reduce repetitive movements, improve movement coordination and is a possibility to interacting with other people.

Therapy with Animals

Often animals are used to help autistic people. Most often dogs or horses are used. The people diagnosed with autism can care for these animals, pet them and in the case of the horse even ride on them. Studies showed that the interaction between an autistic person and animals can increase communication, reduce stress, fear, aggression and reduce the severity of the symptoms of autism.

Music Therapy

Music therapy consists of two parts: One is an active listening part. Here, the therapist is making music himself or playing music from a record. In the other part, the autistic person can make music himself like playing an instrument or singing. Music therapy will improve different aspects of communication.

Art Therapy

Here, different materials and techniques are used to draw pictures. The aim of this therapy is to make the autistic person more flexible and relaxed and to improve communication skills, self-image and learning skills. The effects of the therapy can be long lasting and transferred to the school, work or home setting.

Related pages

Images for kids

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Autism, also called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) describes a group of complex disorders of brain development such as Asperger's Syndrome, Atypical Autism and Childhood Autism. ASD is a lifelong developmental condition that affects the way an individual relates to his or her environment and their interaction with other people.

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Autistic children explain autism in 60 seconds!

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Food also provides the nutrients that the body needs to function and maintain itself. These nutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water.

Proteins

Proteins are needed for body tissue to grow and repair itself. After water and possibly fat, protein is the most abundant material in the human body. People can get the protein they need from animals or plants. Animal sources include meat, fish, and eggs. Plant sources include beans, nuts, and grains.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates give the body most of the energy it needs. Starches and sugars are carbohydrates. Starches are found in grains such as rice, wheat, and corn. Potatoes, beans, and other vegetables also contain starch. Sugars are found naturally in fruits, milk, and honey. Refined sugars are made by processing plants such as sugarcane, sugar beets, and corn. Refined sugars are often used to sweeten foods. They are high in calories.

Fiber

Fiber is another kind of carbohydrate. It does not provide energy, but it is important to the body in other ways. Fiber aids digestion. It also helps people to feel full. In addition, fiber can reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is an important substance in the body. However, when the body has too much cholesterol, blood vessels may become lined with fatty deposits. The blood vessels then become narrow and stiff, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Fats

Fats are sources of energy that the body can store. The fats in foods may be solid or liquid. Liquid fats are called oils. The body uses fats to maintain its temperature and to cushion organs. Fats also help the body use certain vitamins. Cooking oils, nuts, fish, and avocados can be healthy sources of fat. But some fats can be harmful. For example, the eating of certain fats has been linked to heart disease. These fats are found in meats, dairy products, lard, shortening, and many packaged snacks.

Minerals

Minerals serve a variety of purposes. Calcium, for example, builds bones and teeth and helps to clot blood. It is found in dairy products, green leafy vegetables, and tofu. Iron is needed to build red blood cells and carry oxygen from the lungs to other body cells. Good sources of iron include meat, egg yolks, and dark green vegetables. Other minerals important to the human body are iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and zinc.

Vitamins

The body also needs vitamins. Vitamin C keeps gums healthy and helps the body absorb iron. Vitamin D works with calcium and phosphorus to make strong bones and teeth. Other vitamins are A, E, K, and the B-complex vitamins. Vitamins are found in many different foods.

Water

Water is important in many chemical reactions in the body. In fact, every cell in the body must be bathed in water. Water also helps the body get rid of wastes and maintain its temperature. Water makes up about 60 percent of an adult's body weight.

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Plants make their own food with the Sun's help. Animals, including humans, do not. Instead they eat food-plants or other animals-to get what their bodies need to live and...

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My Food, Your Food | Multicultural | Food and Culture | Preschool | Read Aloud | Story

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29 World Cuisines for Kids - Learn About Food from Different Cultures for Children

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Different cooking traditions: Do people everywhere eat the same way?

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Food around the World

Our Fun Food Facts for Kids will show you lots of interesting and fun facts on famous food from around the world. Here we tell you about amazing food records and share some fun and easy-to-make recipes from around the world.

Here you will read about the most popular dishes in the different countries and learn awesome food facts to impress your family and friends.

Our section with our kids' favourite recipes from around the world will make your mouth water and your tummy rumble. So stay put and bookmark our ever expanding section of fascinating food facts for kids, well, not only for kids, really!

Fun Food Facts for Kids

For our Country Food Guides see our special pages here:

More will follow soon.

Amazing Food Facts for Kids

Fascinating Food Records

Chocolate

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans that grow as fruits of the cocoa tree.

The indigenous people in South America have used cocoa beans as food for more than 3,000 years. The Aztecs ground the dried beans to a powder and made a delicious drink by mixing the cocoa powder with water and herbs. Later the drink was sweetened with honey or sugar and today sweetened cocoa powder is mainly mixed with milk. In 2018, cocoa is grown in more than 35 countries. Most cocoa beans are produced by the Ivory Coast.

Milk chocolate was invented by Henri Nestle of Switzerland in 1875. Different countries have different tastes, as the British enjoy milk chocolate the most, while American prefer chocolate candy bars!

Tomatoes

The largest tomato weighed 3.51 kg/ 7lb 12oz according to the Guiness Book of World Records. That is as heavy as eight cans of coke and weighs actually almost as much as two 2-litre bottles of soda!

Tomatoes are thought to originate from Peru in South America.

In Spain, the annual tomato festival 'Tomatina' is celebrated every year in August. There people throw tomatoes at each other for fun. Read more about Spain here.

Hot Dogs

In the USA, baseball fans gobble up 26 million hot dogs every baseball season!

Some say, hot dogs, which are sausage rolls, were first created and sold by Germans living in the USA as early 1890. In Germany and Austria, long thin sausages were popular for a long time already.

Hot dogs are usually eaten topped with sauces. Most people choose mustard as topping on their hot dog while children usually prefer to eat them with tomato ketchup.

Bananas

Bananas grow on plants that are up to 5 m/ 16 ft tall. There are more than 1,000 species of bananas. Banana plants can yield fruit all year round.

The biggest banana producers are China, India and South America. The world's biggest importing country is the USA with 25%.

A banana consists to over 75% of water and is rich in vitamins and minerals such as potassium. Bananas are very low in fat and low in fibre.

Did you know that bananas float when you put them in a bowl of water. Go on and try it. Other fruit that float are apples, watermelons, strawberries and lemons.

Liquorice

These popular sweets originally were made with the extract from the roots of the liquorice plant. However, liquorice is not only available in form of black strings today, but, especially in Asia, they sell these sweets in all colours but mainly as red strings. Liquorice comes also with strawberry, cherry or raspberry flavour.

Another fun food record: The longest string of liquorice ever made, measured 244 metres/ 800 ft!

Most liquorice sweets or candy contain loads of sugar, thus they are not considered to have benefits for your health. However, some people swear liquorice can help to ease the pain of a sore throat.

In the Nordic countries such as Norway and Denmark, people prefer to eat salty liquorice.

Popcorn

Corn was grown already 9,000 years ago in Mexico. IN 2012, archaeologist found the evidence that popcorn was eaten already by native Americans in Peru more than 5,000 years ago.

Popcorn is made with maize/corn kernels that 'explode' when the kernels are heated over fire or on a stove. A temperature of about 180°C/ 355°F must be reached to make the kernels pop. Then each kernel puffs to more than 20 times its original size!

Did you know that Mexicans enjoy to munch their popcorn with hot jalapeño sauce? Americans usually prefer to snack on popcorn with salt and butter and Germans eat them sprinkled with sugar.

Food Facts for Kids
Fun Food Records

In 2011, Gary Eccles from the UK ate 258 baked beans in five minutes. That would not be that difficult as such, however... he picked the baked beans with a cocktail stick! Well, we could try this... but then this would be really testing our patience. And we definitely wouldn't manage in five minutes!

In 2013, Alfrie Binnie from the UK sorted 30 jelly beans by colour in 40 seconds - with chopsticks! Sounds like a fun game!

In 2015, Cherry Yoshitake managed to eat 71 baked beans in a minute - picked out of a bowl with a chopstick. - Try to beat this ;-)

Food Facts for Kids | Fun Food Quiz

1. Do you know which country is famous for the yummy guacamole dip or sauce?

﻿2. Which country's specialty dish is fried mopane worms?

﻿3. Where does pasta come from?

4. Where do people eat pastel de choclo?

5. Name three fruits that float when put in water

1. Mexico

2. South Africa

3. Italy - Pasta was eaten even before Marco Polo returned from his travels and introduced Asian noodles to the Italians

4. Chile

5. Bananas, apples, watermelons, strawberries, lemons

Food Facts for Kids | Resources
Images on Fun Food Facts for Kids: Shutterstock.com and Tomatina image by Go back from Food Facts to Geography Facts Return to Kids-World-Travel-Guide Homepage Yakov Filimanov
Competition 2024 is open!

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Food Facts for Kids | Famous World Food | Food Records | Food Quiz

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Our Fun Food Facts for Kids will tell you interesting food facts from around the world with food records, traditional food and typical dishes

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Understanding Traditions and Cultures for Kids

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Cultures of the World | A fun overview of the world cultures for kids

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Culture is a pattern of behavior shared by a society, or group of people. Many different things make up a society's culture. These things include food, language, clothing,...

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Learn about holidays and festivals celebrated around the world.

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Aboriginal Arts and Culture | facts for kids | National Geographic Kids

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Explore Australia’s rich Indigenous Aboriginal Arts and Culture with these 10 amazing facts…

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Culture is a word for the 'way of life' of groups of people, meaning the way they do things. Different groups may have different cultures. A culture is passed on to the next generation by learning, whereas genetics are passed on by heredity. Culture is seen in people's writing, religion, music, clothes, cooking and in what they do.

The concept of culture is very complicated, and the word has some meanings.[1] The word 'culture' is most commonly used in three ways.

Most broadly, 'culture' includes all human phenomena which are not purely results of human genetics. The discipline which investigates cultures is called anthropology, though many other disciplines play a part.

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Culture facts. Culture is a word for the 'way of life' of groups of people, meaning the way they do things. Different groups may have different cultures. A culture is passed on to the next generation by learning, whereas genetics are passed on by heredity.

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Holidays and Celebrations - Exploring Traditions, Beliefs, and Celebrations

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Celebrations around the world: Read Aloud

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People everywhere celebrate special days known as festivals or holidays. Although each festival and holiday has a different purpose, they tend to have some things in common. Many are associated with traditions. These include decorating a tree at Christmas or lighting menorah candles during Hanukkah. Festivals and holidays also bring people together in a variety of ways. For some holidays people join together for solemn ceremonies-such as honoring the war dead on Memorial Day. Other holidays, such as Mardi Gras, are occasions for joyous celebrations.

The word festival comes from the word feast (an elaborate meal). Many festivals were originally connected with the planting or harvesting of crops. Food still plays a major role in many of today's festivals and holidays. The Thanksgiving turkey is an example of a traditional food linked to a holiday.

The word holiday originally meant "holy day." Many holidays are still religious occasions-for example, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Other holidays are not religious. For instance, national holidays, such as the Fourth of July in the United States, help citizens to remember their nation's history.

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People everywhere celebrate special days known as festivals or holidays. Although each festival and holiday has a different purpose, they tend to have some things in common....

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A festival is a gathering of people to celebrate something. It can also refer to a particular day or group of days when people in a country have a holiday so that they can celebrate something. Festivals may be religious festivals. They may also be events which feature music, dancing, poetry, movies, etc.

Types of festivals

Religious festivals

Among many religions, a feast is a set of celebrations in honour of Gods or God. A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable. Most religions have festivals that recur annually and some, such as Passover, Easter and Eid al-Adha are moveable feasts - that is, those that are determined either by lunar or agricultural cycles or the calendar in use at the time. The Sed festival, for example, celebrated the thirtieth year of an Egyptian pharaoh's rule and then every three (or four in one case) years after that.

In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are two principal feasts, properly known as the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas) and the Feast of the Resurrection, (Easter). In the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican liturgical calendars there are a great number of lesser feasts throughout the year commemorating saints, sacred events or doctrines.

Buddhist religious festivals, such as Esala Perahera are held in Sri Lanka and Thailand. Hindu festivals, such as Holi are very ancient. The Sikh community celebrates the Vaisakhi festival marking the new year and birth of the Khalsa.

Arts festivals

Among the many offspring of general arts festivals are also more specific types of festivals, including ones that showcase intellectual or creative achievement such as science festivals, literary festivals and music festivals. Sub-categories include comedy festivals, rock festivals, jazz festivals and buskers festivals; poetry festivals, theatre festivals, and storytelling festivals; and re-enactment festivals such as Renaissance fairs.

Film festivals involve the screenings of several different films, and are usually held annually. Some of the most significant film festivals include the Berlin International Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival.

Food and drink festivals

A food festival is an event celebrating food or drink. These often highlight the output of producers from a certain region. Some food festivals are focused on a particular item of food, such as the National Peanut Festival in the United States, or the Galway International Oyster Festival in Ireland. There are also specific beverage festivals, such as the famous Oktoberfest in Germany for beer. Many countries hold festivals to celebrate wine. One example is the global celebration of the arrival of Beaujolais nouveau, which involves shipping the new wine around the world for its release date on the third Thursday of November each year. Both Beaujolais nouveau and the Japanese rice wine sake are associated with harvest time.

Seasonal and harvest festivals

Seasonal festivals, such as Beltane, are determined by the solar and the lunar calendars and by the cycle of the seasons, especially because of its effect on food supply, as a result of which there is a wide range of ancient and modern harvest festivals. Ancient Egyptians relied upon the seasonal inundation caused by the Nile River, a form of irrigation, which provided fertile land for crops. In the Alps, in autumn the return of the cattle from the mountain pastures to the stables in the valley is celebrated as Almabtrieb. A recognized winter festival, the Chinese New Year, is set by the lunar calendar, and celebrated from the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice. Dree Festival of the Apatanis living in Lower Subansiri District of Arunachal Pradesh is celebrated every year from July 4 to 7 by praying for a bumper crop harvest.

Midsummer or St John's Day, is an example of a seasonal festival, related to the feast day of a Christian saint as well as a celebration of the time of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, where it is particularly important in Sweden. Winter carnivals also provide the opportunity to utilise to celebrate creative or sporting activities requiring snow and ice.

Seasonal and harvest festivals

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A festival is a gathering of people to celebrate something. It can also refer to a particular day or group of days when people in a country have a holiday so that they can celebrate something. Festivals may be religious festivals. They may also be events which feature music, dancing, poetry, movies, etc.

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Traditional clothing Video lesson for kids

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Traditional Clothes From Around the World | Travel Around the World | Explore World Song | JunyTony

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Kids learn about the clothing of Ancient China. Materials used like silk and hemp to make robes and belts. Hairpins and other jewelry.

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Clothing styles depend on the climate of a region. People in a tropical rainforest need little or no clothing. In the hot deserts of the Middle East and North Africa, people wear loose white robes for protection against the Sun. In the Arctic, where it is very cold, the Inuit wear warm furs and waterproof sealskin. In many other regions the weather may be hot or cold, depending on the season. People in these regions must have both light and heavy clothing.

People also wear clothing to tell others about themselves. Uniforms show which people are soldiers and police officers. Women sometimes wear different colors and styles than men do. Young people may wear unusual clothes to rebel against their parents. Rich people wear expensive clothes made by famous designers. Religion and culture affect clothing styles as well. Despite these differences, international business, travel, movies, and television have helped to spread similar styles around the globe. Jeans, for example, are popular almost everywhere.

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Clothing styles depend on the climate of a region. People in a tropical rainforest need little or no clothing. In the hot deserts of the Middle East and North Africa, people wear loose white robes for protection against the Sun. In the Arctic, where it is very cold, the Inuit wear warm furs and waterproof sealskin.

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Explore Traditional Clothing From Around The World - Google Arts & Culture

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From warrior headdresses to 16th century skirts

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Traditional Clothes | Indian Culture & Tradition For Kids | Kids Vocabulary | Puntoon Classroom

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People often use the word religion to mean the worship of a god or gods. But some religions do not have gods. One thing that all religions have in common is that they help…

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A religion is a set of beliefs that is passionately held by a group of people that is reflected in a world view and in expected beliefs and actions (which are often ritualized).

There are many different religions, each with a different set of beliefs. The beliefs are about the world and the people in it, about how they came into being, and what their purpose is. These beliefs according to some religious sects, are often linked to supernatural beings such as God, a number of gods or spirits. They may also be linked to an idea such as a path that the spirit of each person should take towards goodness, truth and duty. This they called spirituality.

Each religion has different ideas about these things. Each religion also has a " moral code" which is a set of beliefs about how humans should act. Each religion usually has their own type of "devotions" when people worship or pray. They often have rituals (special things that are always done in the same way) for certain times of the year or certain times of a person's life. Other words that are used for religion are "faith" and "belief system". Altogether, followers of religion can be known as 'believers', or 'the faithful'. Few people follow more than one religion at a time.

The largest religions are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, Judaism and Jainism. There are many other religions. People who do not believe in any gods are called atheists. People who say that there is no evidence are called agnostics.

Religious beliefs

In many religions, one of the main beliefs is that there is a "deity" (or god) who is a great creator spirit. In many religions, there is just one deity that the people believe in. In other religions, there are many deities who each have different roles in the universe. In many religions, there are other types of spirits. These may include angels, devils and other such things which can be both good and bad.

Giving honour to God, the gods or the spirits is an important part of most religions. While this may often be done privately, it is also often done with gatherings of people and rituals. These rituals are often based on old traditions, and may have been done in almost the same way for hundreds, or even thousands of years.

Human spirit

Another main belief is that humans have a "soul" or spirit which lives on after their body has died.And they believe that they must kill thou to any one in the earths name. The person's spirit is on a journey through life that continues after death. Most religions believe that what a person does during their lifetime will affect what happens to their spirit in the afterlife. Many religions teach that a good person's spirit can reach a special place of peace and happiness such as Heaven or Nirvana, and that a bad person's spirit can travel to a place of pain and suffering such as Hell. Still other religions believe in reincarnation - that instead of going either to Heaven or Hell, spirits of the dead return to earth in a new body.

"Morals" are the way a human behaves to other humans. Most religions make rules about human morals. The rules of how people should act to each other are different in different religions.

For some religions, following a "path" of goodness, truth and duty is very important. This is called Tao in China. In the teachings of Judaism, people were told to "love your neighbour as yourself". In the teachings of Jesus, people were told to think of every single person as their "neighbour" and treat them with love.

Traditions

A religion is passed on from one person to another through teachings and stories (which are often called "myths") which may be written down like the Bible, or told from memory like the Dreamtime stories of Australian Aboriginal people. In many religions, there are people who take the role of "priest" and spend their lives teaching others about the religion. There are also people who take the role of "pastor" and spend their life caring for other people. A person may be both a priest and a pastor. They are called by different names in different religions.

Symbols are used to remind people of their religious beliefs. They are also used or worn as a sign to other people that the person belongs to a particular religion. A symbol might be something that is drawn or written, it might be a piece of clothing or jewellery, it might be a sign that a person makes with their body, or it might be a building or monument or artwork. Picture symbols for different religions are shown in the box in the introduction to this article.

Witness and conversion

In many religions, it is thought important that people should show other people that they are following a particular religion. This might be done in a general way by wearing a symbol or a type of clothing. Many people believe that it is important to tell other people about their religion, so that they can believe as well. This is called "witnessing".

There are many ways to witness. A person may tell their classmates, workmates and friends about their beliefs. A person might go to other people's houses and talk about their beliefs, or invite the people to join in the rituals of the religion, such as going to church or to a religious festival. A person might have printed material such as books or leaflets that they give to other people to read. A person might travel to a different country to teach, to work in a health service or to help people in some other way. (People who do this are called "missionaries".) These are different ways that people witness to their religion.

When a person hears a witness and decides that they will join the religion, this is called a "conversion". Usually a person decides to join a religion because they like what they have read or been told, and they believe that they are hearing the truth. They join the religion because they choose. However, throughout history there have been many times when people have been forced to join a religion by violence and threats. This is still happening today.

In most countries of the world, people are free to belong to whatever religion they choose. This is generally thought of as a basic human right. However, there are parts of the world where it is illegal (against the law) to witness to any religion except the one accepted by the government of the country. People who belong to other religions may be threatened, put in jail or murdered.

Rituals are an important part of the tradition of many religions. In many religions, it is the tradition for people to meet for a celebration on one day in every week. There are also major celebrations that may be held only at certain times of the year, for example, on the birthday of a person who is honoured in that religion. Some religions have celebrations for different seasons of the year, or when the sun or moon is in a certain part of the sky.

In nearly every religion, the important stages of a person's life have a religious celebration. Birth, naming, reaching an age to think for oneself, reaching adulthood, marriage, childbirth, sickness and death are all celebrated by some religions. Having a celebration or special traditions when a person dies is very common.

It is the traditions that are about death that give the earliest evidence of religious beliefs. Scientists have discovered that 120,000 years ago, Neanderthal people started burying their dead. Early Homo sapiens put tools and other things into graves with the bodies, as if they could use them in the afterlife. From 40,000 years ago, many of the objects in graves are small artworks. Scientists believe that these objects were put there for religious reasons.

Groups and institutions

An institution is one name for an organization. Many religions have organizations that manage the way that people who follow the religion are to act. The organization might employ religious leaders, educate people into the ideas of the religion, manage money, own buildings and make rules. Many religions have sub-groups which are called denominations. In Islam, for example, there is Ahmadiyya, Sunnism, Shi'ism and Sufism.

Most religions have special buildings where people meet. They are often called temples. In Judaism, they are called synagogues. In Christianity, they are called churches. In Islam, they are called mosques. In Buddhism there are pagodas, temples and monasteries. In Hinduism they are called Mandirs. People often try to make their religious building as beautiful as possible. Some religious buildings are great works of architecture.

Art and music

People often make artworks that are about their religion, or that are used in religious celebration, or are put in a religious building. Religious art comes in all shapes and sizes, from tiny pieces of jewellery to huge statues and paintings. Artworks often give important clues to historians about different ancient religions that are not well understood.

Music is often important in religious celebrations. Singing, chanting and playing musical instruments are often part of regular religious gatherings of people. Special music is often used on special occasions. Many famous composers have written religious music. The words of songs that are 3,000 years old are used every day in Christian churches and Jewish synagogues.

Related pages

Images for kids

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A religion is a set of beliefs that is passionately held by a group of people that is reflected in a world view and in expected beliefs and actions (which are often ritualized). There are many different religions, each with a different set of beliefs.

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Kids learn about the religions of Ancient China. The three ways Confucius, Taoism, and Buddhism.

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Kids and students learn about the religion of Islam including its founder the Prophet Muhammad, the Five Pillars, the Quran, mosques, and interesting facts.

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Ancient Egyptian History for Kids: Gods and Goddesses

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Kids learn about Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. The history of this world civilization.

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An ethnic group is a group of people who are considered to be the same in some or multiple ways. They may all have the same ancestors, speak the same language, or have the same religion. They often live in the same or surrounding area.

Sometimes almost all of the people in one country are of the same ethnic group, but not always. Often one country may have several different ethnic groups, or the people of one ethnic group may live in several different countries.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ensures the rights of ethnic groups in Article 27 and also gives them the right to use their own language.

Some examples of ethnic groups

Ethnic groups in Africa number in the hundreds, each generally having its own language (or dialect of a language) and culture.

Many ethnic groups and nations of Africa qualify, although some groups are of a size larger than a tribal society. These mostly originate with the Sahelian kingdoms of the medieval period, such as that of the Akan, deriving from Bonoman (11th century) then the Kingdom of Ashanti (17th century).

There is an abundance of ethnic groups throughout Asia, with adaptations to the climate zones of Asia, which can be Arctic, subarctic, temperate, subtropical or tropical. The ethnic groups have adapted to mountains, deserts, grasslands, and forests.

On the coasts of Asia, the ethnic groups have adopted various methods of harvest and transport. Some groups are primarily hunter-gatherers, some practice transhumance (nomadic lifestyle), others have been agrarian/rural for millennia and others becoming industrial/urban. Some groups/countries of Asia are completely urban (Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore). The colonization of Asia was largely ended in the 20th century, with national drives for independence and self-determination across the continent.

Europe has a large number of ethnic groups; Pan and Pfeil (2004) count 87 distinct "peoples of Europe", of which 33 form the majority population in at least one sovereign state, while the remaining 54 constitute ethnic minorities within every state they inhabit (although they may form local regional majorities within a sub-national entity). The total number of national minority populations in Europe is estimated at 105 million people, or 14% of 770 million Europeans.

A number of European countries, including France, and Switzerland do not collect information on the ethnicity of their resident population.

Russia has over 185 recognized ethnic groups besides the 80% ethnic Russian majority. The largest group are the Tatars 3.8%. Many of the smaller groups are found in the Asian part of Russia (see Indigenous peoples of Siberia).

An example of a largely nomadic ethnic group in Europe is the Roma, pejoratively known as Gypsies. They originated from India and speak the Romani language.

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An ethnic group is a group of people who are considered to be the same in some or multiple ways. They may all have the same ancestors, speak the same language, or have the same religion. They often live in the same or surrounding area.

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An ethnic group is a social group or category of the population that is set apart from other groups in a society. The people of the group are bound together by common ties of…

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Join Allies and Friends; Jenae Tien, Micah and Piper as they explore the meaning of the word Diversity through intentional conversation, observation and making a healthy fruity snack.

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Find out about different ethnic groups around the world.

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Here are some interesting Australia Facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids.

Name: Commonwealth of Australia

Government: Democracy

Population: About 26.4 million (2023)

Urban Population: 90%

Capital: Canberra with 472,000 people

Language: English

Unemployment: 12%

Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($) = 100 cents

Religion: mainly Christians

Timezones: 3

National Symbols: Golden wattle (flower), opal (gemstone), green and gold (colours) and the Commonwealth Star (a seven-pointed star)

National Animals: Kangaroo, emu

National Holiday: 26 January (Australia Day)

National Anthem: Advance Australia Fair

Australia Geography
Australia Maps

Australia is an island country in the Southern hemisphere and belongs to Oceania/Australia. Australia is referred to as country and as continent as the country sits on its own continental shelf. The country is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

Australia is the smallest continent of the seven continents. The continent is often referred to as Oceania. Australia is one of the largest countries in the world while Greenland is considered the biggest island in the world.

Australia is also the driest inhabited continent of the world.

Did you know that Australia is the largest country in the Southern hemisphere and the largest country without land borders?

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world, after Russia, Canada, USA, China and Brazil.

The country is divided into six states (Southern Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania) and two self-governing territories: Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory (which is around Canberra, the capital city).

The country's interior consists of arid and semi-arid areas which are referred to as 'outback'. About 70% of Australia are outback, while the coastal plains are more fertile and house the majority of Australia's population. About 35% of Australia's land area are covered by deserts.

Most of Australia's population live in the eastern and southern parts of the country and along the coastline.

Australia is roughly the same size as the USA without the states of California and Texas.

Australia belongs to the Commonwealth countries. Read more here.

10 Australia Superlatives

1. The highest mountain of Australia is Mount Kosciuszko with 2,228 m/ 7,310 ft. This mountain is in the Great Dividing Range.

2. The Great Dividing Range is the longest mountain range in Australia stretching over 3,500 km/ 2,175 miles.

3. Uluru, previously referred to also as Ayers Rock, is located in the centre of the country and is the largest alone standing rock in the world.

4. The longest river of Australia is the Murray River with 2,508 km/ 1,558 miles.

5. The Great Barrier Reef in Eastern Australia is the biggest coral reef system in the world. The reef consists of more than 3,000 reefs and 900 islands. The Barrier Reef is home to over 350 species of corals and over 1,500 species of fish.

6. Australia is the world's largest exporter of coal.

7. Sydney is Australia's biggest city with more than 5 million inhabitants.

8. Australia's largest desert is the Great Victoria Basin which covers most of Western Australia and South Australia.

9. New South Wales is the most populous state of Australia. 65% of the country's population live in New South Wales.

10. The largest state of Australia is Western Australia.

More about the most famous Landmarks of Australia here.
Australia Facts | Australian Cities

The biggest cities in Australia are Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. These cities are all located at the coast or close to the coast and are the only metropolitan cities in Australia with more than one million inhabitants.

Canberra is Australia's capital city and the only major city of the country further away from the coast. Canberra is located about 150 km/ 93 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean coastline and about 280 km/ 173 miles to the southwest of Sydney.
Read more about Australia's landmarks and attractions.
Australia Facts: Sydney is Australia's largest city with about 5 million inhabitants, which means that about 20% of all Australians live in this metropolitan city.

The main city in the country's interior is Alice Springs while Darwin is the biggest city in the Northern Territory.

Australia Facts
Australia Attractions for Kids

There are many great attractions in the country. Some of these are - listed in alphabetical order:

Adelaide: the main city in South Australia is home to about half a million people. Adelaide is surrounded by fertile agricultural land and wine regions. Did you know that Adelaide is also known for one of the largest Christmas parades in the world?

Arnhem Land: The Northern Territory is home to a large population of aboriginal people who have a deep spiritual connection with the land and proudly will share their experiences with visitors.

Australian Alps: Experience mountain landscapes with snowy mountain tops even in summer and enjoy the fascinating remote wilderness. There are lovely hiking tracks especially near lake Jindabyne.

Brisbane: the city with over two million inhabitants is the centre of the Australian Gold Coast with numerous resorts for an exciting beach holiday and a bit further to the north, there is the wonderful coral reef you cannot miss!

Great Barrier Reef: The world's largest coral reef is great for snorkelling and diving. Cairns is a popular beach resort town on the Northern Coast and Lady Elliott Island and Hamilton Island are wonderful family holiday islands.

Melbourne: The second largest city of Australia is the main city of the state of Victoria and has lots of trendy restaurants, shops and art galleries along the Yarra River.

Kakadu National Park: Experience the excitement of a real jungle in Australia's biggest national park and one of the world's most unique forests and woodlands and one of Australia's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There you can also admire the Northern Territories highest waterfalls, the Jim Jim Falls.

Perth: The biggest city in Western Australia also housing about two million people is known for its cultural scene and is close to lovely Fremantle which has historic quarters to explore. And don't forget Rottnest Island where you can meet the friendly quokkas, the unique wallabies. Read more here.

Pinnacles Desert Park: Hundreds of limestone pinnacles can be seen in Nambung National Park in Western Australia. There you can also spot wild emus.
To read about Australian landmarks and the Top 10 Visitor Attractions in Australia, click here
Australia Facts | Australian People

Australia's first or indigenous people, are usually referred to as the aboriginal people of Australia. They make up 2% of Australia's population today. The indigenous Australians are said to be direct descendants of migrants from Africa who left the African continent about 75,000 years ago. They have migrated over the Australasian continent until they settled in Australia around 60,000 years ago.

Today aboriginal people live in all main cities in Australia but most of them still live in the desert areas of the Australian outback. On the image above, you can see a man playing the didgeridoo, a kind of wooden trumpet, which is really difficult to play. The aboriginal people are highly skilled in arts and crafts and share with visitors their vast knowledge about the land and the environment.

The 'outback' is the vast, dry and remote inland parts of the Australian continent. Some aboriginal people live still in the sacred area around Uluru, a huge rock formation in the centre of the continent.

Uluru was formerly referred to as Ayers Rock. Many groups of aboriginal people also live in the Northern Territory in Kakadu National Park, which they call 'Arnhem Land', the land of their ancestors.

Australia Facts | Australian Animals

Australia is home to many animal species. In fact, Australia houses more than 10% of the world's biodiversity (animals and plant varieties).

Among the most well-known Australian animals are kangaroos, wombats, koalas and the dingos.

Roadsigns in Australia warn drivers about wild animals mainly kangaroos that might cross the roads.

Kangaroos are marsupials, which means, they carry their babies in their pouches. See the cute little joey (this is how baby kangaroos are called).

Wombats are also marsupials. Wombats have sharp teeth, but are herbivores. This means they eat grasses, bark and roots. Wombats are mainly night-active, but can also be seen out looking for food on cool and overcast days, such as this wombat on the picture below.

Read more about the fascinating Australian wildlife on our special page here.
Australia Facts | Australia Quiz
Test your knowledge

Read more about Australia Popular Pages

We hope you enjoyed these updated Australian facts:-)
Image credits on Australia Facts: Shutterstock.com and own images

Resources for Australia Facts Page:
Return from Australia Facts to KidsWorldTravelGuide Homepage

Central Intelligence Agency. "Australia." World Fact Book. Last update 21 June 2023. Last accessed 30 June 2023

The Commonwealth. "Australia Facts." Commonwealth Secretariat. Last accessed 30 June 2023

The Nature Conservancy. "Meet the Quokka." NatureAustralia.org. Last accessed 30 June 2023

Tammy Solonec. Why saying 'Aborigine' isn't ok. 8 Facts about indigenous people in Australia. Amnesty International. 9 August 2015. Last accessed 30 June 2023

Australia Government. Australia Covid and Travel Information. www.australia.gov.au. Last accessed 30 June 2023

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Australia Facts for Kids | Australia for Kids | Geography | Animals

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Our Australia Facts for Kids inform about Australian superlatives, attractions and people, Australian animals and so much more

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Learn Learning disability facts for kids

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A disability is a physical or mental problem that makes it difficult or impossible for a person to walk, see, hear, speak, learn, or do other important things. Some disabilities are permanent, or last forever. Others are temporary, or last for only a short time. A disability can be something a person was born with. Or it can be the result of an illness or an accident.

A physical disability is a problem with the body. Physical disabilities may affect the eyes, the ears, the muscles, or the interior organs, such as the heart or lungs. Some people with a physical disability may use a wheelchair to move around.

A mental disability is a problem with the brain, or mind. Mental disabilities include developmental disabilities, mental illness, and learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. A person with a mental disability may have trouble learning or getting along with other people.

With medical treatment or other help, people with disabilities can do many of the things that nondisabled people can do. A person with a missing leg can learn to walk with an artificial leg. Many kinds of mental illness can be treated with medication or other therapies. Organizations in a community can help people with developmental disabilities go to school, work, or live on their own.

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A disability is a physical or mental problem that makes it difficult or impossible for a person to walk, see, hear, speak, learn, or do other important things. Some...

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If you have a learning problem, it doesn't mean you can't learn. But you'll need some help and you'll need to work extra hard. If you have a learning disability, such as dyslexia or dyscalculia (serious trouble with math), remember that you are not slow or dumb.

Learning problems happen because of the way the brain takes in and processes information. As a result, some people learn differently. The trick will be figuring out how you learn best.

There are people who know how to do just that. Your parents and teachers can help you and they can find you a learning specialist or a school psychologist. These professionals can help figure out what a kid's learning problem is - and come up with ideas for how to make it better.

What Are Learning Disabilities?

Learning disabilities aren't contagious, but they can be genetic. That means they can be passed down in families through the genes, like many other traits we get from our parents and grandparents. Someone with a learning problem probably has other family members who have had some learning troubles, too.

Kids with learning problems are sometimes surprised to find out that one of their parents had similar troubles in school. But kids today have an advantage over their parents. Learning experts now know a lot more about the brain and how learning works - so it's easier for kids to get the help they need.

Dyslexia (say: diss-LEKS-ee-uh) is a learning disability that means a kid has a lot of trouble reading and writing. Kids who have trouble with math may have dyscalculia (say: diss-kal-KYOO-lee-uh). And people who have trouble forming letters when they write may have dysgraphia (say: diss-GRAF-ee-uh). Other kids may have language disorders, meaning they have trouble understanding language and understanding what they read.

It can be confusing, though. What qualifies as "trouble" enough to be diagnosed as a learning disability? Reading, doing math, and writing letters may be tough for lots of kids at first. But when those early troubles don't fade away, and it's really difficult to make any progress, it's possible the kid has a learning disability.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is sometimes thought of as a learning disability but usually it's not. Why? Because most kids with ADHD can learn in school without special assistance, even though they may be easily distracted or have trouble sitting still in class. Although ADHD itself isn't a learning disability, researchers believe kids with ADHD may be more likely to have learning problems.

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How Do I Know if I Have a Learning Disability?

It's very hard for a kid to know if he or she has a learning disability. But kids don't have to figure all this out on their own. What a kid needs to do is tell someone. Start with your teacher and your mom or dad.

Even if you feel a little shy about it, tell them what kinds of problems you're having in school. Maybe you read a chapter for homework and then can't remember anything you read. Or in class, maybe everyone else seems to follow along easily, but you get stuck and don't know what page everyone is on. You might open your book to do an assignment and have no idea where to start.

Kids with a learning problem also might answer "yes" to many of these questions:

Do you struggle in school?

Do you think you should be doing better than you are in school?

Is reading harder for you than it should be?

Does your head think one thing but your hand writes something else?

Is writing slow and really hard for you?

Do you make spelling and other errors when you write?

Are you having trouble with math?

Is it hard for you to keep your notebooks and papers organized? Do you end up losing or forgetting them?

But even if you say "yes" to some of these questions, you won't know for sure that there's a problem until you visit a school psychologist or a learning specialist. They can give you some tests to spot any learning problems you might have. They'll also be able to identify what your strengths are - in other words, what you're good at! Once a psychologist or learning specialist figures out what your learning problem is, you both can start working on solutions.

A kid might work with a tutor or specialist or even go to a special class. But often, kids with learning disabilities can continue in their regular classrooms and there's no reason they can't do normal stuff, like participate in school activities and sports.

Though some kids might feel shy about having a learning problem, it can be a relief to finally know what's going on. Then, the kid doesn't have to feel as worried and upset about school - because he or she is learning how to learn in new ways. The psychologist or learning specialist might even give you a learning plan - then you can see what the strategy is for helping you learn. They can even offer help with organizational skills. If you're not organized, it's hard to get any schoolwork done.

Page 2

What You Can Do About Learning Problems

Finding out you have a learning disability can be upsetting. You might feel different from everyone else. But the truth is that learning problems are pretty common. And if your learning specialist or psychologist has figured out which one you're facing, you're on the right track. Now, you can start getting the help you need to do better in school.

But for this special help to really work, you'll need to practice the new skills you're learning. It may take a lot of effort every day. That can be a challenge, but you can do it. Soon, you'll enjoy the results of all your hard work: more fun and success at school!

It worked for Paige. Read what she had to say:

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If you have a learning problem, it doesn't mean you can't learn. But you'll need some help and you'll need to work extra hard. If you have a learning disability, such as dyslexia or dyscalculia (serious trouble with math), remember that you are not slow or dumb.

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Alzheimer Disease (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

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We all forget things once in a while. But Alzheimer disease, a condition older adults can get, is different from everyday forgetting.

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Alzheimer disease is one of the most destructive diseases of old age. The disease destroys nerve cells in the brain. As a result, the brain stops working correctly and memory is affected. Most people who have Alzheimer disease are more than 60 years old. Some people, however, get it before that age.

With Alzheimer disease, a patient's symptoms begin mildly and then become more extreme over time. When the disease begins, Alzheimer patients seem forgetful. Gradually, they lose their memory. Patients also have a hard time speaking and understanding other people. They may not recognize close friends and family, such as their own children. Eventually, patients lose control of body and mind.

Scientists are not sure what causes the death of nerve cells in the brains of Alzheimer patients. They think the cause might be a genetic defect. This means there might be a problem with one of the genes that is passed from parent to child. Because the cause is unknown, there is no way to prevent or cure Alzheimer disease. Medications help to slow the disease in some patients.

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Alzheimer disease is one of the most destructive diseases of old age. The disease destroys nerve cells in the brain. As a result, the brain stops working correctly and memory is affected. Most people who have Alzheimer disease are more than 60 years old. Some people, however, get it before that age.

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Alzheimer's Disease for Kids | What is Alzheimer’s disease? | Causes, symptoms, and prevention

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What Is Alzheimer's Disease? | Brain Disease | The Dr Binocs Show | Peekaboo Kidz

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Motor neurone disease (sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a chronic, progressive, almost always fatal neurological disease.

These are the nerve cells which move muscles when we speak, walk, swallow, and move our body. These diseases get worse with time. They cause increasing disability and, eventually, death. There is no known cure. It is marked by slow but steady death of the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. That is, people can no longer move, but their heart still beats.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common of the five types of motor neuron disease. About 5 to 10% of cases are directly inherited from a person's parents.

The disorder causes muscle weakness and muscle shrinking (atrophy) throughout the body. Both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons die, making them stop sending messages to the muscles. Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken and waste away (atrophy). Eventually, the ability of the brain to start and control voluntary movement is lost. However, even patients in later stages of the disease may still have the same intelligence, memory, and personality they had before it started.

Motor neurone disease does not show many symptoms, making it very hard to diagnose. It usually affects people ages 40-60. The earliest symptoms may include twitching, cramping, or stiffness of muscles; muscle weakness affecting an arm or a leg; slurred and strange-sounding nasal speech; or having a difficult time chewing or swallowing. These general symptoms then develop into clear weakness or atrophy that may cause a physician to believe that a person has ALS.

The parts of the body affected by early symptoms of ALS depend on which muscles in the body are affected first. About 75% of people have limb onset ALS. In some of these cases, symptoms first affect one of the legs, and patients have awkwardness when walking or running or they notice that they are tripping or stumbling more often. Other limb onset patients first see the effects of the disease on a hand or arm as they have a difficult time with simple tasks requiring hand dexterity, or ability to move small things, such as buttoning a shirt, writing, or turning a key in a lock.

About 25% of cases are bulbar onset ALS. These patients first have difficulty speaking clearly. Speech becomes hard to understand and slurred. Speaking through the nose and softer talking are often the first symptoms. Difficulty swallowing, and loss of tongue movement follow. Eventually total loss of speech and ability to keep the airway clear when swallowing are experienced.

There is no cure for ALS. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first drug treatment for the disease: Riluzole (Rilutek). Riluzole is believed to reduce damage to motor neurons. Clinical trials with ALS patients showed that riluzole gives a better chance of survival by several months, mainly in those with a hard time swallowing. The drug also allows more time before a patient needs breathing help. Riluzole does not heal the damage already done to motor neurons. However, this first ALS therapy offers some hope that ALS may one day be slowed by medications.

Other treatments for ALS are designed to make symptoms less painful and improve the quality of life for patients.

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Motor neurone disease (sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a chronic, progressive, almost always fatal neurological disease. These are the nerve cells which move muscles when we speak, walk, swallow, and move our body. These diseases get worse with time. They cause increasing disability and, eventually, death.

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Animals constantly use their senses to gather information about their surroundings. Nerves in the body pick up this information. In most animals the nerves send the...

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Dyslexic Advantage | What is Dysgraphia ?

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👧Sparkle - Inclusive Read Aloud - Dyslexia and Dysgraphia