The following information about autism was obtained from KidsHealth of the Nemours Foundation:
Understanding Autism
Autism
is a disorder that can affect the way a child behaves, thinks, communicates, and
interacts with others. Children with autism are affected in different ways. Some
have only mild symptoms and grow up to live independently, while others have more
severe symptoms and need supported living and working environments throughout their
lives.
Autism affects up to one in every 150 school-age children, which translates to about
560,000 children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). It's more common in boys than girls, affecting almost 1 in 94 boys and is
usually diagnosed when a child is between 15 and 36 months old, although signs of
the disorder can show up earlier.
While there is no cure for autism, and researchers are unsure of its cause, a variety
of therapies and resources are available to help children with autism and their
families.
What Is Autism?
Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning it is one of five disorders that fall under
Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized
by "severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development." Autism affects
each child in different ways, at different levels of severity, regarding their ability
to communicate, process thoughts, and interact socially. Because there's nothing
abnormal about the physical appearance of a child with autism, and because children
develop at different rates, the disorder can be difficult to recognize.
Common features of autism include impaired social interactions, impaired verbal
and nonverbal communication, problems processing information from the senses, and
restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior.
The symptoms may vary from moderate to severe. Two related, milder conditions are Asperger syndrome and "pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified" (PDD-NOS).
The other pervasive developmental disorders include:
- Asperger syndrome - like autism, but with normal language development
- Rett syndrome - very different from autism, and only occurs in females
- Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) - rare condition where a child acquires skills, then loses them by age 10
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), also called atypical autism.
Asperger syndrome is a condition marked by impaired social interactions and limited
repetitive patterns of behavior. Motor milestones may be delayed and clumsiness
is often observed. Asperger syndrome is very similar to or may be the same as high
functioning autism (HFA).
Autism is characterized by:
- communication problems, which may include delays in developing speech, repeating words, and speaking in a monotone that lacks pitch, inflection, or rhythm
- poor social interaction
- repetitive behavior and interests
- unusual behaviors, such as spinning or flapping hands
About one-third of children who are diagnosed with autism develop fairly typically in the first year or two of life, and then begin to regress in the way that they speak and socialize. They may:
- prefer to play by themselves
- not acknowledge other children who play alongside them
- like to line up objects and sort them into colors
- have difficulty making eye contact with other people
If a child shows any one of these behaviors on an isolated basis, it's probably not autism. Usually, it's the collection of these behavior patterns that leads to a diagnosis of autism.
Though children with autism are affected in different ways, in all cases their capacity to communicate and interact with others is impaired. Other behaviors may include:
- speech that's often limited to a few repeated or "echoed" words or phrases
- stopping speaking altogether
- problems with communicating needs
- withdrawing from physical contact with other people
- want to be alone
- seldom playing fantasy or imagination games
- engaging in repetitive movements like rocking, hand flapping, or spinning objects
- throwing tantrums that are prolonged and begin with little warning
- laughing or crying out of nowhere
- difficulty showing or receiving affection
- resistance to change in daily routines
- no fear of danger
- very physically active or very underactive
- lack of response to verbal cues (i.e., calling the child's name, questions, etc.)
- unusual responses to many sensory experiences, especially to sudden, loud noises or high-pitched sounds
- obsession with predictable rituals and sometimes playing with only one part of a toy
Not every child with autism will have all of these behaviors. Some children with autism have just a few of these symptoms, they may appear to be developing within typical expectations, although somewhat slowly.
What Is an Early Intervention Program?
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, the health team assessing your child's development and providing treatment might include:
- a developmental pediatrician (a doctor who specializes in child development)
- a pediatric psychologist
- a speech/language pathologist (who specializes in human communication, its development, and its disorders)
- an occupational therapist (who addresses psychological, social, and environmental factors that may hinder an individual's functioning)
- special education teacher or early childhood educator
Finding a good early intervention program is very important. These programs provide educational and therapeutic services for young children who have been diagnosed with a physical or cognitive disability. Often, these programs are geared toward "breaking through" whatever barriers a child has to social interaction and can help the child learn to communicate with others through speech and other tools, like pointing, pictures, and sign language. These programs also try to pull a child through the repetitive behaviors and guide them toward other activities.
Some children with autism are given medications to help control their symptoms — such as antidepressants for minimizing repetitive behaviors, stimulants for controlling hyperactivity, and anticonvulsants for treating aggression. Some children are also given antipsychotic medications to control repetitive and aggressive behavior.
Finding an Early Intervention Program
Your child's doctor or local Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) can refer you to an early intervention program in your area. Private agencies such as Easter Seals and United Cerebral Palsy Association also provide programs. And check with your school district, which may offer intermediate units or have "child study teams."
Helping Your Child
Learning that a child is has autism can be wrenching for parents. Feeling like they've lost the child they once knew, parents often move through the emotional stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Ongoing professional counseling can help your family accept the diagnosis, move forward, and learn how to best help your child develop to his or her greatest potential.
And you play an extremely important role in helping your child develop. Like other children, children with autism learn primarily through play. So, it's important to join your child in play that you both enjoy.
Here are some of the positive ways that you can interact with your child at home:
- Be consistent, have routines in home and when out.
- Have a place where your child feels child comfortable and secure.
In addition to verbal praise, find other ways to reinforce good behaviors and promote self-esteem. After your child has successfully completed a task, for example, give him or her extra time to play with a favorite toy.
Present information visually as well as verbally. Combine the spoken word with the presentation of photographs and pictures, sign language, symbols, or gestures to help your child make his or her needs, feelings, or ideas known.
Try to show your child affection in as many ways as possible. Though some children with autism have trouble receiving and expressing affection, they can still benefit from nurturing from a parent.
Talk with your child's doctor or members of your child's educational team about support groups and other resources in your area.
Regardless of the degree of the autism, your child needs the nurturing guidance of parents, teachers, doctors, and caregivers to live the most fulfilling life possible.
Additional Resources:
Autism Society of America: www.autism-society.org
AutismSpeaks: www.autismspeaks.org
In the State of Delaware:
Autism Society of Delaware: www.delautism.org
Lower Delaware Autism Foundation: www.ldaf.com