Solving the Autism Problem

By Mary Barbera RN, MSN, Parents' Source, March 20, 2003

Fifteen years ago, when Dustin Hoffman starred in "Rain Man", autism was a rare disability, which affected just one in 10,000 people. Today, it is increasingly common, with 1 in 250 children falling within the Autism Spectrum. It seems these days, everyone knows someone with autism.

Symptoms:

Outdated books listing only autism's severe symptoms often falsely reassure parents who are concerned about their child's development. Symptoms of withdrawal, the inability to speak, and head banging are often listed as the only signs of autism in these books. Many relieved parents whose children do not exhibit severe symptoms do not seek professional help and spend months and sometimes years in denial. Since early intervention is so important to help a child reach his or her potential, a child should receive a diagnosis as early as possible, and intensive intervention should be started promptly.

The Autism Spectrum includes Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Autism, and Asperger's Syndrome, as well as two less common disorders: Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Rett's Syndrome.

A child can be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at 18 months or younger in many cases. Two early red flags are the child's inability to point with his or her index finger to indicate interest in something, and lack of pretend play. Another danger sign is any loss of words or skills. For example, if a child stops saying "mommy", further evaluation is needed. Poor eye contact, spinning objects, or an obsession with a single activity are also cause for concern, and may be symptoms of autism. The website www.firstsigns.org is an excellent resource that lists normal developmental milestones, as well as warning signs of autism.

Possible Causes:

The cause of autism is still unknown. Most experts agree that a genetic predisposition and environmental factors are probably involved. Some speculate that as many as 20 separate genes may be suspect. One possible cause that has received national attention over the past several months is an ingredient in childhood vaccinations called Thimerosol. This ingredient, which contains 50% mercury, was removed from most infant vaccinations beginning in 1999. To learn more about the possible link between mercury and autism, visit the website www.safeminds.org. With the autism rate exploding 1000% over the past ten years, scientists are beginning to realize that something in the environment must be acting as a trigger to those who are genetically susceptible.

Treatments:

Autism professionals agree that early intervention is critical to help children with autism reach their full potential. As many as half of the children who are diagnosed by age three, and who receive early, intensive behavioral therapy can become mainstreamed by first grade. If caught early, the child's brain can be 're-wired', and may allow the child to catch up in many areas. Considering the importance of early intervention, it is devastating to realize that the average age of a child being diagnosed with autism is 5 or 6.

In addition to behavioral therapy, which involves breaking everything learned down in tiny steps, many other types of intervention have been found to be beneficial. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, music therapy, and therapeutic horseback riding have been used with success in many cases.

Educating children in the Spectrum is also very challenging, since some children with ASD can be in the gifted range and extremely verbal, while others are cognitively impaired and mute. A "one size fits all" approach to education for children with autism does not work. Each child needs an individualized education plan that is based on his strengths and needs. Some children do extremely well in regular classrooms with very little support, some need one-to-one aides, and others need specialized classrooms or schools.

Support:

The Berks County Chapter of the Autism Society of America was founded in 2000 by a group of parents. Today, with over 100 active members, the Chapter meets monthly (usually the 2nd Monday evening of each month) at Sacred Heart School. The Chapter fulfills its mission to provide education and support to parents and professionals by publishing a quarterly newsletter and website: www.autismsocietyofberks.org. The Chapter also offers a phone line (610-736-3739), a mentor program for newly diagnosed families, and an annual conference.

Mary Barbera RN, MSN is the Founding President of the Autism Society of Berks. She is the mother of a six-year old son who was diagnosed with autism at age three. She has presented lectures and published several articles related to autism. For more information regarding autism check www.autismsocietyofberks.org.

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