Ten Things You Should Know About Autism
by CLAIRE DALTON, Contributing Writer
1. Autism is a brain development disability that is becoming more and more prevalent in the U.S. Currently, one in 150 children in the U.S. and almost one in 94 boys are diagnosed with autism and it is believed that many cases go undiagnosed. A diagnosis of autism may mean different things for each child, as autism is a “spectrum disorder,” meaning it will affect each individual differently. However, autism is marked by difficulty in (1) communication, (2) interaction with others and (3) repetitive behaviors.
2. The disability of an individual with autism is measured on a scale, the Autism Spectrum Disorder scale, which spans from low to high functioning autism. The disabilities on this spectrum are often demarcated by the many faces of autism, such as Rett syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and Asperger syndrome.
3. Signs of autism usually appear before a child turns five years old and are often more intense than older children. These signs may include:
•Lack of verbal communication and a preference for gestures or pointing
•Repetitive movements such as hand flapping, head rolling, and body rocking
•Repetitive behaviors such as stacking and lining up items
•Diminished responsiveness and/or intense fascination with single objects or subjects
•Hyper-sensitivity to touch or sound and reduced sensitivity to pain
•Self-injury like skin picking and head-banging
•Lack of imaginative play
•Rigidity, or resistance to change, such as schedule changes or moved furniture
While no single one of these signs can be used as the sole evidence to diagnose autism, most autistic individuals exhibit a number of these signs.
4. Autism is treatable, but the best results come from early intervention, while a child’s brain is developing rapidly. It is far easier during this time to teach these young children cognitive and social skills that will be crucial in their childhood, especially as they enter school, where delayed development can be not only frustrating but debilitating. Treatment for these children can include:
•Behavioral interventions, where therapists conduct intense training exercises to help teach social and language skills
•Medications like anti-anxiety and anti-depressants, to help these individuals deal with some of the symptoms associated with autism.
Though symptoms often become more muted in adulthood (which often makes it harder to diagnose), adolescents and adults are often treated in many of the same ways as children, with positive results.
5. It is believed that autism is likely a result of both genetic and environmental factors. Scientists have found a number of genes that are present in individuals with autism and have found that families with one autistic child have a one in 20 chance of having another autistic child. Similarly, families of autistic children often show that relatives or even parents display mild disabilities in communication and interaction.
The most prominent environmental factor being considered as a cause of autism is childhood vaccines, typically given to a child at 18 months. Many parents report their child reaching all their developmental milestones at the appropriate time, then suddenly seeing those skills, such as motor abilities and frequent babbling, slowing and even reversing in development. Higher incidence of aggression is also commonly reported after these vaccines, another symptom sometimes associated with autism. The CDC and many other organizations have been considering this potential cause mostly on a case-by-case basis. There is currently no conclusive evidence connecting autism to inoculations.
6. Autistic children are typically very bright, and are often much more visual. This may be part of the reason behind some of the unusual talents sometimes exhibited in autistic individuals, such as a very early reading ability, memorization and recitation, and a propensity for musical performance. In some cases, autistic individuals will even exhibit savant-level abilities.
7. It is believed that most people exhibit autistic tendencies, such as picking at imperfections in the skin, high levels of anxiety, type-A focus on order, and perfectionism. It is when these behaviors are debilitating in an individual that autism is diagnosed, but for the rest of us, we exhibit these small symptoms without any neurological impact. In autistic individuals, it is theorized that there is executive and social cognition dysfunction as a result of excess disrupted or unbalanced neuron activity.
8. Raising an autistic child can put a large financial strain on families. According to the Autism Society of America, the average lifetime cost of these individuals is $3.5-$5 million, as opposed to about $300k to raise a child without autism. This figure primarily consists of medical costs and doctor’s visits, adult care, therapies and medications, and special education, as well as lost income.
9. Our school systems are also finding it difficult to deal with the increased prominence of autism, especially in a poor economy where raising adequate funds for private schools is harder to achieve. Currently, government funding spends an annual $90 billion on costs for autism; those costs include research, Medicaid, insurance, housing, transportation, education, employment, therapeutic services, and caregiver costs. As a result, public schools are often found in need of more funding for special education, paraprofessional services, and one-on-one instruction and repetition training. However, federal law requires our public schools provide the “least restrictive” educational environment as possible for our children, and many schools have taken on this challenge despite the trials.
10. There are a number of organizations raising awareness for autism that you can get involved with, such as Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America. These organizations help fund research, educate the public about autism, works to create important legislation to support those with autism and their families, and provide support for families as they cope with an autism diagnosis. There are also organizations that are more specifically focused on raising awareness of vaccines as a potential cause of autism, such as Generation Rescue. The more you can educate yourself and others about autism and what we can do to improve the lives of those living with autism, the more likely we can reverse this growing disability.
Photo by Norma Desmond, flickr
- Posted by Causecast
Related causes: Health
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Forgot to include link below http://tinyurl.com/m9r8ws
I support Shannorosa 100% There is room for all views on the subject of Autism. There is room for the Autism Corp folks to meet w Obamas http://tr.im/tgYB I have signed the petitition.
That being said I am not sure where the anger towards a Causecast organization comes from. Generation Rescue does more than most realize. Research support respite Rescue Angels Political Activism Until there is a Cause Cure and restititution Thousands upon thousands...Represented in part by the 5000 in the court process right now believe in Humanity Hope & Hell. Humanity to care for one another. Hope for a cure. Hell for those who poisoned a generation.
The Thoughts below is one reason we chose Angela Warner the Creator of www.AutismSalutes.com to meet with Michelle Obama Who among us does not support Military Families dealing with Autism ? Only the Government as far as I see.
Links below incorporate the parentheses, so let's try again. Autism Corps URL: http://tr.im/tgYB
Avoiding autism organizations with negative attitudes:
http://tr.im/tgVI
Yelpingninny, please know that you more than likely have nothing to worry about. The odds are still very much in your favor. You should try to focus on having a healthy pregnancy, and banishing as much stress from your life as you possibly can.
Even if your child does have autism, you both will likely be okay. Autism is a spectrum disorder; it manifests in many different ways, and there are so many positive organizations and communities out there to support you and your child (though not enough of them, which is why we are trying to create an Autism Corps
to support people with autism: http://tr.im/tgYB).
Unfortunately Generation Rescue is not one of those helpful organizations; their focus is usually negative and belief- rather than fact-based (more on this topic at
http://tr.im/tgVI).
If you can't not obsess, then try reading autobiographies of adults with autism to understand their childhood challenges, and how their autism has in fact contributed to their adult successes: Temple Grandin's Thinking in
Pictures, Daniel Hammett's Born on a Blue Day, and John Elder Robison's Look Me in the Eye.
And keep repeating to yourself: "The odds are in my favor. The odds are in my favor."
Good luck.
Couple more things... Demand an end to Autism Insurance discrimination. Request Autism Be included in H.R. 3200
http://www.causecast.org/member/tanners-dad/videos/10364-autism-insurance-reform-need-now-dreams-deferred
Also help with the campaign to ask Michelle Obama meet with the Autism Community http://tinyurl.com/m9r8ws
Autism is more than a issue of youth. It is an issue of life. Children Adults Parents Grandparents & Siblings. Help Now!
http://www.causecast.org/videos/3131-the-most-beautiful-child-becomes-an-adult-pay-now-or-pay-later-pay-for-autism-recovery-now
Yelpinginny that is where Generation Rescue and Tacanow can help. They both provide information to visit with your Doctor about. Alternate Vaccine schedules, diets, and supplements. You do not have to be scared you can be healthy & proactive.
As an expectant mother myself, I find the statistics and personal experiences of friends dealing with autistic children terrifying. I wish that there was more information about prevention and early diagnosis, but it seems like so much about autism is still a mystery. It seems like for now there isn't much a parent can do by way of prevention and facing a 1 in 94-150 statistic can be more than troubling.