Autism 101

Parenting is a challenge to anyone who undertakes it, but imagine for a moment trying to care for a child that is often unresponsive, frightened of change, or seems to be trapped in his own little world.  Unfortunately this scenario is very real for a number of parents, and there is a reported divorce rate of more than 80% in families with autistic children, leaving a very real burden on the remaining parent- almost always the mother. I wanted to discuss autism today to bring some awareness to the parenting community. As bad as we think we all have it as a single mom, it can always get worse. We should be grateful that our children are healthy, and educate ourselves regarding autism so we can see warning signs, and perhaps help ease the burden on others. 

After hearing that my son might potentially be diagnosed with mild Aspergers, I took it on myself to do a large amount of research into the disease, and I’m going to share it with you here.

In modern times approximately one to three in one thousand children born will have autism, and one in every one hundred ten children will be affected by an autism spectrum disorder. 

Autism is a neurological disorder that appears during the first few years of life.  Symptoms may begin as early as six months and are fairly evident by age three.  Autism is most commonly recognized for its impact on an individual’s social and communication skills, but a child with autism can display a wide variety of symptoms.  There is not one specific symptom that leads to diagnosis.  The symptoms are caused by the misrouting of information through the synapses of the brain.  Because the effects of the disease on an individual vary greatly, autism is called a “spectrum disease.” 

Autism is classified as one of three autism spectrum disorders or ASDs.  The second ASD is Asperger Syndrome.  It is a more mild form of autism that has more of an impact on a child’s social skills than it does on a child’s intellectual development.  The third ASD is Pervasive Development Disorder, or atypical autism, which is an autistic disorder that does not fit into the other categories.

The symptoms of autism vary between individuals, but the most common symptoms fall into three categories:  communication, social, and repetitive behaviors. Examples of communication symptoms include delayed speech, pointing instead of talking or asking, and lack of eye contact.  Socially, children with the disease have trouble holding a conversation, sharing their emotions, or understanding others.  As a result, autistic children often prefer to play alone.  Repetitive behaviors include being unwilling or unable to make changes in daily routines, eating foods of certain shapes or textures, doing the same activity over and over, using the same words, or even repetitive self-injury.

There are tools such as the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) that medical professionals use to screen for the disease.  Screening for autism is a very lengthy process that includes a number of medical specialists.  First, they gather information about the child’s behavior and development, by observing the child and asking the parents to complete a questionnaire.  After the screening, the physician will either rule out the possibility of ASD or require a team of healthcare professionals to perform additional comprehensive testing.  The team includes but is not limited to a psychologist, a neurologist, and a speech therapist.  The team performs in-depth cognitive and language testing and completes a full neurological assessment of the child.  After the thorough evaluation, the team can make a proper diagnosis.

Currently, there is no cure for autism, but there are ways to treat the symptoms.  Studies show children who are diagnosed early and undergo treatment often have lesser impact from the disease than untreated individuals.  The treatments may consist of a combination of family and behavioral counseling, and medications for anxiety and to aid digestion. 

Unfortunately, autism does not improve with age, and most individuals with more severe forms of the disorder will need care for the duration of their life.  Foundations such as Autism Speaks and the Autism Research Institute continue to work toward a cure and provide assistance to affected families.  Everyone can help the foundations’ efforts by increasing their knowledge about the disorder, making monetary donations or by becoming involved in local service efforts.  Perhaps one day we will find a cure but until then treatment is a community effort.

American Psychiatric Association.  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.  4th, text revision  (ed.  2000)

Levy SE, Mandell DS, Schultz RT.  Autism.  Lancet.  2009

Office of Communications and Public Liason, Ninds.  (2009, September).  Autism Fact Sheet.  Retrieved April 9, 2011, from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm