Autism: An Epidemic
More and more children are being diagnosed with Autism in the last couple of years than ever before. Whether this is because of better diagnostic tools, more observant parents, or higher incidences of Autism, one thing is certain: The sooner you can catch it, the sooner you can begin treatment.
Symptoms of Autism in young children includes toe walking, extreme fits of rage, spinning, hand flapping, delayed speech, delayed fine and gross motor skills, the child may act as if he is deaf, little to no eye contact, child prefers not to be touched, insistence on sameness of routine, and violent tantrums or "meltdowns" over small things or over nothing at all.
Autism can be diagnosed by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or developmental pediatrician. Many general practitioners will not diagnose, and prefer to refer the patient to one of the previously mentioned specialists instead. You may have to speak to several different doctors, and sometimes it takes years to truly get a good, correct diagnosis.
Children with Autism can go on to lead normal lives. There is no real way of telling by looking at a young child, what he will be like as an adult, but with intense therapeutic intervention great improvements can be made and quality of life greatly improved.
No one knows what causes Autism. There are theories that it is caused by mercury in vaccinations, by environmental mercury, by swelling of the brian tissue, or lack of oxygen to the brain. It may be genetic, and inherited from a much less severely affected family member, or it may be entirely random. Some consider Autism to be not a disorder or disease, but a difference in the way the mind works and the wiring of the brain. Whatever causes it, we know that early intervention makes a huge difference for these children.
Early Intervention: How it Works
Early Intervention services are typically geared toward the newborn to age three demographic. Often, agencies will service children with all types of developmental disabilities, from Autism to Downs Syndrome and everything in between. Referrals are made by a pediatrician, and a family is assigned a caseworker. An evaluation with a Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, and a Developmental Pediatrician or Psychologist determines whether the child can be diagnosed, and whether he or she meets criteria to receive intervention services.
If the child is eligible for services, there is often a waiting list. You may wait between a week and several months, but services are typically free of charge, paid for by the Early Intervention Program of your particular state. Services provided by Early Intervention programs include speech therapy, occupational therapy, some behavioral intervention, physical therapy and sometimes even respite care to give parents a break.
Never Too Early
Historically, it's been difficult for parents to get a concrete diagnosis prior to age five or so. As Autism is a disorder characterized by lack of verbal communication and problems with social interactions, it is very difficult to diagnose before the child reaches talking age. However, recently thanks to better testing and more observant parents and pediatricians, it has ben possible to get at least enough of a tentative diagnosis to get services.
The key to helping a child with Autism succeed to his potential is starting therapies as early as possible. A child who began Speech therapy at age 2 is going to have more opportunity to learn than a child who was not diagnosed or assessed until he turned 12.
The Benefits
Early Intervention is not a cure, in and of itself. It's a tool, a stepping stone to get the tools you need to help your child reach his full potential. Your EI caseworker will connect you to the services and professionals who can help with each specific issue, and will do routine testing to determine progress and whether additional services are needed. They can also be a valuable resource for information, support, and encouragement to parents.
If you even suspect your child is having a delay in speech or any other area, please do not hesitate to contact your local Early Intervention program. Even if it turns out your child is not eligible for services, you'll have the peace of mind of knowing that he was tested by professionals and that if he did have any issues, that they could be addressed. When one has an Autistic child, every service, ever member of the treatment team is one more weight lifted from your shoulders.