Autism Spectrum Disorder
Do you ever recall the ‘strange’ kids from school? The kids that would eat lunch by themselves, that didn’t like being in groups, or talking to anyone. The kids that were labeled as different in every ones eyes and were probably made fun of for it. At such a young age of course nobody had knowledge about autism so they couldn’t possibly take that into consideration. These children are on the autism spectrum disorder, but don’t understand why they’re different than other kids and it must be confusing. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders defines autism spectrum disorder as a “group of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized by repetitive and characteristic patterns of behavior and difficulties with social communication and interaction.” Children are unaware of what autism is and how it may effect them or other children around them. By raising autism awareness we can help these children rise above autism symptoms with the help of early intervention and many other forms of effective treatment.
ASD affects 1 in 68 children and it effects four times as many boys as it does girls. Children with autism can show noticeable signs as early as 18 months old. It is important that parents are aware of the early warning signs so that they may seek professional help. Babies may show signs of delay by not making eye contact, responding to their name, or demonstrating unusual repetitive behaviors. Children with autism are likely to have trouble with communication and social skills. Autism causes their brain to make connections differently than other people. Therefore, they process the world differently.
All children should be screened and examined for autism but unfortunately that only seems to happen for the children whose parents are aware and detected signs early. It’s unfortunate for the children that go through their life with no comprehension of why they think and see things differently. They have to struggle academically and socially and that will inevitably end up affecting them later in life and dictating how independent they may be as adults.
Behavior and communication approaches, dietary approaches, complementary and alternative medicine are the general categories of approaches for early intervention that are being used to reduce signs of autism. Every child will require different therapies depending on the severity of their autism and what they personally struggle with. Autism is such a broad spectrum and it wouldn’t make sense for every child to receive identical treatment.
Therapies and early intervention programs can be costly but thankfully there is a state ran federal grant program in every state to help with the process. This program allows your child to be screened for autism and they will take care of the cost regardless of the results. If the child is diagnosed with autism the family will then receive an Individualized Family Service Program which will recommend different services or programs for the child. The IFSP will describe your child’s current developmental levels, show you ways to improve your child’s development, outline the specific services that you and your family will receive, and give you goal dates for starting and ending
services. EI also helps children and families with the transition into elementary school when the child is ready for Pre-K.
Early intervention can change a child’s entire life. Helping children with autism develop social skills can make a world of difference in how they interact and play with other children as well as communicate. Getting children with ASD help at the first signs of delay is essential to optimize their chance to live an independent, productive, and successful life. Early intervention will give these children the opportunity to get a normal education and pursue a career. There is nothing to lose from seeking help and having a child evaluated but there is plenty to gain from doing so.