AUTISM....Moving From Awareness to Acceptance

April is Autism Awareness Month. I think it’s important that Autism has been getting increased recognition over the past decade. After all, 1 in 68 children born in the United States will be diagnosed with Autism. And perhaps these children might be better served were the name changed to Autism Acceptance Month.  Children who have been diagnosed with autism have “invisible” special needs. They have difficulty with social interactions and communication and are often looked upon as “slow” or “stupid,” when in fact, many people with autism have higher than average intelligence.

I am reminded of a story shared with me by one parent who was told by her doctor that her 3 year old son was on the autistic spectrum.  As she reeled back in silence and self-pity, her doctor quickly added, “maybe he’ll be a pediatrician or a surgeon one day.  I can clearly attest to the fact that I have had several colleagues over the years that were autistic.  And not to stereotype… but, they were quite brilliant.”  The parent went home realizing that the diagnosis was not the horror she expected.  She was going home with the same little boy with whom she came in.  His potential was high.  It’s just that the road to helping him reach his potential would be different and more difficult than most.

I am not suggesting that all children diagnosed with autism can one day be doctors.  Rather, I am pointing out that the autistic population is diverse in terms of their potential, their needs and their learning styles. It is our job as parents to identify the issues, get an early start on addressing them, and most important, be loving, caring, patient, and respectful – the same characteristics that are needed to raise any child. 

In terms of identifying autism, much work has been done in helping parents learn the early signs. They include:

·  No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter

·  No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by nine months

· No babbling by 12 months

· No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, reaching or waving by 12 months

· No words by 16 months

· No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months

· Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age

· No eye contact …also at any age 

If your child fits into any of these categories, formal diagnosis can best be offered by a developmental pediatrician. And if your child gets a diagnosis of Autism, it is important to begin therapy as soon as possible. Therapy for autism should focus on improving communication skills, social interactions and possible sensory processing issues.

The Autistic Child is often said to be living in their own special world.  If the solution to this were as simple as them saying, “here are the directions and keys into my world,” things would be a lot easier for parents. More often than not, we have to look for the subtle clues that provide insights into the child’s interests and passions.  Through hard work and good therapies we can often uncover the keys to their worlds and the clues to maximizing their potentials.

Janice Blaifeder, MS, CCC is an ASHA certified pediatric speech-language pathologist in Wayne, NJ. She has over 25 years of experience in treating children with speech and language delays. You can reach her at 973.809.4730 or Readysettalk@yahoo.com.  Follow her on Facebook at readysettalk.