A brief explanation on what Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders are and their prevalence in our society.
What is Autism? Autism is usually referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD. This is due to the fact that with every child affected there are degrees to the child's symptoms and how it impacts their daily lives. You may have one child that stares for hours in a corner and refuses to interact with anyone and yet another child may socialize well with adults but avoids interacting with others in their peer group.
Autism (ASD) is a neurological disorder that has somehow affected the brain functions. I tend to express it in terms of "wiring". For example, a non-verbal child may understand what you are saying, but is unable to process the information correctly to form words in order to communicate back.
Autism is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). PDD is a type of neurological disorder that expresses itself through severe and pervasive impairment in a number of developmental areas. There are 5 disorders under PDD:
- Autistic Disorder
- Asperger's Syndrome
- Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
- Rett's Disorder
- PDD-NOS (Not Otherwise Specified)
Boys are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with Autism (ASD) then girls. According to the Department of Education from 1992 to 1997 the increase reports of the number of children with autism increased 173%. There is no explanation for the increase and it has been determined through various studies that the increase has nothing to do with the better diagnosing criteria. Currently, 1-166 births are diagnosed with ASD. That means there are about 1.5 million children affected and the numbers seem to be continuing to rise about 10-17% annually.
Symptoms appear within the first 3 years of life. Some children manifest symptoms from birth, others appear to develop normally and then begin to regress, even losing verbal and motor abilities they once had mastered.
There are a few medical tests given to check children for various genetic abnormalities that cause forms of mental retardation associated with ASD, but not all children on the autistic spectrum have these conditions. Autism is diagnosed by observing certain characteristics:
- Social Impairment
- Lack of verbal and non-verbal communication
- Poor imaginative thought or play
When you begin to talk to others it is amazing how many people either know of someone or have personally been affected by Autism. Better awareness has aided in better diagnostic testing, research and therapies. Autism is an ever-increasing field and the information is boundless. Each child is unique and has their own challenges and gifts.
