Raising Awareness: Autism

I've recently seen commercials on television stating that a child's chances of developing autism are about 1 in 166; according to CDC report earlier this year, that figure has risen to about 1 in 150 children.

What is autism? There are several disorders which fall under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorders, including classical autism, Asperger syndrome, Rhett syndrome, and others. These are usually determined by the behaviors the child exhibits in conjunction with a number of tests to rule out other causes and can be mild to severe. These children generally have limited social functioning and language skills, but we all need to remember that this does not necessarily mean they are cognitively impaired. A few common indicators of autism, which should be discussed with the child's pediatrician during the various stages of a child's development, include:

• Indifference to or refusal to accept physical contact (i.e., cuddling).
  
• Failure to respond to name and/or poorly developed receptive/expressive language skills.
  
• Intent concentration on a single object while ignoring other surroundings.
• Self-injurious behavior (head-banging, picking) or repetitive motions (rocking, spinning).

Early diagnosis and treatment is key to assuring these children have the best chances for a more normal future. There is no cure for autism, but we need to do everything in our power to give them that chance. Family history plays an important role in diagnosing autism. Other possible causes of some autism-type behaviors need to be ruled out, such as hearing impairment or chromosomal abnormalities. The most important part of treatment for an autistic child, once a diagnosis is ascertained, is refusing to give up on them. These are frequently normally cognitive individuals trapped inside a mind that will not allow them to express themselves in a way that others can understand.