You recently learned your child has autism. Yet, there was no blood test or X-ray to prove it. A part of you is not sure the diagnosis is complete or is accurate. Getting some basic information would be nice and many of you may have attempted to do so. It is easier said than done though.

There is so much information available on the subject of autism via books, websites, blogs etc dedicated to the subject , yet there are so many who are still lost and still looking for answers to their questions. It is not surprising though, because autism is complex. Suspecting that your child or loved one may have autism is not the best place to be at especially as you face a string of doubts and questions. Perhaps you noticed something strange about the way your child is behaving recently and are looking for reasons behind this. You are not sure what is going on, whether your child or loved one indeed has autism or something else is going on. You may be wondering if it is something to do with the diet or the exercise pattern or something at school that may have occurred without your knowledge, an injury of some sort perhaps.

Does your child’s behavior indicate autism or it is just an unusual behavior which is part of a passing phase? Do you need to get a formal diagnosis and if so, who can provide it? Some of the resources you may turn to for answers may contain too much jargon and may leave you with more questions than providing answers to your original questions.

I am going to share some very basic information here to get you started and for the sake of simplicity will format it in easy to read bullet points. For a detailed version, I recommend reading Unraveling Autism: A Practical Guide to Understanding ASD and Managing Your Child’s Behaviors’.

·       Autism or (ASD) Autism Spectrum Disorder-CDC defines autism as a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.

·       The core symptoms of ASD include deficits in social interaction and communication as well as the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors. 

·       Early signs of autism include avoiding eye contact, limited interest or awareness of caretakers, limited display of language or communication and getting upset with changes in routines.

·       Detection is possible as early as 18 months of age and usually by age 2 years

·       The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends developmental and behavioral screening for all children during regular well-child visits at 9 months, 18 months and 30 months. In addition, AAP recommends that all children be screened specifically for ASD during regular well-child doctor visits at 18 months and 24 months.

·       Treatments –usually involve behavioral therapy. Applied Behavior Analysis or Behavior therapy, Early Start Denver Model, Occupational and Speech therapy.

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/treatment.html

·       There is NO research to conclusively provide proof of correlation between vaccines and occurrence of autism. There is no single known cause of autism, and it is generally known to be due to abnormalities in brain structure or function.

·       Social skills–lack of interest in other people, lack of understanding of other people’s feelings or interests, lack of understanding of how to develop friendship, sharing objects etc.

·       Communication-CDC reports that each person with autism has different skills in this area. Some may not speak at all, others may while some may use repeated phrases and sentences only. Some individuals may not understand the varied social rules as related to contexts, meaning, perspective, attitudes etc and communication.

·       Unusual interest and behaviors-repetitive behaviors such as pacing on toes, rocking back n forth, hand flapping, finger flicking, lining up toys in a rigid pattern etc are usually seen

·       Sensory-over reactivity or under reactivity to sound, touch, taste, smell, light, taste, feel, temperature, and pain response.

·       Sleeping and eating patterns or choices are sometimes affected due to sensory issues.

·       Receiving Services-Children with disabilities, including ASD, may be eligible for services through the local education system beginning at age 3 years. Children with ASD often have an Individualized Education Planexternal icon (IEP) or a 504 planexternal icon. Eligible children can begin to receive services prior to formally starting school, even if the child has not been diagnosed with ASD.

·       If you are concerned about your child, contact your local public school system. Even if your child is not yet old enough for kindergarten or enrolled in a public school, you can call your local elementary school or board of education and ask to speak with someone who can help you have your child evaluated. This is sometimes called a “Child Find” evaluation. You do not need to wait for a doctor’s referral or medical diagnosis to make this call. If you are not sure who to contact, call the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) at #919-962-2001, or visit the ECTA website

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/accessing-services-for-autism-spectrum-disorder.html