HERSHEY – April is Autism Awareness Month, and this year Americans became acutely aware of this growing neurological disorder with the results of a study indicating that one in every 150 children born today will be diagnosed with autism. The numbers are even more alarming for boys. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in every 94 boys will be diagnosed with some degree of disability caused by autism. Today more kids are diagnosed with autism than with cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined.
The U.S. Department of Education and other governmental agencies have released statistics indicating that autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year. The Autism Society of America estimates that at this rate, the number of Americans diagnosed with autism could reach 4 million in the next decade.
Autism can affect anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, lifestyle or level of education. It affects each individual differently and with varying severity. Early diagnosis is critical, so learning the signs of autism can help parents recognize that their child may have the disorder and get them into a specialized intervention program.
Signs
Children with autism may appear normal for the first few months of life, but gradually become more and more unresponsive. An autistic child does not form attachments with his or her parents, prefers to be alone, avoids eye contact and does not enjoy cuddling or any close human contact. As an infant, he or she may cry when picked up.
Autistic children usually have speech delays or do not speak at all. They often have difficulty understanding what is said to them and may repeat words or phrases that are spoken to them. They also often reverse pronouns, referring to themselves as “you” instead of “I” or “me.” Symptoms as the child ages include difficulty with imaginative or fantasy play; repeated actions such as rhythmic rocking, arm flapping and finger twirling; obsession with one idea or object; unusual responses to sounds; indifference to the feelings of others; abnormal speech patterns and tones; screaming fits; and resistance to change and hyperactivity.
In severe cases, autistic children may play with their own bodily fluids and injure themselves deliberately. About 10 percent of children with autism have an extraordinary ability in one area, such as in mathematics, memory, music or art. This phenomenon is referred to as “autistic savant.” Autism has no effect on life expectancy, and some autistic adults can hold jobs, especially those that require a great deal of repetition.
Sensitivity
Being aware of autism also means being sensitive to the individuals and families trying to deal with it. To foster that sensitivity, a video on autism is being produced in a joint venture between the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare’s Autism Task Force and the Pennsylvania Technical and Training Network, a division of the state’s education department.
The video is narrated by Susan Mayes, chief psychologist and professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Penn State College of Medicine. Mayes walks viewers through several scenarios in which they may encounter an autistic person — in public, in school, on the job, etc.
A renowned researcher of autism, Mayes emphasizes the importance of understanding the disorder so people are better equipped to handle situations involving those afflicted with it. “You can’t assume an autistic person is going to respond to the world around us the same way most people would,” she explained.