| Save if you have an autistic child yourself or know of | | | | many that say that environmental factors are major |
| one, many of you would probably get to know what | | | | contributors. |
| autism is through watching the movie Rain Man. In the | | | | The DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of |
| movie, Dustin Hoffman was brilliant as the autistic adult. | | | | Mental Disorders, fourth edition) lays out a complex |
| The movie also highlighted many of the frustrations | | | | criteria for diagnosing autism in children and adults, but |
| faced by families with dealing with an autistic child or | | | | in general the symptoms of autism include: |
| adult. It sheds light on the daily realities that a | | | | - Delays (or the loss of) physical, social and language |
| high-functioning autistic person must face. Despite the | | | | skills. |
| movie, there are still many myths surrounding autism. | | | | - Abnormal reactions to sensation |
| It is important to get to know what autism is as recent | | | | - Speech and language delays or abnormalities while |
| statistics show alarming figures indicating the | | | | associated thinking skills may be present |
| prevalence of this condition. Autism is a brain disorder | | | | - Abnormal ways of relating to people, objects and |
| that affects an estimated 210,000 people in the United | | | | events. |
| States. This comes up to approximately 1.5 per 1000 | | | | If you have just discovered that your child is autistic, |
| people. Many advocacy groups are alarmed that | | | | you may find it challenging to deal with the amount of |
| autism cases have risen exponentially since 1993, the | | | | information and myths that are floating around. |
| first year that data for autism was submitted | | | | Additionally, there are plenty of social and emotional |
| separately to the Department of Education. Their | | | | issues that you have to handle. For instance, you may |
| reactions are based on a staggering 800% increase of | | | | even find that others have a bias towards you if they |
| cases with autism in the last ten years. Despite this set | | | | still believe in autism comes from bad parenting. You |
| of statistics, many are not convinced by the data. | | | | may also feel bewildered by the vast number of |
| They believe that there has been a fundamental flaw | | | | treatments that are available to autistic children and |
| in data collection. Reasons include the loosening of | | | | yet at the same time, bitterly disappointed by the lack |
| diagnostic criteria for autism as well as the fact that | | | | of understanding shown by mainstream schools and |
| the figures were understated years ago as hardly | | | | medical facilities. |
| anyone knew what autism was then. | | | | Personally, I did not have much support and help when |
| Autism is an umbrella term that refers to a broad | | | | my daughter first got diagnosed by a psychologist. The |
| range of developmental delays and disorders. It is | | | | psychologist did not present me with any comforting |
| usually first noticed in a child when he or she is three | | | | thoughts nor recommend alternative therapies. I have |
| years of age. Parents of autistic children will be | | | | been largely left to my own devices to search for |
| saddened to find out that autism is a lifelong condition. | | | | appropriate treatments and therapies for my child. |
| Many years ago, autism symptoms are often | | | | What I do find useful to share from my own |
| attributed to cold parenting or unloving parents. Medical | | | | experience is that early detection is of great |
| doctors no longer believe that there is any | | | | importance. Knowing what autism is and what to look |
| psychological cause for autism. Despite numerous | | | | out for helps in early detection and identification of this |
| studies, there is no known cause for autism. There are | | | | condition. |