Autism is becoming more and more pervasive. The exact causes for this expansion is not fully known, but even though there are many children in our communities that have Autism Spectrum Disorder, there is still a lot of confusion and lack of information about what the signs of Autism are.
What do you do if you suspect your child may have Autism?
First, trust yourself. You are the parent. You know your child best. You see things that other people may not see. If you feel that there is a reason to worry, don't brush it under the rug or allow other people, even your pediatrician or spouse, to stifle that feeling until you get a solid explanation.
Second, don't be afraid of the answer. The reality is that you can't hide forever, and the sooner you find out the better it will be for your child. No matter what you find it is always better to start working on therapies and strategies immediately than wait while your child worsens or stagnates developmentally. In the case of Autism Spectrum Disorders, early intervention is very important. No matter what the professionals find out about your child, no matter what label is applied, that child will still be the same little person you know and love--and you will have a better idea of how to reach him or her.
Next, find a place to get answers. It is always a good idea to voice any concerns you have to your family doctor or pediatrician. If they dismiss you without fully addressing your worries, urge them to give you a satisfying answer. Ask them to refer you to someone who can clearly diagnose your child, such as a pediatric neurologist, pediatric psychologist or speech pathologist.
A wonderful organization to call with any developmental concerns for children from birth through age 3 is Early Childhood Intervention. ECI is a statewide agency that works to diagnose developmental delays and putting action plans in place to help children from birth to age three. ECI uses a sliding fee schedule. They never turn someone away for lack of ability to pay. You can find the ECI office closest to you by calling 2-1-1 or looking on their Web site.
If your child is over the age of 3 but not yet in school, you can call your local school district special education office and tell them that you have a child with an educational need (key words) for special education testing, and that you understand that the testing is available through Federal Child Find laws (more key words). Even if you home school your child, the local school district is obligated to help you get testing and provide therapy for your child through dual enrollment. There are also organizations specifically geared towards those educating their special needs children at home.
If your child is on the milder end of the spectrum and is already older and having issues at home or school, talk to their teachers and see if the school diagnostician might help figure out what the problem might be. There are many caring people out there whose job it is to help you catch developmental issues and resolve them but sometimes you have to take the initiative to find them.
There are many lists out there of "red flags" for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Everyone on the spectrum is different, but there are several things that are fairly common among them. They are:
1. Atypical eye contact. This is any eye contact that is not ordinary. Maybe your child won't look at you, or maybe he does but he is actually looking at your mouth and not your eyes. Your child might make eye contact, but stands too close to you, or will glance at you very briefly when you come into a room. It may even be that your child looks your right in the eyes, but does so intently for an unusually long period of time--longer than you would normally feel comfortable maintaining eye contact with someone.
2. Lack of speech or atypical speech. While one child on the spectrum may not speak at all or may use made-up words to communicate needs, another may have very advanced speech development for their age or use rehearsed language. Repetition of movie lines or using singing to communicate are other forms of atypical speech. Inability to hold a back-and-forth conversation is common as well. (A question may go unanswered, or the topic may be changed immediately to something the child wants to talk about completely ignoring the other person.)
3. Desire for sameness. Other lists might call this being "routine bound." I think that "desire for sameness" encompasses more. You might see that your child prefers the same food, clothes, or toys day after day. In and of itself this kind of "picky" behavior is fairly common in children, but where it differs is when the behavior seems obsessive, such as a constant need to line up toys that are similar, put clothing or toys in a certain order, or eat food in a certain order. Desire for sameness can also explain the uncomfortable feeling or difficulty that some people on the spectrum have with changes in general.
4. Lack of typical fear response. Either a complete lack of fear of things like heights, water, animals, the street; or a disproportionately large unwarranted fear of things like puppets, certain TV shows or sounds, or being left with a babysitter--even a familiar one.
5. Preferring being alone to being with others. This one is pretty self-explanatory. Sitting alone for hours when there are other children around, never coming to an adult caregiver for help or to show you something, and seeking out solitude are all included in this type of behavior.
6. Something is just different about your child. You can't put your finger on what it is, but you know there is something. This is a legitimate reason to have your child evaluated by a professional. Trust your gut instinct.
Finally, there are many people who are on the Autism journey. Seek them out. Parents are a great resource and are usually very willing to share what they know. Asking questions of someone who has already walked this road is a wonderful way of finding strategies for dealing with the many issues that arise.
The bottom line is simple: it is your job to give your child what they need to thrive in this world. Your unconditional love is the most important thing you have and it can carry you far.
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Additional resources:
Wrightslaw (explains in detail your legal rights as a parent in getting help for your child.)
Autism Speaks
(especially their 100-day kit)
Mansfield ISD Special Education
Grand Prairie ISD Special Education
Arlington ISD Special Education
Fort Worth ISD Special Education
Comments
Wow. Great article! Thanks.
Gentle and informative articles like this raise awareness and weed out the facts in such a way that a medical non-savvy Mom can understand with out having to wade through all the medical jargon. It makes a big difference when a real Mom writes on this subject instead of clinical researchers. Thanks!
Wonderful information in a straight forward, easy to understand list. Love the "key words" and references. You are so right, we are our childs biggest fan and protector, it is key that we take the actions to help them grow strong. Thank you so much for sharing!
Great Article! Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge with us.
Great article with wonderful information!
If you have a kid that may be autistic, you should talk not only to other parents but also to autistic adults. We might be able to help you understand what's going on in your child's mind and the situations s/he may face in the future.
Our local school district has info on how to get an evaluation on their website. They make it very clear that anyone (parent, friend, etc) can call for the evaluation and that these resources are available for public or homeschoolers.
thanks for all the info- keep up the great writing!
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