The Unknown Epidemic

Juliet C.

Do you ever see a child in a store with his or her parents and is out of control? Do you ask yourself why or do you say, "My kid would never do that." Sometimes that child may have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities that [are] caused by unusual brain development. One out of five hundred children are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. The disorder can be identifying as early as eighteen months old to three years old. It ranges from mild to severe, with the milder form being called Asperger Syndrome. If a child is symptomatic of either disorder, but does not meet the specific criteria; the diagnosis is call Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD).

Parents are the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child. I am one of those parents; my son has Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), he was diagnosed at age three. It seems as if he was developing normally except that he would not talk, he was obsess[ed] in watching one particular television show and like[d] playing with the same toy repeatedly. I kept telling his doctor that something was wrong with my son, but he said that my son was just very slow. I asked how my son could be slow when he was walking at ten months old.

Some indicators of autism is if the child does not respond to his or her name, cannot explain what he or she wants, language skills or speech are delayed; he or she throws intense tantrums, prefer[s] to play alone. My son demonstrated all of these symptoms, but his doctor did not put the pieces together. Autism is a complex disorder that affects each child differently; parents have to persistent.

The earlier the disorder is diagnosed, the earlier the child can be helped through treatment intervention. Pediatrician, family physicians, teachers and some parents may dismiss signs of autism, thinking the child is a little slow and will "catch up", just like my son's doctor did. Every state provides education services for children who have developmental disabilities. These programs can start right after a child is born until the child is about twenty-two years old.

All children with autism demonstrate deficits in social interaction, verbal communication, repetitive behaviors or interest. Each of these symptoms ranges from mild to severe and will present itself differently in each child. For example, a child may have little trouble learning to read, but exhibit extremely poor social interaction. My son is a very good reader and speller, but his social skill was very poor. Whenever I had friends over to my house, he would go to his room and stay until they left. For example if the other child tried to play with him, he would look at the child as if he was looking through him instead of at him. I tried very hard not to let him pull into himself so I would always tell the children not to give up on him, to keep talking to him and eventually he will answer and it worked.

About forty percent of children with autism do not talk. Others have echolalia, which is repeating something that was said to them. When my son was younger and I asked him, "Do you want something to drink?," his reply was "Do you want something to drink?" I am fortunate that my son can now talk, but he still has language deficit, meaning what is said to him does not mean the same thing to him as it [does] to someone else.

Children with autism have repetitive behaviors; they play with the same toys or watch the same television program. Since he was six months old, my son [has] enjoy[ed] watching "Wheel OF Fortune" every day at the same time before he could read a clock and he is now fourteen years old. He also knows all the names of stars of the movie "Batman" from the sixties to the present. Children with autism have remarkable memories.

Some children with autism have difficulties controlling their emotions. For example, if they have an outburst in class or being aggressive when their routines change unexpected, it can be interpreted as immature behaviors or a child who is out of control. These behaviors make social relationships more difficult; my son exhibits all of these behaviors, and I spent a lot of time at his school from kindergarten until second grade. It can be very difficult for some parents and teachers. My son had wonderful teachers who [were] patient, understanding and [were] willing to work with me.

When autism is diagnosed, it can be beneficial for children, parents and teachers because everyone needs to work together; that is the only way the child will be successful. My son is living proof of what working together does. He has adjusted very well; he is more social, very talkative at times-sometimes very inappropriately. He will be going to high school next year and he will still be in a small setting, which will help him to learn at his pace. Maybe one day society may benefit from his disability.

Parents have to find the strong points of their child develop it and use it as his or her strength. Focus on what each child can do instead of what he or she cannot do. So whenever you see a child in a store who is throwing a tantrum, do not judge that child, maybe he or she may have "That Unknown Epidemic."