What is Autism? Understanding Autism

What is Autism

You may be asking yourself:

“What is Autism?”

I know that Autism is far from understood by many.

I write about Autism in hopes that I can shed a little light on it for some of you.

Below are a few Statistics I that found on the Autism Society.

I would like to share them with you, so maybe you can understand a little better.

Autism Facts and Statistics

  • 1 percent of the population of children in the U.S. ages 3-17 have an autism spectrum disorder.
  • Prevalence is estimated at 1 in 88 births.
  • 1 to 1.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder.
  • Fastest-growing developmental disability; 1,148% growth rate.
  • 10 – 17 % annual growth.
  • $60 billion annual cost.
  • 60% of costs are in adult services.
  • Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention.
  • In 10 years, the annual cost will be $200-400 billion.
  • 1 percent of the adult population of the United Kingdom have an autism spectrum disorder.

Devon did everything early, crawled, walked and talked early.

When he was about 18 months he stopped talking and would just babble.

At first I just thought he was just slowing down but when he was about 2.5 years old I knew something wasn’t right.

He would have horrible tantrums, would only eat certain foods and he was very sensitive to sound.

We decided to have him tested and found out he was Autistic.

Devon is now 19 years old, and he has started saying words again, for many years I didn’t hear that one word any mother craves, “mommy” Devon started saying that again about 3 years ago.

” While there is currently no cure, or an effective means of prevention, early detection and intervention can result in critical improvements for many young children. The most important thing parents and caregivers can do is to learn the early signs of autism and understand the typical developmental milestones their child should be reaching at different ages Symptoms of autism are usually noticed within the child’s first 3 years, these  symptoms of  autism can include difficulties in:

  • Social interactions
  • Demand Avoidance
  • Verbal and nonverbal communication
  • Limited interests in activities or play”

The information above was found on WebMd

The earlier a child is diagnosed with autism, the greater the chance for success in treatment.

Devon was in school by the time he was 3.

We knew something was wrong but we had no idea what it was.

With the help of his teachers and of course his case manager, they knew where Devon needed to be.

What type of classroom was the best for him! 

Effective intervention programs focus on developing communication, social and cognitive skills, and include training for parents and teachers as well.

Many families are uninformed, confused and even fearful when a child exhibits signs of autism.

There is a ton of resourceful information out there to help parents and caregivers.

There is no reason to ever feel like your going at this alone, because your not!

Short of a cure, awareness and early detection are our best weapons and are critical to improving the lives of individuals and families struggling with autism.

Check out this related reading on Autism; How Autism Affects my Family, Autism Has Many Faces and How to Deal with an Autism Meltdown.

Did you enjoy this article?
Signup today and receive free updates straight in your inbox. We will never share or sell your email address.
I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )

9 Comments

  1. Avatar Lexie Lane
  2. Avatar cindy b
  3. Avatar Pamela R
  4. Avatar Karen
  5. Avatar Erinn A
  6. Avatar Candyz Nikka
  7. Avatar Garf
  8. Avatar Peachy @ The Peach Kitchen
    • Avatar Catherine Clutchey

Add Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.