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.
I’ve seen too many parents who are simply in denial of having a child with autism and it gets quite sad because there are so many ways you can help your child nowadays. Thank you so much for all this information. I know it will help a lot of parents who have children with autism or even parents who have a fear of their child getting it.
Thanks for sharing! I worked with girl who had severe autism years ago. Its really difficult when you don’t know what to expect, but with the right tools, it can be so uplifting! Thanks for sharing!
I did a internship in an inclusive class when I was in school for Early Education. There were two Autistic children…it really helps to be well informed.
Thank you for sharing this post on autism, I think is one of the most used words and diagnosis also the least understood. I appreciate you sharing your perspective and the journey you have undertaken with your son.
My Mom was a paraeducator for years. The advances today are amazing and so glad to see so many advocates and parents of Autistic children are the best educators!
Thank you for creating awareness about understanding autism. It is really important for parents to be knowledgeable about it.
Very informative post about autism…
Thank you to this post, those who are reading it will be more informed about Autism.
Great. That was the intent. Many people hide the fact that their children have autism, because the world is not educated on what it really is.