Information on Autism

Information on Autism

Autism is a rare syndrome that affects an individual's social interactions and communication skills. This lifelong developmental disability is estimated to occur in approximately one in 1,000 births. It is more commonly found in males than females at a ratio of 4 to 1. Autistic behaviors typically begin appearing between the ages of 18 months and three years of age.

Children with autism can demonstrate a wide variety of behaviors. All of the characteristics listed below do not need to be present in order for autism to be diagnosed.

1. Abnormal responses to sensations of touch, taste, hearing, sight and smell. For example:

poor attention to sights and sounds
withdrawal from sights, sounds and touch
inappropriate smelling, licking or staring
self-stimulating movements
hyper or hypo activity

2. Delayed development of motor skills. For example:

problems with fine motor skills, including speech, grasping objects
delayed crawling, walking and running
apraxia of motor skills (difficulty with voluntary motor skills)
clumsy or awkward movements

3. Delayed development of communication skills. For example:

absence of language
inability to name objects
lack of nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions and gestures.
echolalia (echoing or repeating what is said)
poor understanding
difficulty communicating basic wants and needs
difficulty answering and asking questions

4. Inappropriate socialization. For example:

inappropriate emotional responses or behavior such as crying, giggling, anger or aggression for unknown reason
resistance to change in routines
failure to develop cooperative play and friendships
rituals or repetitive and unusual motions
inappropriate or unusual attachments to objects
no fear of real dangers

Causes of Autism
Recent research has determined that in children with autism, brain abnormalities arise during early development These abnormalities are genetically linked and new research is being done to determine the exact cause.

There is no known cure for autism, but continued research provides deeper insights into the effective methods and strategies for teaching children with autism. Early intervention for children with autism or autistic-like symptoms provides the greatest opportunity for these children to develop social and communication skills.

What can I do?
If you suspect your child may have autism, see your pediatrician. Although there is no cure, early intervention is highly beneficial to most children with autism. Educational programs are available to specifically deal with the challenges presented by a child with autism. Additionally, support programs and counseling services are available for families and are an important component of any intervention program. Finally, a speech-language pathologist can develop a treatment program to enhance communication and language skills in the child with autism.

For more information contact:
The Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center offers thorough evaluations and therapy. If you live in the Seattle area and have concerns about your child's communication skills, please call us at (206)323-5770 and ask to speak with one of our speech-language pathologists one of our speech-language pathologists.

Autism Society of America
7910 Woodmont Ave.
Suite 650
Bethesda, MD 20814
(800) 328-8476

American Speech-Language and Hearing Association
10801 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
800-498-2071