By Erika Siever, MPH

Hello Black Women for Wellness Family!

April is autism awareness month.   What is autism?  Autism is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors often appearing in early childhood — usually before age 3.  Some children diagnosed with autism are highly intelligent; others are mentally challenged.  Did you know that 1 in every 88 children in America is affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)1 ; and the ratio of boys to girls with ASD is about 5-to-1.  On average, white children are diagnosed around six years old, while Black children are not diagnosed until they’re almost eight. It may only seem like a small difference in time, but early treatment is the key to reducing the challenges parents stand to face ahead.  No one knows exactly what causes autism and at this time there is no known cure, but with early interventions like speech, behavioral and occupational therapies children on the autism spectrum develop speaking, social and motor skills they’re missing.   As a mother of two, with a 7 year old son on the autism spectrum, I’m grateful that I learned the signs of autism early to help him to become the vibrant boy that he is today.
Know the signs:
Social skills

• Fails to respond to his or her name
• Has poor eye contact
• Appears not to hear you at times
• Resists cuddling and holding
• Appears unaware of others’ feelings
• Seems to prefer playing alone — retreats into his or her “own world”

Language

• Starts talking later than age 2, and has other developmental delays by 30 months
• Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences
• Doesn’t make eye contact when making requests
• Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm — may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
• Can’t start a conversation or keep one going
• May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn’t understand how to use them

Behavior

• Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping
• Develops specific routines or rituals
• Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals
• Moves constantly
• May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car
• May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and yet oblivious to pain

My tips for parents with a child with autism:

• Be your child’s biggest advocate
• Learn everything you can about autism.
• Ensure that their educational institution meets their specific learning needs
• Connect with a Regional Center in your area
• Join a support group
• Great websites

• http://www.specialneedsnetwork.net
• http://www.autismspeaks.org
• http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
• http://www.wrightslaw.com
• Find a Defeat Autism Now (DAN) doctor in your area. These are clinicians specially trained by the Autism Research Institute to treat autism.4
• Find a ‘Generation Rescue Angel’ in your area for answers and advice from parents who’ve been in your shoes.5
• Ask your child’s primary care doctor for a referral to a speech pathologist, occupational therapist and applied behavior specialist.6

Citations
1,2  http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html
3 http://www.bet.com/news/health/2011/04/22/black-children-and-autism-the-difference-is-black-and-white.html
4,5,6 http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com