Autism Awareness

Apr 1

April is Autism Awareness Month! Individuals with autism have many different symptoms, so it is usually referred to as a “spectrum” of qualities or varied behaviors associated with autism. As time progresses, we find more and more individuals each year are diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Today, approximately 1 in 59 children is diagnosed with ASD. Autism is broad in its diagnosis, and its characteristics range from social skills and behavior to physical aspects like seizures or sleep disorders. Mental health is also a factor associated with ASD - it just depends on the individual and the level of support they require. With children, early intervention is key. The developing mind can significantly benefit from different forms of learning at an early age, to aid in developing language skills for those who may be non-verbal or developing skills and abilities to live a more independent life.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism Spectrum Disorder describes the generalized combination of effects that come from the genetic and environmental differences in the person's DNA. The range of learning and skill strength is varied depending on genetic predispositions and can affect how people think, problem solve, and learn. ASD is diagnosed by carefully watching the child develop, there’s no one specific blood test that can determine this diagnosis.

Common Characteristics of Autism

Symptoms of autism may develop early in life for a young one and go undiagnosed but will persist in their daily life without a diagnosis. You can find specialized healthcare professionals who can assess the severity scale of the autism your child is diagnosed with that can help you keep track of the different stages so you and your family can receive support around how to give the young one proper care.

Some of the common characteristics that people with autism exhibit are social communication challenges, sensory challenges, physical and mental health challenges, as well as restricted or repetitive behaviors.

These characteristics include:

Difficulty with nonverbal communications
Expressing emotions
Understanding other’s emotions and language
Feeling overwhelmed in social situations
Sensory sensitivity in all the senses (light, touch, taste, smell, hear)
Repetitive motion or language
Need for strict routine
Staring at lights or fixating on objects

Causes of Autism

There’s not one specific cause of Autism. Throughout time, research has shown that the most contributing factors are both environmental and genetic. The difficulty in diagnosing Autism is that cause is not the same for everyone. There are folks born with the same genetic and environmental backgrounds who may or may not develop Autism later in life. Some other factors that contribute to a child having autism are the parent’s health and environment during pregnancy as well as if there were any complications during birth, advanced parental age, and pregnancies less than one year apart. Again, in this situation sometimes these circumstances are a factor in whether a child develops Autism, but for some, it doesn’t have this effect.

Disorders Included in ASD

There are many different disorders that fall under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Hence the term ASD. Some of these include:

Asperger’s Syndrome: folks with Asperger’s are very productive and capable in their daily lives but struggle to socially connect with others.
Pervasive Developmental Disorder: Includes those with a disorder that affects them worse than Asperger’s but is not as severe as Autism disorder.
Autism Disorder: more severe symptoms but closely related to the others aforementioned.
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder: Children who develop under normal circumstances and then quickly lose their language and social skills between the ages of 2 and 4. Seizures may accompany these symptoms.
High Functioning Autism: not an official diagnosis but used to describe people who are predominantly independent by handling their basic life skills on their own. This is similar to Asperger’s.

The Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism is up to 1 in 68 from 1 in 88 children which were the results in 2008. Out of every 1 in 68 children in the US that are diagnosed with Autism each year, 1 in 42 boys are diagnosed and 1 in 189 girls. This means the gap is about 5 boys for every girl. As research continues, we know that it’s not necessarily true that more boys than girls have Autism, it’s just that the symptoms can look different based on the socialization of boys and girls. Some girls also may get misdiagnosed with ADHD which may look similar in some cases. Girls may have less obvious behaviors or may be quieter or more subtle in their approach but it’s still very important to determine if they have ASD.

The CDC determines how many children have Autism based on the research done by the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network which was set up by the CDC in 2000. This team looks specifically at 8-year-olds every 2 years to look for signs of Autism within schools and if they find results they submit them to the state.

Positive Traits of Autism

There are many positive attributes that come from Autism Spectrum Disorder, and it’s so important to make sure loved ones with this disorder feel cared for and not made to feel “different” for their differences by highlighting the positives.

Just some of these traits include:

The ability to absorb and retain information because of a more focused long term memory
Very concentrated focus
Drawn to the creative and possessing a vivid imagination
Commitment to thriving, best with a consistent schedule
Visual learning
In-depth knowledge about a vast range of topics
Attention to detail
Curiosity to learn about new things

Occupational Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Occupational Therapists are a great resource for people with ASD and their families by teaching the person (young or old) how to develop their social, physical, cognitive, and motor skills. Developing these skills help a person become more independent to care for themselves. The programs that Occupational Therapists use for people with Autism focus on self-care techniques, learning strategies, and physical activities through different forms of play. They are also able to help them with day-to-day activities such as eating, grooming, getting dressed, and other motor skills. Their level of training provides them with the ability to identify and assist with eating and swallowing issues as well.

Physical Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Physical Therapy is another helpful tool for children with ASD because although movement is crucial for all people — it is especially so for those with limited physical range. Physical Therapists help people with Autism with a wide variety of motor movements including games that can help them play with their peers.

Speech Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism can severely impact a person’s ability to speak. Some people who have Autism aren’t able to speak at all and completely non-verbal. A Speech-Language Pathologist can effectively help anyone on the Autism Spectrum communicate through a variety of methods like improving their nonverbal skills, improving their language, or the alternative approach of communicating through pictures, this is called Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC). Other AACs are sign language, tablets, and speech output devices.

Put on the Puzzle

During Autism Awareness Month, the symbol to showcase is the puzzle piece. You can show your support by sporting a puzzle piece ribbon or pin with multi-colored puzzle pieces. This is one of the most recognized symbols for the ASD community and spreading the support will help spread more awareness about ASD. The colorful pattern reflects the varying degrees and many different characteristics of ASD, with the diverse and ranging complexity of the disorder.

You can get your own puzzle piece to show your support and increase awareness. Buy your ribbon or buy a pin now! You can also add the puzzle to your profile photo on social media or get some stickers to share. The more people know about ASD and understand the options for support and services as well as the importance of early intervention, the better suited those individuals with ASD will be to live a full and independent life.

Cultural Impact

One of the mainstays for childhood education and entertainment is PBS’ Sesame Street. Almost every adult grew up with it and almost every child know about it. As is tradition for the show, they promote inclusion and awareness for all types of causes. One way they are increasing awareness about ASD is through their new character - Julia. Julia happens to have autism. The role Julia plays in acceptance and understanding about autism is important and has a direct impact. Sesame Workshop states that parents have reached out to tell them about their child with autism who is now receiving more invitations to play with other kids and be included in playdates because of Julia’s introduction. The autism community has expressed overwhelming support of the character and her impact through social media and different stories in the media. You can learn more about Julia from Sesame Workshop.

Local Partners & Resources

Tilton’s is proud to announce a new partnership with Summit Autism Services in Las Vegas. In addition to providing some great resources focused on autism awareness and occupational therapy in April, we’ll showcase our new partner and more of what Summit Autism Services can do. Individualized treatment plans allow for your child to grow and gain skills in the areas they most need, from communication skills, social skills, or restrictions in behavior due to stereotyping. Their approach at Summit Autism Services delivers “customized support and training using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) while adhering to the ethical and professional guidelines set forth by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), and the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA).” SummitAutism.com

Summit Autism Services approaches their treatment plans with an individualized scope through a process of 1:1 treatment, data-based decision making, and completing the process with parent training. While parents are generally great advocates for their children and their needs, direct involvement in the development of their child is necessary for the best possible outcome - and it will allow parents to be able to implement these strategies at home for a longer time.

If you are interested in ABA therapy with a naturalistic and functional methodology, check them out online at summitautism.com.

Summit Autism is also showcasing an opportunity to be a part of an upcoming research study parents can participate in with their children. If your child is between the ages of 18 - 48 months and has been diagnosed, or has a strong suspicion of ASD within the past year you may be eligible to participate! You can find out more about the study and learn how you can participate, or check out their upcoming coaching program Little Sprouts! Watch the video explanation along with the flyer, and get in touch with Summit Autism Services for your next steps.

Another local resource for families with ASD, FEAT provides parents and caregivers with a community while also offering treatment guidance and information for their benefit.

“Families for Effective Autism Treatment, Inc. (FEAT) is a non-profit organization of parents and professionals, designed to help families with children who have received the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), or Asperger’s Syndrome. We offer a support network where families can meet each other and discuss issues surrounding autism and treatment options. FEAT has a Board of Directors that meets monthly to discuss issues, establish priorities, and vote on the direction of the organization.”

From https://featsonv.org/about

Parents of Kids with ASD

If you know anyone who has a child with ASD, there are ways you can offer your support and help them feel more understood and accepted. Here are a few ways to accomplish this:

Offer to accompany them to meetings or appointments where advocating for their child is important. If you know the child, you can be a major asset in helping them explain or make a case for their child's abilities when necessary.
For close friends, offer to support by babysitting or caring for their child so they can enjoy something they don’t often get to do. For infants, many parents endure many sleepless nights. If possible, offer to stay up or help care for their child through the night on occasion.
Keep inviting your friend to do fun things. A parent of a child with autism might often cancel plans or turn down invitations, but don’t let it stop you from continuing to include them.
Help encourage your friend to get any support necessary to facilitate treatment and increase quality of life.
Support groups or meetings of community groups can sometimes be intimidating. Offer to join your friend in a group setting to start, and help them feel more confident and comfortable.

Learn more about ASD and ways to help friends who care for a child with ASD. There are so many great resources out there for parents, and Tilton’s Therapy for Tots continues to focus on providing caregivers with valuable information to help their kids and others.