Questions Surrounding Autism and Early Development

What causes Autism?

Autism has no single cause. Researchers have identified a number of genes that play a role in the disorder. The genetic basis is believed to be complex and probably involves several genes in combination. In some children, environmental factors also may play a role in development of the disorder. Whatever the cause, it is clear that children with autism are born with the disorder or born with the potential to develop it. It is not caused by bad parenting. Autism is not a mental illness. Children with autism are not unruly kids who choose not to behave. In addition, no known psychological factors in the development of the child have been shown to cause autism.

Is there a cure for Autism?

 There is currently no known cure for Autism. To cure means, "to restore to health, soundness, or normality." In the medical sense, there is no cure for the differences in the brain, which result in autism. However, better understanding of the disorder has led to the development of better coping mechanisms and interventions to treat the many symptoms of the disability. Some of these symptoms may lessen as the child ages; others may disappear altogether. With appropriate intervention, many of the associated behaviors can be positively changed; even to the point in some cases, that the child or adult may appear to the untrained person to no longer have autism. The majority of children and adults will, however, continue to exhibit some manifestations of autism to some degree throughout their entire lives. www.autismtoday.com

Do vaccinations cause Autism?

The simple answer is, "Nobody really knows." But nothing's simple when it comes to autism. The research done thus far mostly indicates that more research needs to be done.

Who diagnoses autism?

The diagnosis is made by examinations conducted by medical and mental health professionals in conjunction with input from occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, teachers, and parents. A diagnostic evaluation is based on the observation of the child’s skills in all areas, especially in communication, interaction with others, and developmental skill levels. The diagnosis requires many assessments and cannot be completed during a single behavioral observation.

At what age can autism be diagnosed?

Although some children show autistic patterns of social interaction almost from birth, others do not show overt signs until age two or three. This makes it difficult to give a definitive diagnosis of autism before age three. In addition to variability of “first signs”, rates of development in infants and young children are widely variable. New screening tools and assessments are being developed to help with this process at earlier ages.

Why is early intervention important?

Mays and Gillon (1993) suggest that early intervention can improve communication skills and reduce out-of-control behaviors. Beck Williams, a nurse therapist working with children with autism, believes it is an advantage to know the child from a very young age and that it is possible to intervene at the start of a new behavior, which has the potential to become self-mutilating or dangerous (Williams, B., 1991).

How do I know which treatment is best for my child?

There is no absolute answer to this question, which makes life very complicated for parents of children on the spectrum. To some degree, the choice of therapies may be dictated by cost: only some therapies are covered by Medicare and/or private insurance, and many school districts will provide only specific therapies. Of course, it's possible to take legal action to obtain more therapeutic options, but that can be a complex process. In addition, your decisions may have to be based on what's available in your area. Large cities may have a variety of therapists in the phone book, but outside of metropolitan areas it's tough to find many types of practitioners.

Now that my child has been diagnosed, what's next?

From birth to 3 years of age, each state has early intervention programs. For the state of Tennessee, there is Tennessee Early Intervention System. TEIS is a statewide service for children with developmental delays and disabilities from birth to 3 years and their families. From 3 years to approximately 21 years of age, there are public special education services provided for children that meet state requirements. Special education services may include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and additional academic aids.

How can my child be assessed if he/she cannot talk?

There are receptive language assessments such as the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) that assesses a child’s ability to understand spoken language. There is also a nonverbal IQ test such as the TONI made available for nonverbal children. Your physician or school psychologist will better assist you in finding correct assessment tools.