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AutismAutism is a neurological and developmental disorder that becomes evident in the first three years of a child's life. The disorder is defined by extreme unresponsiveness to others, lack of communication, and repetitive or rigid behaviors. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 1994, approximately 75 percent of the children with Autism function on a mentally retarded level. It is noteworthy that 80 percent of all cases occur in boys, though the reasons for this are not apparent to researchers. Parents may notice very early that their baby or young child is "different." A lack of responsiveness to others is an early indicator. Infants with autism do not seem interested in being picked up by mom or dad, and do not reach out for, or appear to recognize others. Delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language is one of the signs of autism. Fifty percent of autistic children develop no verbal skills, or very limited skills. Those who do develop language often speak in peculiar ways, including an abnormal tone, pitch and volume. They may repeat the exact word or phrase they hear, yet they have no understanding of the actual meaning of what they are saying. Rigid behavior is a very common sign of autism including intense preoccupation with a narrow area of interest, and inflexible adherence to routine and rituals. Autistic children have been known to throw tantrums if a parent wears an unfamiliar pair of glasses or when a chair is moved to another part of the room. A child may become very attached to unusual objects such as a rubber band or plastic lid, rather than a doll or toy. If a parent tries to take the object away from the child, a tantrum will be the likely result. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of children diagnosed with autism currently is one out of 150 children, as compared to one in 2,000 ten years ago, which, if taken literally, indicates that the illness has increased. However this is misleading. In reality, in recent years the scope of the definition of autism has been expanded to include a number of other related disorders including Asperger's Disorder and, due to advances in the medical and psychiatric field, more children are being identified at an early age. Parents should start by talking with a medical professional if they have concerns. There is no known cure for autism, but improvement can occur, especially if interventions are started early. Contributed by Ken Loos, MS, LMLP, LCP Consultation and Education Department Mail questions to: High Plains Mental Health Center, PLAIN SENSE, Consultation and Education Department, 208 East 7th, Hays, KS 67601; or visit www.highplainsmentalhealth.com.
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