Autism Awareness - Grammy's Little Helpers

Having been a teacher and tutor, I’ve often encountered parents whose children have difficulty in school, wonder if their child is autistic. So, exactly what is autism and what are the signs we should look for?

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 out of 69 children in the United States according the Center for Disease Control.. “Spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms and severity. There is no one kind of autism, as each person has his/her own distinct challenges including social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication,.

ASD is a heritable condition—that is, it runs in families. Studies have shown that when one identical twin has ASD the other twin almost always does as well. While 90 percent of the cause is due to genetic factors, environment also plays a role.

Although some children will show signs of autism earlier, the symptoms usually appear by age 2 or 3. According to Autism Speaks, here’s what to look for:

By 6 months

Few or no big smiles or other warm, joyful and engaging expressions
Limited or no eye contact

By 9 months

Little or no back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions

By 12 months

Little or no babbling
Little or no back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving
Little or no response to name

By 16 months

Very few or no words

By 24 months

Very few or no meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating)

At any age

Loss of previously acquired speech, babbling or social skills
Avoidance of eye contact
Persistent preference for solitude
Difficulty understanding other people’s feelings
Delayed language development
Persistent repetition of words or phrases (echolalia)
Resistance to minor changes in routine or surroundings
Restricted interests
Repetitive behaviors (flapping, rocking, spinning, etc.)
Unusual and intense reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, textures, lights and/or colors

There are other medical conditions associated with ASD. Among them:

My friend Pat has a teenage son with autism and gave me three of her favorite resources to share with you. The Arc of Macomb County assists in applying for Entitlement Programs such as Social Security, Medicaid, Food, etc. They also advocate for guardianship, housing and mental health issues among other services. The Arc also works with Michigan Rehabilitative Services to provide training and job placement services.

Autism Society provides articles related to living with autism, future planning and even legal resources. It has an extensive AutismSource Database and an Affiliate Network. There are several ways to contact Autism Society including e-mail and by telephone.

The Gluten-free and Casein-free (GFCF) Diet (gfcf.com) is actually a website that anyone who wants a gluten-free, casein-free diet can use. We always hear about “gluten-free” but this sight actually gives the foods to avoid and recipes for the foods to eat.

Thanks for your help, Pat. I know a lot of you have little helpers to share too, so please visit my website and share!!

Pat’s son goes to Lutz School for 18 – 26 year old students with special needs. I don’t know how long this link will last, but here’s a story about how these students there saved taxpayers a whole bunch of money.