[ad_1]
In the United States, approximately one in 59 children is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – an intellectual disability caused by differences in the brain. Here is what autism looks like and why early intervention is essential.
When Sara Hood's 3-year-old son was diagnosed with autism, it was a good thing, in a way.
"I knew very early that something was wrong," said Hood, a resident of Loudoun County, Virginia, who defends his right to autism and whose husband, Ziggy Hood, is a 10-year-old NFL veteran who played for the Washington Redskins.
"It took a lot of tests to finally establish the diagnosis – I know some parents are scared of the label, but it's one of the best things that happened to us … because we have could help him and find a way to turn him into the most successful human and make him as independent as possible once the diagnosis is received. "
In the United States, approximately one in 59 children is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – an intellectual disability caused by differences in the brain. Lisa Goring, of Autism Speaks, said these differences could have an impact on communication skills and social and behavioral interactions.
Signs of ASD may appear during the first months of a child's life; but sometimes its symptoms – such as having an obsessive interest, avoiding eye contact and having unusual reactions to sound, smell, taste, appearance and touch – can do not appear before the age of 2 years. Mr. Goring indicated that the other red flags did not have a "big smile" at 6 months, no words at 12 months and no two-word return phrases at 24 months.
"And if at any point your child loses skills, you would like to contact your pediatrician or health care provider," added Goring.
According to Goring, autism can "be reliably diagnosed at the age of 2," but according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than half of children identified with an ASD receive a diagnosis at the age of 4 years. Early diagnosis leads to earlier interventions, whose research shows that it has a significant impact on improving a child's language skills and social interactions.
"Early intervention is a way to help you and your child understand their world and develop the skills they need to live as well as possible. So, the sooner this intervention is undertaken, the better the results will be, "said Goring. that each state offers free assessments and early intervention services, even without a diagnosis of ASD.
After Hood was diagnosed with her son, she said that she had "cried the future" that she had planned for him, but she soon left him out and "plunged headlong into everything and anything" to give his son the best chance of success. This resulted in a combination of speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy, as well as an applied behavior analysis therapy (or ABA), which had the most important impact.
His best advice for parents of an autistic child: never stop defending your child's needs and do not hesitate to contact others who are experiencing the same thing.
"Talk to someone, because you're not alone," Hood said.
"Do not fight on your own – do not be quiet – find a group of resources, find other families you can connect with and help you."
She has also found useful tools and links through Facebook groups and local and national organizations, such as the Bethesda, Maryland-based Autism Society.
Autism Speaks is another resource for parents of an autistic child and people with autism. According to Goring, the organization has a dedicated response team that responds to e-mails and phone calls in Spanish and English, and its website offers a variety of support resources, from diagnosis to adult life. .
The son of Hood is now 8 years old. Although he is doing well, she adds that there are still challenges ahead.
"There will always be challenges, but you will learn to find beauty in these challenges," said Hood.
"I see the world differently because of him, because he loves beauty in things we do not know."
World Autism Day will be held on April 2nd. It's an internationally recognized day to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism.
Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to start a conversation about this article and others.
© 2019 WTOP. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located in the European Economic Area.
[ad_2]
Source link