April is Autism Awareness Month, a month devoted to spreading awareness and increasing understanding of autism, the fastest growing developmental disability. The movement is not only about understanding, but also about moving toward acceptance and appreciation of autism, explains the Autism Society, which founded Autism Awareness Month
Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is the official term used to describe characteristics associated with the autism spectrum. It’s an umbrella term that covers a wide variety of symptoms. In general, Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate and form relationships with people.
About three million people in the United States live with ASD, and so does about 1% of the world’s population. And the numbers are growing; prevalence in the US has increased more than 100% since 2000.
Characteristic signs of ASD usually start to appear in children between the ages of 24 months and six years old. The Autism Society lists signs to look for in young children as not making hand or arm gestures by 12 months, not saying single words by 16 months, or having any loss of language or social skill at any age. These are not definite signs of autism, however, as early detection can have a major impact on the future of a child with ASD, observation as a child is key. In fact, early detection and intervention can reduce the overall cost of raising a child with ASD by 2/3.
Under the umbrella of ASD is a disorder called Asperger’s, which is sometimes referred to as a milder form of autism. Children with Asperger’s show most characteristics associated with ASD but have normal intelligence and language development. Children with Asperger’s, by definition, don’t have a speech delay, but still may struggle with the subtleties of language, such as understanding sarcasm or inflections in tone. Another characteristic is having interests that border on obsessions. Asperger’s children often “like to collect categories of things, such as rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient on knowledge categories of information . . . They may have good rote memory skills but struggle with abstract concepts,” the Autism Society states. They also often have motor skill delays and may appear clumsy.
Children with autism and with Asperger’s may both have trouble in social situations, appear not to be empathetic, show limited eye contact, or seem unengaged. However, children with Asperger’s usually show more of a desire to fit in, whereas children with autism usually shy away from interaction. It’s important to realize that everyone with ASD is an individual and therefore has characteristics that may differ from others with ASD. No two people with ASD are exactly the same.
Any child on the autism spectrum faces difficulties, as do their families. For children with autism and for the parents and siblings of a child with autism, stress is a part of life. Both parties may feel frustrated when they can’t effectively communicate to one another. Parents may feel isolated from friends and extended family when they feel they aren’t able to bring their ASD child to social gatherings because of his/her special needs and how he/she may behave. There are also stresses from finances, dealing with school, government, and psychological services, and helping siblings understand ASD and adjust to its impact on their lives.
Autism Speaks is encouraging people to promote Autism Awareness Month by turning their social media profile pictures blue, tweeting facts about autism, and using the hashtag #LIUB for “light it up blue.” For more ways to get involved, check out suggestions from the Autism Speaks website.