I am a very strong advocate of early intervention. I remember when Jason was a baby and we would discuss developmental problems, the pediatrician almost always said lets wait and see. An autism diagnosis is not a platform for ridicule and judgement, it is a starting point for treatment and constructive communications. Receiving a diagnosis of autism can be devastating to some parents, but for others it can be a relief to have a label for their child’s symptoms. Some parents can be overwhelmed by fear and grief for the loss of the future they had hoped for for their child, and joining parent support groups and talking to other parents may help. However, these strong emotions also motivate parents to find effective help for their children. The diagnosis is important because it can open the doors to many services, and help parents learn about treatments that have benefited similar children. The most important point I want to make is that autistic individuals have the potential to grow and improve. Contrary to what you may hear from out-of-touch professionals or read in old books, autism is treatable. It is important to find effective services, treatments, and education for autistic children as soon as possible. The earlier these children receive appropriate treatment, the better their prognosis (though it’s never too late to improve overall quality of life). Their progress through life may be slower than others, but they can still live happy and productive lives with appropriate support. Autism literally means “aloneness,” or living in one’s own world. In severe cases, young children may not interact with others, or treat people as objects. In milder cases it involves difficulty understanding and relating to others, and difficulty understanding other people’s perspectives and emotions. Left untreated, many autistic children will not develop effective social skills and may not learn to talk or behave appropriately. Very few individuals recover completely from autism without any intervention. The good news is that there are a wide variety of treatment options which can be very helpful. Some treatments may lead to great improvement, whereas other treatments may have little or no effect. No treatment helps everyone.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:48:33 +0000
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