Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Autism can be managed with early intervention
The word Autism is something parents with young children dread, especially with recent publicity surrounding the disorder. April is Autism Awareness Month, a good time to learn more about this fairly common condition.
During my daily practice, I come across parents concerned about autism and second guessing the benefits of immunization, thereby exposing their children to many preventable diseases. There have been many controversies and debates about childhood immunizations as the cause, but to date there is no documented evidence that this is true.
Autism is one type of what we call Autism spectrum disorders (ASD’s), which are a group of developmental disabilities caused by a problem with the brain. These disorders affect a child's behavior, social, and communication skills.
Approximately 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with an ASD. ASD’s are lifelong conditions with no known cure. However, children with ASD can progress developmentally and learn new skills. Some children may improve so much that they no longer meet the criteria for ASD, although milder symptoms may often persist.
The scientific community strongly believes in the importance of early and continuous surveillance and screening for ASD to ensure that children are identified and receive access to services as early as possible. The sooner autism is identified, the sooner an intervention program can start.
What are some of the signs of ASD? They can include:
- Having trouble relating to others or not having interest in other people at all.
- Avoiding eye contact
- Lack of emotions or affection towards parents or other siblings
- Repeating actions over and over again. Some may have a routine, which when disturbed may throw a tantrum.
- Having trouble with expressing their needs in words
- Losing skills they once had (for instance, stop saying words they were using).
If you think your child has ASD, talk with your child’s doctor. A pediatrician will review the developmental milestones and after a thorough examination should be able to provide an appropriate course of action. In most situations, the pediatrician would refer you to see a developmental pediatrician or a children’s hospital with a team dedicated to children with developmental disorders.
The cause of ASD’s remains unknown, and there is no cure. Evidence- based treatment for ASD’s is intensive, structured teaching of skills -- often called behavioral intervention. This usually involves a team approach including specialists from many fields, including a developmental pediatrician, speech therapist, occupational therapist, etc…
There are specialized educational centers for children with profound problems. Others can be mainstreamed with extra help. It is very important to begin this intervention as early as possible in order to help your child reach his or her full potential. Acting early can make a real difference.
Ravi Prakash, MD, is a pediatrician on the Backus Hospital Medical Staff with a private practice in Norwich. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. E-mail Dr. Prakash and all of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org, or comment on their blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com.
During my daily practice, I come across parents concerned about autism and second guessing the benefits of immunization, thereby exposing their children to many preventable diseases. There have been many controversies and debates about childhood immunizations as the cause, but to date there is no documented evidence that this is true.
Autism is one type of what we call Autism spectrum disorders (ASD’s), which are a group of developmental disabilities caused by a problem with the brain. These disorders affect a child's behavior, social, and communication skills.
Approximately 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with an ASD. ASD’s are lifelong conditions with no known cure. However, children with ASD can progress developmentally and learn new skills. Some children may improve so much that they no longer meet the criteria for ASD, although milder symptoms may often persist.
The scientific community strongly believes in the importance of early and continuous surveillance and screening for ASD to ensure that children are identified and receive access to services as early as possible. The sooner autism is identified, the sooner an intervention program can start.
What are some of the signs of ASD? They can include:
- Having trouble relating to others or not having interest in other people at all.
- Avoiding eye contact
- Lack of emotions or affection towards parents or other siblings
- Repeating actions over and over again. Some may have a routine, which when disturbed may throw a tantrum.
- Having trouble with expressing their needs in words
- Losing skills they once had (for instance, stop saying words they were using).
If you think your child has ASD, talk with your child’s doctor. A pediatrician will review the developmental milestones and after a thorough examination should be able to provide an appropriate course of action. In most situations, the pediatrician would refer you to see a developmental pediatrician or a children’s hospital with a team dedicated to children with developmental disorders.
The cause of ASD’s remains unknown, and there is no cure. Evidence- based treatment for ASD’s is intensive, structured teaching of skills -- often called behavioral intervention. This usually involves a team approach including specialists from many fields, including a developmental pediatrician, speech therapist, occupational therapist, etc…
There are specialized educational centers for children with profound problems. Others can be mainstreamed with extra help. It is very important to begin this intervention as early as possible in order to help your child reach his or her full potential. Acting early can make a real difference.
Ravi Prakash, MD, is a pediatrician on the Backus Hospital Medical Staff with a private practice in Norwich. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. E-mail Dr. Prakash and all of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org, or comment on their blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com.
# posted by ----------------- @ 11:05 AM 
