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 What is Autism?
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- Autism is a developmental disorder affecting critical
aspects of a child's interaction with the external world.
Defining characteristics include a significant impairment
in social skills, a significant impairment in the ability
to use words to communicate and lack of appropriate cognitive
and behavioral flexibility, often manifested as perseverative
behavior or poor impulse control.
- There is no typical autistic child. Autism is known as a
spectrum disorder because there is a wide range of characteristics
and degrees of severity.
- However, all children with autistic spectrum disorder have in
common deficits in social and language skills seen from early childhood
and restricted patterns of behavior.
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How Common Is Autism?
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- One in 166 children in the United States are affected
with autistic spectrum disorders. (United States Center
for Disease Control & Prevention)
- The syndrome is found in more males than females, at a ratio of
about 4 to 1.
- Each year the incidence of autism is increasing.
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How Is Autism Usually Treated?
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- Prior to 1990, the acceptable treatment for ASD was
special education placement with supplemental therapies.
The prognosis for recovery was poor.
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
has become a widely used and much more effective form of
therapy for children with ASD as supported by empirical research.
- Speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and sensory integration training are also used
to address problems with language, motor skills and sensory integration seen in
children with ASD.
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Can Children with Autism Improve?
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- Since the advent of early, aggressive, comprehensive
intervention for children with ASD recovery rates have improved
dramatically. Appropriately treated children can enter mainstream
schools where they are indistinguishable from their peers.
- According to the New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services
for the Autism Community (COSAC), "with appropriate intervention,
many of the associated behaviors can be positively changed, even
to the point that the child may appear...to
no longer have autism."
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