Changing outcomes at a young age
By Ryan Murray, Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell, Mont. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
According to
In the Flathead, this means about 300 children who will have trouble relating to peers, difficulty in communicating or picking up context from peers and family members.
Those 300 children are represented by the pinwheels on the
"If we can get in there when they are little, we can change outcomes," Gibbs said. "It's somewhat like a bad habit: If we can teach replacement skills, we can help them get along."
This year marks the fifth anniversary of Brandon's Bill, a
"It is about
The average age is 4 for a child to be diagnosed on the spectrum, but Gibbs said the earlier the better. Prospects for adults suffering from severe autism are bleak.
"People with autism typically go on to be unemployed," she said. "They tend not to have a strong social life and are often in poverty."
"He has a lot of scattered skills," Nelson said. "He is very, very smart. He essentially taught himself to read and write. But to try and get him out the door in the morning? It was difficult."
Isaiah, 5, showed many signs of autism, so his father got him tested. He is currently on the lottery-style wait list for
"There are only 50 slots, giving
According to the
"Our program, 'Incredible Flexible You,' lets little kids learn about perspective-taking," Vickhammer said. "That people think about things differently. Typically they can't put themselves in others' shoes, can't follow a person's gaze. Things like that."
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (commonly called the DSM by psychiatric professionals) underwent a change last year, changing the way autism had been diagnosed for nearly 20 years.
These included the elimination of Asperger's Syndrome from the manual, which many health professionals say might curb the apparent growth of autism rates.
In 2000, the reported rate of autism was just one in 150. In 2012 the rate was 1 in 88. Some doctors say the growing knowledge about the disorder may account for rising rates, but no concrete answer yet exists, according to the
White boys are, by far, the subgroup that is most often diagnosed. Children of color and girls are diagnosed far less often.
Despite the new appreciation for the disorder, the somewhat strange behavior autistic people engage in can be alarming.
"We had one former patient who was fascinated by hood ornaments," Gibbs said. "We had taken him to the fair and he lost his guardian. He found a truck with a hood ornament and wouldn't respond to calls from workers who told him to get away. By the time he was found, he was in handcuffs. They often get into precarious predicaments."
People with autism can often ignore orders from police officers, a risky proposition for anybody, including officers who might not know what they are dealing with.
For this reason, the
Despite all the possibilities leading to unfavorable outcomes, parents such as Nelson are hopeful.
"I did a lot of research into autism," he said. "Because of early intervention, Isaiah can have a normal life. It made me feel better. But autism treatment isn't just for little kids."
For more information on autism, treatments and options for parents and children, call the
Reporter
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