In August 2017, we received news that would change our lives forever. Fueled by our concern over delayed development in our son, Jamey, we were recommended by his pediatrician to visit a specialist. After months of waiting, praying, testing, and answering questions, the specialists said four words that are heard all too often as parents: Your child has autism. April is Autism Awareness Month, and I will use this column to educate and enlighten my readers on autism and the truths of this disorder.
Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder or ASD, is a neurological and developmental disorder that begins in early childhood and lasts throughout a person’s life. The word autism first took its modern sense in 1938 when Hans Asperger of the Vienna University Hospital used it in a lecture about child psychology. Asperger was investigating the ASD now known as Asperger syndrome, though for various reasons it was not widely recognized as a separate diagnosis until 1981. Autism is borrowed from German word Autismus, which is a "group of supposed symptoms of schizophrenia that involve a turning away from reality," from Greek autós "self, the same" + German -ismus -ISM. The German term Autismus was introduced, along with the corresponding adjective autistisch, by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler (1857-1939). Adaptation of the word in English to designate what is now termed autism spectrum disorder has been credited to the Austrian-born American physician and psychiatrist Leo Kanner (1894-1981), in the paper "Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact," The Nervous Child, vol. 2 (1943), pp. 217-50. German Autismus and autistisch were used five years earlier to describe essentially the same syndrome by the Austrian physician Hans Asperger (1906-80). Leo Kanner of the Johns Hopkins Hospital first used autism when he introduced the label early infantile autism in a 1943 report of 11 children with striking behavioral similarities. Almost all the characteristics described in Kanner's first paper on the subject, notably "autistic aloneness" and "insistence on sameness", are still regarded as typical of the autistic spectrum of disorders. Donald Triplett of Forest, MS was the first person diagnosed with autism. He was diagnosed by Kanner after being first examined in 1938, and was labeled as "case 1". Kanner's reuse of autism led to decades of confused terminology like infantile schizophrenia. Starting in the late 1960s autism was established as a separate syndrome. Since 1979 there has been a 1,000 percent increase in the diagnosis of autism in the United States.
Autism affects how a person acts and interacts with others. People who are diagnosed as autistic can have a range of symptoms. They include verbal communications problems, lack of eye contact, restrictive interests and repetitive behaviors, mild isolation, and spending a lot of time putting things in order. Other characteristics include sensitivity to lights, sounds, and other sensations that they may not be accustomed to, as well as a lack of understanding of situations that may involve danger or consequences.
Now that we have a general understanding of what autism is, let me now educate my readers on what to do, should you suspect that your child has autism. It all starts with a wellness check-up. Your child’s pediatrician should assess your child’s development. If your child exhibits the signs of ASD, they will undergo a comprehensive evaluation, under the direction of a team of specialists. These specialists will perform various tests before a diagnosis is made. The causes of ASD are not known, but research has determined that there are both genetic and environmental factors that play important roles. There are many methods to increase your child’s ability to grow and learn new skills. In 1977, Dr. Susan Faulstein and Michael Ritter studied a pair of twins that were diagnosed with autism and concluded that genetics did play a significant role in the diagnosis of autism. There are about 100 genes that a human can possess that will increase the risk factors for autism. Environmental factors that can contribute to the risk of a person developing autism include the parents’ age at conception, prenatal exposure to toxins, the quality of nutrition that the mother receives during gestation, and any infection that the mother may get during pregnancy. As our knowledge of autism has increased, so have the quality of treatments for the disorder. In the 1920s, autistic people were treated using electroshock therapy and put on special diets. However, the 1950s caused the blame for autism to be shifted on parents being distant from their children emotionally, so treatment involved removing the child from the parent for extended periods of time. There are many cases of autistic people being put in mental institutions during this time in history, being separated from their parents. In the 1960s and 1970s, autism treatment included electroshock therapy, painful and punishing behavioral modifications, and even using psychedelic drugs such as LSD. Today, the gold standard for treatment for autism is called applied behavior analysis or ABA for short. Treatment includes occupational, behavioral, and speech therapies, as well as skills training and in severe cases, medications to control symptoms.
I will use each letter in the word “AUTISM” as an acronym to educate the public. A is for Ask Questions. At wellness check-ups, it is the PARENTS’ responsibility to recognize the symptoms of ASD and ask the pediatrician for an expert opinion. U is for Understand. This is for both the parents of autistic children, as well as friends, family members, teachers, etc. that may work with autistic people on an everyday basis. Parents must understand that it is beyond their control as far as their child’s disorder. Others must understand that it is NOT the parents’ fault that the child is autistic. DON’T BE JUDGEMENTAL! Until you’ve walked in our shoes, it’s impossible to make a comparison! And yes, we DO notice the looks we get and whispers we hear when our child melts down in a public place, so have some decorum. T is for Tell A Friend. Many times, a trusted friend will sympathize with and offer prayers. This will lift the proverbial yoke off your shoulders. I is for Include. This is especially for friends, family members, teachers, etc., who may be around autistic people every day. Autistic people have always dealt with the stigma of being “loners” due to the fact that they always seem to be away from crowds. As a result, they may be excluded from event or party invites, school trips, and club or organization memberships. For those occasions and people who don’t have autistic children but may be around them, please include them. Invite them to parties. Ask them to join you on trips. They may decline, but it shows them that others care about them and want them to be around others. This leads me to the next letter: S, for Show Your Support. Be a cheerleader for that person and their family. They deal with enough negativism. Be a positive light in that person’s world. Encourage social and intellectual improvement. Celebrate successes in these areas. Dr. Chester Morgan, who was chairman of the History Department at Delta State University while I was there obtaining my bachelor’s degree in that field, often said that “The only way to eat an elephant was one bite at a time”. Autism is no different. Parents of autistic children handle things one day at a time. The final letter in the acronym is M, which means Make A Difference. Autism parents, part of your calling by God is to inform and educate the public on the disorder. Knowledge is power, and the more people become educated and informed, the more they understand and even sympathize. They also help spread information, which helps lead to cutting-edge research and professional assistance to future generations.
Robert John Meehan is quoted with saying “It shouldn’t matter how slowly some children learn, as long as we are encouraging them not to stop”. Another stereotype of people who are autistic is that they have sub-par intellect. The truth is that autistic people can have superior intelligence. Our son, Jamey, is autistic, but he is by NO MEANS “slow”. Parents with autistic children can do three proactive things to help their children adapt. First, early detection can make a big difference. In some cases, the disorder can be detected as early as six months of age. Once autism has been diagnosed, try to teach everyday activities at home in addition to weekly occupational and speech therapies. Even a trip to the grocery store can be turned into a fun learning experience. If you make learning fun, they will pick up on these tasks faster and learn to do even more things. Once an autistic child reaches the age to attend school, make sure that teachers, school administrators, athletic coaches, etc. understand the everyday special needs of your child. As they work with your child more each day, they will understand each individual child’s needs. An IEP (Individualized Education Plan) can also be requested. Every child is entitled to a free and appropriate public education. Children with autism have an IEP that the school has to abide by. It is determined by a group of people that include the parents, a general education teacher, a special education teacher, the school district’s director of special education, and necessary therapists. The IEP determines the modifications and accommodations that the individual will need in order to reach their highest potential. An IEP is a legal document and the school must abide by it. It is advisable for every child with autism to have one in place. It can be a lengthy process, so it is best to have it established before the child enters kindergarten. Another advantage to the IEP is the fact that it is the necessary document to allow autistic children to receive any necessary speech and occupational therapies in school. And don’t be discouraged. Just some of the famous people who were autistic include Temple Grandin, Albert Einstein, Sir Issac Newton, and Mozart. 2002 BASSMASTERS Classic Champion and BASSMASTER Elite Series angler Jay Yelas is the CEO of CAST For Kids, which is an organization dedicated to providing fishing opportunities and specialized fishing tackle for children with special needs. BASSMASTER Elite Series angler John Crews also works hard for autism awareness, as one of his daughters has autism. In addition to the false “negative” stigma that is associated with autism, there are many positive attributes. Autistic children are detail-oriented. They are logical thinkers and have great long-term memory. Autistic children are also not swayed by peer pressure. They are loyal, honest, reliable, creative, non-judgmental, and sensitive. They are effective systemisers. They also have the ability to hyperfocus and can “think outside the box”. For more information on autism and other ASD disorders or to get involved in education and awareness, visit The Autism Community in Action (TACA) at https://tacanow.org. My family has also set up a Facebook page for our experiences with autism. Our page is a personal blog called Jamey’s Journey. As for my family, we didn’t choose to be autism parents, but we wouldn’t trade our life for anything in the world!!!!!!!
