World Autism Awareness Day

I visited a very close friend of mine after a long time. We had drifted apart over the

years and she was now married and had a 2 year old kid. Johnny seemed to me like

just another normal hyperactive kid to me. He was playful, running around the room

like an express train, jumping from tables and chairs and making funny noises all the

time. But when I asked him for his name, he seemed not to notice. When I tried to

impose myself on him, as all us strangers are used to doing, he started getting highly

defensive. It was then I realized there was something peculiar about John.

My friend confirmed my apprehensions. The boy was autistic. Even though I come

from a science background and from a family with many health conditions, I had no

idea what autism was.

Turning to Wikipedia, my trusted source of information, I found ¨Autism is a disorder

of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and

communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior.¨

It amazed me as to how ignorant we are about a condition that is increasingly

prevalent in today´s world. Studies have shown that autism is much widespread

among children than child diabetes or cancer.

April 2nd has been declared as World Autism Awareness Day. On this day, let us try

to understand a few symptoms, myths, and treatment of autism.

Autism is a new disorder, a discovery of the modern age. The first documented case of

autism was in 1798. Autism sets before the age of 3 and is more prevalent in boys

than in girls.

Symptoms of Autism start as early as 8 months.

Lack of pointing to direct others’ attention to objects

Does not adjust gaze to look at objects that others are looking at

Cannot start or sustain a social conversation

Develops language slowly or not at all

Repeats words or memorized passages, such as commercials

Does not refer to self correctly

Uses nonsense rhyming

Communicates with gestures instead of words

It is important that one learns to identify the symptoms of autism as early intervention

in a well-run program is the key to helping autistic children reach their potential.

Autism is so complex that even a mother will find it difficult to understand the child.

The sooner the child is integrated with its peers the better is the ability to learn skills.

Everyday living is so complex with these children.

Though the exact cause is not known, it can be related to mutations in more than one

gene. Children with autism have problem with social reciprocity, communication and

have a restricted range of interest. They sense things differently and respond to them

in ways different from us, what we call abnormal behaviors.

Autism needs multi disciplinary management with services of a physician,

psychologist, speech therapist, special educator, occupation therapist and others.

Once the diagnosis has been made, the parents, physicians, and specialists should

discuss what is best for the child. In most cases, parents are encouraged to take care

of the child at home.

Special education classes are available for autistic children. Structured, behaviorally-

based programs, geared to the patient's developmental level have shown some

promise.

Most behavioral treatment programs include:

clear instructions to the child

prompting to perform specific behaviors

immediate praise and rewards for performing those behaviors

a gradual increase in the complexity of reinforced behaviors

definite distinctions of when and when not to perform the learned behaviors

Parents should be educated in behavioral techniques so they can participate in all

aspects of the child's care and treatment. The more specialized instruction and

behavior therapy the child receives, the more likely it is that the condition will

improve.

Medication can be recommended to treat specific symptoms such as seizures,

hyperactivity, extreme mood changes, or self-injurious behaviors.

The autistic child requires much of the parents' attention, often affecting the other

children in the family. Counseling and support may be helpful for the parents.

The outlook for each child depends on his or her intelligence and language ability.

Some people with autism become independent adults. A majority can be taught to live

in community-based homes, although they may require supervision throughout

adulthood.

Sankalp, the open school and learning center in Anna nagar is one of the pioneers in this field. Lakshmi, Sulatha and Subhashini started Sankalp in 1999 with the mission to provide holistic care for children with special needs through improving their ability to learn and helping them succeed in their pursuits. Though the awareness in India has increases considerably compared to a few years back, there is still a long way to go.

Myths about Autism:

Autistic People Are All Alike

Autistic People Don't Have Feelings

Autistic People Don't Build Relationships

Autistic People Are a Danger to Society

All Autistic People Are Savants

Autistic People Have No Language Skills

Autistic People Can't Do Much of Anything

The government has recognized autism as a separate condition but it is still

considered as a part of mental retardation. This needs to change first. Autism is not

Mental Retardation. Further, all schools should be equipped to educate children with

special needs. And more than anything, the society needs to accept these children.

We are all sympathetic to physically challenged people. Our heart aches when we see a

movie like ´taare zamin par' or ´I am Sam´. But how many of us are willingly ready to

accept people with challenges as one of us and support them in all possible ways?

How many of us consciously educate our children to treat children with special needs

on the same ground? Our mentality needs to change. We need to understand these

children and their needs.

Perhaps the worst fate for a person with ASD is to have a lively intelligence trapped in

a body that makes it difficult for others to see that the lights are on. Let’s be the

change we desire.

Useful Links:

http://www.autism-india.org

http://www.autismindia.com

http://www.ashaforautism.com

http://www.autismspeaks.org

http://www.nap.edu (for useful recommendations on educational interventions

for children with autism, birth to 8 years)

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/

http://www.templegrandin.com

http://sankalpnet.org

Rtr. Vasanthan Kannan, Rotaract Club of Zenith,

Sponsored by Rotary Club of Madras North East.