What is autism? Most definitely, it is a developmental disorder characterised by problems with social interactions, communication and repetitive and sometimes challenging behaviours. But more broadly, autism has been defined as a "genetically influenced, environmentally triggered disease of the brain and body, and is treatable".
Autism is a perplexing lifelong developmental disorder which impairs a child's natural instinct to communicate and form relationships. The autistic child usually withdraws into a world of his or her own. The degree to which each child is affected varies, and hence the term Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but common characteristics include:
- Difficulty with social relationships
- Difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication
- Lack of imaginative play
- Challenging behaviour
- Varying level of learning disability
Usually, parents see problems arise before their child reaches the age of 2. This can be based on unusual behaviours such as:
- Not making improving eye-contact
- A reduced level of babbling
- A reduced level of responsiveness
- Not meeting usual "milestones" of development
A mother's instinct needs to be respected and acknowledged, and if she suspects that their child may not be developing in the typical way, then she needs to refer to her doctor as soon as possible. Diagnosis and assessments can be carried out at a very early stage.
It is stated by many that "Autism is an epidemic". Various studies on prevalence varies, subject to geography and timing, but it is accepted that figures from America quoting 1 in 166 were accurate. Indeed, more recent studies point to even-greater levels of 1 in 100, and this has been accepted by the American Health Administration. It is also accepted that there are more boys than girls on the spectrum, to the extent of 4-to-1. It should be remembered that the prevalence of autism is greater than Down's Syndrome, Spina Bifida, childhood cancer, and Cyctic Fibrosis combined. Shouldn't we be asking why this epidemic is not being investigated?
If autism is diagnosed, the first thing that parents need to do is to arm themselves with as much information as possible. This will mean reading books and finding groups which can offer support, both nationally and locally.
The Red Door is a member of Irish Autism Action, which is the national umbrella charity organisation which offers a range of services, including assessments, advocacy and information. The Red Door offers a Parent Support Group, and host regular meetings, and you can read more about that here. You will find information here on education, therapies, biomedical and diet issues. We hope that this web-site will help both newly-diagnosed parents and the existing autism community with information, news and views.