April is Autism Awareness Month

This month is autism awareness month. Also tomorrow is autism awareness day. As some of you know my oldest son has autism, and is a amazing boy. If you don’t know anything about it just look it up. Also the numbers are going up a couple of years ago it was 1 in 160 children now it is 1 in 150.

If anyone has any questions about autism just let me know, and my wife or myself will answer the best we can.

Here he is with his 3 point dunk from the 3 point line.

[Skywalker]

Thank you for making me aware!!!

Great photo!!!

Thank you for the awareness

[AD720]

Keep up the good work spreading the word and best wishes for you and all your kids.

[md4958]

Originally Posted by Junior

Also the numbers are going up a couple of years ago it was 1 in 160 children now it is 1 in 150.

Ray, is it known if this increase is because more symptoms are now being diagnosed as autism, where as they werent sure before?

Also, are there any theories for what causes autism? Are there environmental factors involved?

Originally Posted by md4958

Ray, is it known if this increase is because more symptoms are now being diagnosed as autism, where as they werent sure before?

Also, are there any theories for what causes autism? Are there environmental factors involved?

I do think that the increase is due to the symptoms being picked up better by Doctors where it wasn’t in the past. We actually noticed the symptoms because of a billboard, and started researching it, and took him to his pediatrician.

There are a lot of theories on this, but I believe that it is hereditary not environmental. There is also a theory that it is more common in premature infants. I do think that prematurely has something to do with it as my 6 year old was born at 30 weeks. On the same note my 18 month old is starting to show some symptoms of autism, and was only bore a couple of weeks early.

[WildBlueSooner]

Thanks for sharing Ray!

Great post Ray!! I just sent a nice article on CNN to my fiancee to read recognizing April as Autism Awareness month. She's an CCC-SLP/MS working as a Supervisor of Speech and Language Services at a school at Rutgers University called Douglass Developmental Disabilities College.

Anyone who works in that field or who is a relative of some sort of someone with autism I hold the highest regards for because I know what my fiancee goes through daily with her kids. It is truely amazing, and she cares deeply for the children and her work.

Again, thanks for making note of it.

[TheRiddick]

Originally Posted by Junior

I do think that the increase is due to the symptoms being picked up better by Doctors where it wasn’t in the past. We actually noticed the symptoms because of a billboard, and started researching it, and took him to his pediatrician.

There are a lot of theories on this, but I believe that it is hereditary not environmental. There is also a theory that it is more common in premature infants. I do think that prematurely has something to do with it as my 6 year old was born at 30 weeks. On the same note my 18 month old is starting to show some symptoms of autism, and was only bore a couple of weeks early.

Both of ours were born 2 weeks "late". Older is fine, younger turned out to be autistic. Nothing hereditery as far as we can tell, neither family had any such instances before.

I know there are plenty of "studies" that claim the MRP vaccine is not the culprit, but I and most other affected parents beg to differ. We all know our children prior to vaccination and past. Except that one properly conducted study has not been done by anyone. The only way to really do it is vaccinate 1000 kids and leave another 1000 without, no such study has been done to date and for a reason. I know this will easily prove the point, but that would also mean that a huge class action suit will then take place and that would make any recent bailouts looks puny in comparison money wise. We can all imagine the medical lobby in DC won't allow it.

The human body is sometimes not strong enough to handle such a powerful vaccine at the tender age of 11 months, our daughter had an on-going cold the morning she was scheduled for vaccine. Despite my wife's protests to the doctor that we do this another day, he insisted there is absolutely no harm vaccinating an ill child. I only wish we could take that day back.

She was diagnosed by a West Coast autism expert at the age of 3+ years and he told us to give up on the child and commit her to an institution, in his view she was way beyond treatable. We persisted, found a great treatment center near us (just pure luck!) and after a $300+K cash outlay (insurance does not cover any of this), she started first grade in a regular class, albeit with a school district provided aide at her side. Finished high school last year with a 3.6GPA, now in college.

I only wish things would turn out this well for other families. Some don't know treatment is available, some can't afford it. Some don't want to do much for the KID, but go to a group therapy sessions with other parents to tell each other how miserable their lives are.

I've also seen some cases where children were mis-diagnosed and while afflicted with something else they are listed as autistic. Our friends had their children checked and even though both kids were diagnosed as autistic, time showed they were not at all.

Anyone with kids on the way, I strongly suggest you do not listen to your doctors and delay the MRP vaccination until the age of at least 2, and hopefully even later, by then the body is more able to handle the vaccine.

[BlackDog]

Great post Ray. My wife and I have a 2 1/2 year old son with special needs, and we're still learning about what services and therapy programs are available for him. It can be very confusing. The more that people can learn about various special needs like autism, the sooner these kids can get the help they need to live normal lives. Best wishes to your son and your family. Thanks!

[mash]

Thank you so much for this post Ray. My eldest daughter is on the spectrum, as coincidence would have it, today is her 10th birthday. She is doing great.
I am an autism behavioural consultant, and I see the potential these kids have. Best to your family, Kevin

My son amazes me every day with what he can do. In his second year of preschool he was reading at a third grade level, and counting well over 100. Now if I can just get him to grasp the concept of math.

I give all the credit to the wonderful people at his school which I think are very unappreciated by most parents, and they go above and beyond. I have seen him grow and improve so much since he started preschool at age 3. Starting this year he could not write, and we were considering buying him a laptop for school so he could keep up since he has been able to use the computer for a few years, and types like he should not just pecking. They started working with him, and now he is really starting to write now. He has also been able to work without having to have a aid with him this year as well, and spends all of his day with the exception of the hour he spends with his occupational therapist in the regular classroom where last year he only spent half days in regular kindergarten. Some days I can’t help but reflect on how he has improved from the child that would melt down at a crowded restaurant to being who he is today. The whole school sort of dotes on him now, and it seems like the whole school knows who he is.

If I can give one piece of advice to a parent of a child with autism is to research the school systems. We moved 30 miles to a much better school system with a program tailored towards him.

The picture I have at the top of this thread is of him playing biddy ball. I considered pulling him after the first practice because he wouldn’t stay with the other children. I am so glad I didn’t I haven’t had that much fun in a long time. The coach brought in his brother in law as a wrangler for him, and keep him on task. I had a talk with the director of the league to find out that she had handpicked his coach. After the final game and the trophies were handed out the crowd really cheered for him. It almost brought me to tears to see it. Also Brenan who was his wrangler(who is holding him up in the picture) decided to go back to school, and work with special needs children.

Just a reminder.

My wife is a Developmental Disability and Medically Fragile Social Worker for a county here in MN. She works with autistic kids and their families a lot. There are a lot of resources available out there. Your local county may be able to help you out, too.

Good luck to you and your family Junior.

[pmwz]

I am right now doing a social voluntary year at a school for disabled children and am the aid of a kid with infantile cerebral palsy and developmental disorders including Epilepsy.
We have an autistic boy in our parallel class who has two school aids (they rotate every other week).
I dont know much about the us school system (just went for a semester to a high school as an exchange student). Can you please explain me what kind of schools/programms you have for special needs children.
Its kind of sad that the insurances arent giving the money where its really needed.

[TheRiddick]

All states and school districts are probably different. Here in Kalifornia, all school districts are required by law to provide an aid to autistic students, but very few schools make it clear to parents. Even when you ask, they do all they can to tell you that it is not their duty nor law to do so, no doubt to save money on hiring additional school dsitrict employees. Even when they do provide an aid, most aids are not trained to deal with autistic behavior and learn as they go.

Speaking on what I know of my wife's job, she helps people with developmentally disabled and medically fragile kids get the services they need, whether it is in the home or in the school. She goes on home visits and has conferences with the teachers for all of her clients. She ensures that the childs needs are being met at home and in the schools, and that they are progressing as expected and I believe she can help with the decision of whether the child should be attneding school or not. She does what she can to not allow people to abuse the system and essentially defraud the gov't (i.e. a family that makes enough money that they can afford the services on their own or are covered by insurance, so county/state aid is not warranted).

As far as social services, MN is one of the top states for people who actually need them. But because of that we've had an influx of people from other states come here to collect on those services and abuse the system. Some tweaks and checks and balances definitely need to be made, but not just cutting the budget for them. I'd like my wife to stay employed. LOL

Just a reminder. It is still Autism month for 16 more days.