What is Autism?
Autism surfaces when a child is not psychologically developed enough to interpret situations around
them, converse or relate feelings. The ability to groom relationships is absent. Autism originates as a
brain malady that is recognized in the first three years of life.
2. What are some early symptoms of autism?
When a child is very young and just beginning to learn basic tasks such as forming simple words,
crawling and sitting up, parents of autistic children soon get an uneasy feeling that something is not going
as planned. Generally, autistic children cannot speak. If a child has a very mild form of autism, they will
probably be able to learn speech and attend a regular school system without too much trouble, but an
autistic child will not make eye contact and they tend to bounce their body forward and backward.
Because of this, parents often have difficulty trying to interpret what it is that the child is trying to convey.
Most times, parents may feel that their child is deaf, because the child does not acknowledge them.
Keep in mind that this must be difficult for the child too, because they cannot tell anyone what it is that
is upsetting them or making them unhappy or joyous. This inability to convey themselves often leads to
behavioral problems. Researchers do not know why autism occurs and are looking at all possibilities.
3. What are researchers finding in the way of treatment?
Teachers of special needs children are trying to capture the autistic child's attention through traditional
means and it is not working. Autistic children find this boring. Luckily, research has found that the iPad
is starting to play a significant part in the many autistic children’s lives. The iPad is somehow drawing
these children into its ability to help them communicate, because Apple has come up with a program that
speaks for the child. All child have to do is press a few buttons that are attached to pictures, and they are
on their way to communicating words and feelings. Researchers are finding that some of these children
have brilliant minds - they just do not know how to relate this to anyone.
4. What is expected long-term?
There is no cure for autism, but these days, there are many treatment options available to children. Since
every child is different (with varying degrees of autism), not every treatment is going to work for every
child. While some autistic adults can be independent, others may be independent in a semi-independent
living arrangement. Others may never be able to live outside of an institution. Thanks to advancements in
special education and a huge increase in awareness about autism, the sky is the limit. Expect big things
in the coming years – I will!
Bonnie Carter writes about education, personal finance & saving money at www.termlifeinsurance.org
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