| Any new parent will tell you they've panicked and | | | | unaware of what to look for. Parents are learning |
| called the pediatrician about their child's first runny | | | | they must take note of developmental milestones |
| nose or fever, only to be told to wait it out and | | | | so that if anything is amiss they can bring it to |
| that it will pass. Until recently many physicians | | | | the attention of the pediatrician or family doctor. |
| have also taken the "it'll pass" approach when | | | | The pediatrician is the first physician to see the |
| parents brought children in with symptoms of | | | | baby, so it is vital that regular check-ups are |
| autism (not talking by age two, unusual or | | | | scheduled and both parent and doctor work |
| obsessive play, repeatedly opening and closing | | | | together taking notice of any changes in |
| doors, lack of social interaction). According to the | | | | development. If regression occurs, it is important |
| U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, | | | | to screen the child as soon as possible so that the |
| one in 150 children has autism. Additionally, only | | | | appropriate methods of treatment can be |
| fifty percent of children with autism are diagnosed | | | | administered. |
| prior to kindergarten, with most cases being | | | | Potential Treatment Options |
| diagnosed between two and four. | | | | Speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral |
| When is Diagnosis Reliable? | | | | therapy and supplements have been utilized to |
| These are pretty alarming statistics, but experts | | | | treat autism. These have been effective for |
| say there has been some progress in recent | | | | some, but not all patients. Physicians have had to |
| years. Often, many parents requesting their child | | | | turn to other options including antipsychotic |
| get evaluated for autism have been put off by | | | | medications like Risperdal. There are various |
| physicians because of the cost of the | | | | psychotropic medications being reviewed as |
| assessments, lack of trained therapists and | | | | solutions for autism. Antidepressants, stimulants |
| continued doubt over the reliability of identifying | | | | and sleep aids have also proved beneficial to |
| the disorder before age three or four. However, | | | | those with autism, allowing for the ability to keep |
| physicians can and have effectively diagnosed | | | | the child at home with family and attend school. |
| autism at age two, and researchers are working | | | | Use of some of these medications for some time |
| on ways to diagnose earlier. Additionally, there is | | | | may cause a loss in effect warranting the need |
| currently an evaluation that could help detect | | | | to switch to a new medication. Hence, more |
| autism in children as young as 18-months, and it | | | | research is required to determine which |
| only takes about 10-15 minutes. The question | | | | medications are the most effective and safe for |
| remains, how reliable is the evaluation and will | | | | children with autism. |
| physicians consistently screen children when their | | | | Final Note |
| parents suspect signs of autism? Or is it too | | | | Autism is an incurable, developmental disability that |
| costly and risky, potentially causing misdiagnosis | | | | causes impairment in social interaction and |
| due to slow development? | | | | communication. To best treat autism and give |
| Parents Role | | | | children diagnosed with it a chance to "catch up" |
| According to Geraldine Dawson, Director of the | | | | to their peers, it must be diagnosed early, ideally |
| University of Washington Autism Center, ¼ | | | | prior to age two. Researchers, scientists and the |
| of children with autism develop normally and then | | | | medical community as a whole are working |
| show signs of regression. For example a typical | | | | toward better, more reliable methods of diagnosis |
| six-month old baby showing normal progression | | | | and treatment. Progress is being made and will |
| by smiling at their parent; at one year of age the | | | | continue to be made if parents take note of |
| child may seem shy, but there is no cause for | | | | developmental milestones and possible delays in |
| concern. At two, the child begins to display autistic | | | | their young children, and the medical community |
| traits - not speaking, not following social cues, | | | | continues to pay close attention to needs for |
| totally fixated on objects. Parents have often | | | | improved diagnostic and treatment options. |
| ignored signs of autism because they were simply | | | | |