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An Attack on Autism
Early Diagnosis, Genetics and Intervention
By Kelly Burgess
Finucane also points out that there is a perception that there has been an increase in the incidence of autism, but, in fact, much of that perceived increase is actually just a result of improved diagnoses, particularly in the higher functioning aspects of the autistic spectrum, such as Asperger's syndrome. These guidelines are a good thing for those higher functioning children as well, because kids who may historically have just been thought of as "odd" or "eccentric" can now be diagnosed properly and get help with social issues that they may have been teased or shunned for in the past.
In other words, these new recommendations provide not only early diagnostic criteria, but also clear guidelines for treatment. This means that a child diagnosed with a more severe form of autism in infancy may begin as much as 25 hours of intense treatment immediately, while a child with a milder form, such as Asperger's accompanied by tactile or GI issues, may need nothing more than a change of diet and some targeted interaction by a parent who has been given some skills for doing so by a trained therapist.
It was this type of intervention that Belgrave feels saved her sanity. "At one point we literally felt like we were drowning," she says. "We didn't know how to deal with Desmond. We could love him, but we couldn't communicate. When Elwyn started providing services it was like night and day. They showed us how to play with Desmond, what to do when he was having a tantrum, literally how to parent this child. It saved our lives."
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