PICKENS COUNTY — This dateline may say “Pickens County,” but let’s be real here — Autism’s reach is a global. Every day, out of every 59 children born, one will be diagnosed on the Spectrum. Just two years ago, that number was 1 in 68. Why are we talking about this? Because April is Autism Awareness Month.
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication — although, as any parent of a child with ASD can tell you — the clinical definition falls short.
Let’s break it down:
“Challenges with social skills” is often translated (in the real world) as being labeled “the weird kid” by other kids in school or on the playground. It’s watching your child wanting to join in and play in the group, but having no concept of how to make a friend. It’s watching your child struggle to accomplish things that come naturally to neuro-typical children and it’s having your own heart break a thousand times as you whisper words of love and encouragement that you hope are enough to hold theirs together.
“Repetitive behaviors.” That doesn’t sound so bad, right? Unless, of course, your child’s repetitive behavior is pulling out hair, or slamming their head against walls, or biting or scratching themselves. Sometimes it’s something as simple as twirling or hand flapping. Sometimes it’s reciting entire movies by heart, sometimes it’s rocking back and forth or eating the exact same things day in and day out.
“Challenges with speech and/or nonverbal communication” is fancy way of warning parents their child may never be able to properly express their needs, wants and desires. Eye contact, for example, is often affected — and you never know how important something as simple as eye contact can be until your child will not look you (or anyone else) in the eye. The lack of simple conversation might be filled with other activities and routines but when they lack the ability to tell you when they’re hungry, hurt, or tired — it can be incredibly frustrating — for both the parents and child.
Which brings me to meltdowns.
As any parent of a child on the Spectrum can tell you — meltdowns are going to happen. And it’s going to be bad. And there’s nothing — nothing — you can do.
A meltdown occurs when the child is at his or her breaking point. They’re over stimulated, or they’re frightened, or they’re feeling something to the point where they literally can not handle it anymore — and they lose it. It’s not a tantrum, it’s not “pitching a fit” — it’s that child at his or her most raw and vulnerable point.
It’s terrifying.
Every Autism parent has their own way of handling them, a little routine they slip into. In my home, I drop to the floor, scoop him in my arms as tight as I can and rock back and forth until it passes. In the process, I’ve been hit, bit, kicked, scratched and had my glasses broken. You just hang on, absorbing the blows and keeping them from injuring themselves until it passes. It’s part of the gig.
Of course, that’s just my experience with ASD and as the saying goes, “If you’ve met one person with Autism, you’ve met one person with Autism.”
Because ASD is a spectrum disorder, each person has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. The ways in which people with autism learn, think and problem-solve can range from highly skilled to severely challenged. Some people with ASD may require significant support in their daily lives, while others may need less support and, in some cases, live entirely independently.
Several factors may influence the development of autism, and it is often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues such as gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures or sleep disorders, as well as mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and attention issues.
Indicators of autism usually appear by age 2 or 3 but some associated development delays can appear even earlier, and often, it can be diagnosed as early as 18 months.
Research shows that early intervention leads to positive outcomes later in life for people with autism but in the meantime, a little acceptance and understanding can go a long way.
So talk to your children about Autism and encourage them to make friends with that “weird kid” on the playground or at school. Give that mom in the grocery store an encouraging smile instead of a judgemental stare when you see her struggling. Remember that kids on the Spectrum have the same needs and wants as neuro-typical kids — sometimes they just have a hard time expressing it.
And wear blue this April in support of kids — and adults — on the Spectrum everywhere.
