Autism is one of the most highly misunderstood conditions in our society
. Autism affects thousands of children in the United States and Canada. Besides the changes that a diagnosis of Autism brings to the life of the child you also have the disruption and stress that the family endures as they make adjustments in their life in order to cope with the condition.
The diagnosis of Autism may at first seem like a disaster that you will have no way of finding your way through. The truth is that you can get a grip on the situation if you act quickly and address a few key areas that, once in control can help to make the transition smoother for your family and your child. First you need to determine if there are any other major health concerns with the child that the autism may complicate. If there are you need to get them under control quickly. These conditions may include food allergies, gastrointestinal conditions and seizures.
There are two main categories of Autism, the first is low functioning and this includes people who are unable to perform even the most basic of living and cognitive function needed to interact in an effective way with the rest of the world. The second group is high functioning; this is the larger of the two groups. These people are able to learn and understand things that are going on around then and in many cases are able to even excel in some aspects. This is a manifestation of the fact that Autism does not affect how the mind absorbs and store information or how it processes it, but rather how the person is able to organize the information and implement it in their life to interact with the world around them
The Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) teaching method is one of the most effective styles of addressing the special needs that autistic children have with regard to education. Although we still do not fully understand all of the causes and complexities of the autistic condition a great deal of work has been done toward that end. Research is ongoing and the lives of those affected and the people that love them have been made slightly better in recent years. Making the effort of the above steps will be a huge help to you and your family as you learn to deal with this condition with your child.
Autism often begins to manifest itself from a very early age and affects the person for the rest of its life. It is believed that the foundations of Autism may form during the first few months of life and in many peoples speculation even before birth. Autism prevents people from being able to cognitively interact with the world that is around them and to express their thoughts and feelings in a logical and understandable manner. This can make their life very difficult and may lead to other condition such as feeling isolated or suffering from other emotional disorders. With a bit of understanding, we can live in a world that Autism is not considered to be a stigma or a taboo topic. The only way to defeat Autism is to learn about it and educate others. With the proper support and research Autism can be eliminated but it will take the support of every one to do so. To learn more about Autism please contact the Autism Institute, Defeat Autism Now, and The Autism Speaks Foundation.