Let's Light it up Blue!

Hi, Lovelies! Today, April 2nd, 2013 is World Autism Awareness Day! I thought that in celebration to this, I would write a little about autism. This isn't about the causes of autism, it isn't about whether or not vaccines have a correlation; this is about awareness for the Princess and every boy and girl who have or will be diagnosed with Autism. We'll start with a few facts about autism.

According toAutism Science Foundation, in 2012 approximately 1 in 88 children was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). That's 1 in 54 boys, and 1 in 252 girls that are affected by some sort of spectrum disorder. This can include an entire range from Asperger syndrome to a moderate to severe version of autism. Between 30-50% of these individuals with autism will have seizures. One thing to always remember is that individuals who with ASD do suffer cognitive impairments, but some have typical or above average IQs.

There's also been a lot of great progress recently in research into autism. From Autism Speaks, here are things that we have learned since this day in 2012:

• High-quality early intervention for ASD can do more than improve behavioral issues, it can improve brain function.

• While it was previously believed that if a non-verbal child with ASD did not speak before the age of 4-5, they would likely never speak. We now know that this is NOT the case. Research has shown that most will learn to use words, and up to half will learn to speak fluently.

• Though autism can be a life-long affliction, some children with ASD make so much progress, that they no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for autism. High-quality early intervention may be key.

• Researchers can now detect presymptom markers for ASD in infants as young as 6 months. This can lead to earlier intervention and ultimately improve outcomes.

There are some things that we do know. No two children with ASD are alike. There may be similarities, sure. Sleep issues are common, as well as a number of other possibilities. But as a standard, each child with ASD has different challenges, different strengths. Some are more visual. Others are hands-on. The severity, the triggers, the causes; each one is different for each child. The one common factor is early intervention. The sooner the better.

I'll finish this with a note to any parent out there who may be having any concerns over their young child's development: If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician. If nothing else than to squelch your inner nagging voice. It's OK. You're not alone. Reach out. You do not have to go through any of this alone. Ever. I've been where you are now. I still consider myself pretty new to this whole process; but one thing I can tell you from some experience is the early intervention helps, and suddenly, you have a team of loving people who want to help you with your little one.
Let's Light it Up Blue for Autism Awareness!