| Many of you would probably know what autism is | | | | factors are major contributors. |
| through watching the movie Rain Man, whose | | | | The DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of |
| character was so brilliantly played by Dustin | | | | Mental Disorders, fourth edition) lays out a |
| Hoffman. The movie highlighted many of the | | | | complex criteria for diagnosing autism in children |
| frustrations faced by families with dealing with an | | | | and adults, but in general the symptoms of autism |
| autistic child or adult. It sheds light on the daily | | | | include: |
| realities that a high-functioning person must face | | | | - Delays (or the loss of) physical, social and |
| with autism. However, there are still many myths | | | | language skills. |
| surrounding autism. | | | | - Abnormal reactions to sensation |
| So, let us get some of the facts straight in this | | | | - Speech and language delays or abnormalities |
| article - what is autism? Autism is a brain disorder | | | | while associated thinking skills may be present |
| that affects an estimated 210,000 people in the | | | | - Abnormal ways of relating to people, objects |
| United States. This comes up to approximately 1.5 | | | | and events. |
| per 1000 people. Many advocacy groups are | | | | If you just found out that your child is autistic, |
| sounding the alarm that autism cases have risen | | | | you may find it challenging to deal with the |
| exponentially since 1993, the first year that data | | | | amount of information and myths that are floating |
| for autism was submitted separately to the | | | | around. In addition, there are a lot of social and |
| Department of Education. According to the | | | | emotional issues that you have to handle. For |
| statistics, this would mean that autism cases in | | | | instance, you may even find that others have a |
| the U.S. population have risen an alarming 800% in | | | | bias towards you if they still believe in autism |
| ten years. Despite this set of statistics, many are | | | | comes from bad parenting. You may also feel |
| not convinced by the data. They believe that | | | | bewildered by the array of treatments that are |
| there has been a fundamental flaw in data | | | | available to autistic children and even sadly |
| collection. Reasons include the loosening of | | | | disappointed by the lack of understanding |
| diagnostic criteria for autism as well as the fact | | | | displayed by mainstream schools and medical |
| that the figures were understated years ago as | | | | facilities. |
| hardly anyone knew what autism was then. | | | | Personally, I did not have much support and help |
| Autism is an umbrella term that refers to a broad | | | | when I first got the diagnosis from the |
| range of developmental delays and disorders. It is | | | | psychologist who saw my daughter. She did not |
| usually first noticed in a child when he or she is | | | | present me with any comforting thoughts nor |
| three years of age. Parents of autistic children will | | | | recommend alternative therapies. I have been left |
| be saddened to find out that autism is a lifelong | | | | to my own devices to search for appropriate |
| condition. | | | | treatments and therapies for my child. What I do |
| Many years ago, autism symptoms are often | | | | find useful to share from my own experience is |
| attributed to "cold parenting" or "unloving parents". | | | | that early detection and intervention can help by |
| Medical doctors no longer believe that there is any | | | | leaps and bounds. Despite what the psychologist |
| psychological cause for autism. Despite numerous | | | | told me, I have reasons to hope that my |
| studies, there is no known cause for autism. | | | | daughter can live independently as she gets older. |
| There are many that say that environmental | | | | |