Autism is a lifelong disability that affects not only the person diagnosed, but their entire family. When a child has autism even the simplest activities such as feeding, bathing, cuddling, sleeping and play are a challenge for parent and child. Autism is a pervasive developmental delay - that is, children with autism chronically lag behind their peers by at least six months and often more. Many begin school non-verbal, not yet toilet trained, not able to dress themselves, certainly not ready to tackle reading, writing and arithmetic. Because social interactions are impaired, it is common for them to have difficulty socializing with their classmates or understanding the rules of the classroom or playground. They may not be capable of keeping quiet in the library or during a test. Tantrums are also quite common.
Treating autism
The only medically approved treatment for autism to date is a behaviour-based therapy such as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA - sometimes called Intensive Behavioural Intervention, or IBI.) This is often delivered in an educational setting, or in a preschool setting that places emphasis on play and social interaction. An example of the latter would be the Early Start Denver Model. Parents of kids in behavioural programs may begin to see progress in the first few sessions. I know I did with my son. But that progress was just tiny baby steps, little things like him learning to imitate a gesture the therapist demonstrated. It can be years before all the little improvements begin to add up in such a way that the casual observer will recognize a significant change.
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