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Home » Consumer Information » Children with Disabilities

Autism

Autism, sometimes referred to as classical autism, is the most common developmental disorder that falls under the autism spectrum disorders. Autistic children have three noticeable traits including:

  • Primitive social interactive skills.
  • Difficulty communicating verbally and nonverbally.
  • Repeating the same behavior or obsessing over certain activities.

These characteristics may have a slight negative effect on an autistic person's daily life, or they may be severe enough to be considered a disability. The degree to which someone is affected by autism in terms of the symptoms that they experience varies greatly; some mild cases of autism may actually go undetected in children, while others may have additional disabilities that override the autism. Doctors are still unsure what causes autism, but one can surmise that genetics and the environment having something to do with it.

Treatment

Although a cure for autism has not been found, there is treatment and behavioral therapy formulated to rectify certain symptoms and really enhance their overall livelihood. An exemplary course of treatment incorporates therapy and intervention that focus on the three core symptoms of autism mentioned above. The professional viewpoint on autism treatment is that the earlier it begins, the better the outlook.

Prognosis

Many autistic children show signs of improvement as they get older and continue to undergo therapy. In fact, some may even grow up to pursue regular or almost regular lives. Children whose speaking skills show no improvement prior to age three exhibit greater odds of becoming epileptic or show signs of seizure-like brain waves. During teenage years, some autistic children may become depressed or act out. Parents who realize that their child is becoming increasingly difficult to control should be open to an assortment of new treatment options recommended by a physician.

Road to a cure

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) funds research in its own labs and also provides financial backing to medical institutions nationwide. In 2000, the NINDS and three other centers for research joined forces as the National Institute of Health Autism Coordinating Committee. Their purpose is to broaden, intensify, and oversee NIH's autism research. Additionally, there are eight premier research centers around the country that have been labeled as "Centers of Excellence in Autism Research." These centers attract the top scientists and provide them with the best resources to conduct basic and clinical research involving the causes, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, and treatment of the disorder.

If you have a son or daughter with autism, there may be untapped resources available to you that will improve the life of your child. Contact a social security disability lawyer to find out what you may qualify for.