Getting help for a child with autism
In recognition of World Autism Awareness Day April 2, CNN reports on the global impact, latest science and controversies related to the brain disorder. Watch for expanded coverage on CNN.com and CNN TV. When her son Justin was a newborn, Shannon Kinninger looked up from the kitchen where she was washing dishes, and saw a large, heavy toy fall on his head. Justin didn't cry. Kinninger thought that was odd, and it wasn't the only thing that seemed strange about Justin. At her weekly playgroup, she watched the other babies hit their developmental milestones more or less on schedule. Justin lagged far behind. "When he was supposed to be sitting up, he wasn't sitting up. When he was supposed to be holding his head up, he wasn't holding his head up. When he was supposed to be rolling over, he wasn't rolling over," says Kinninger, a nurse who lives in Fayetteville, Georgia. Kinninger brought up her concerns to her pediatrician, but he told her not to worry. "The doctor kept saying that boys develop more slowly than girls," she says. "He kept reassuring me he'd be OK." Even though she felt frustrated, Kinninger accepted this explanation for years. Finally, when Justin was 4, she decided enough was enough. Justin wasn't potty trained, and he had unusual repetitive behaviors, such as switching lights on and off for extended periods of time, or washing his hands over and over. Plus, he wouldn't look at people -- he looked "through" them. She switched doctors, and the new pediatrician referred her to a developmental pediatrician. "He said, 'He's autistic. I knew five minutes after you came in,' " Kinninger says. "I thought, finally, we get a diagnosis." Now Kinninger thinks about all those lost years -- from babyhood to 4 years old -- critical years when Justin could have been receiving therapy for children with autism, but didn't. She now tells other parents of children with autism they need to be advocates for their children, from the very first moment they show signs of having autism. Here, from mothers of children with autism, are ways parents should fight for their children with autism, from babyhood through the school years. startclickprintexclude--> Impact Your World
"Teachers are seen as other professionals, and a letter saying, 'In 20 years of teaching, this behavior is really unusual,' can go far," says Singer, who has a 10-year-old daughter with autism. If your child isn't in day care or school, even a letter from a neighbor who knows your child could help, she says. Singer emphasizes that parents shouldn't push their pediatrician for a diagnosis. "We're saying, refer the child to a developmental pediatrician for additional screening and testing. Because when a parent thinks something is wrong with their child, they're usually right," she says. Educating yourself about autism will also help you have a discussion with your pediatrician. Autism Speaks, First Signs, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all give excellent overviews. Autism Speaks' Video Glossary has more than 100 video clips comparing the behavior of children with autism spectrum disorders with the behavior of a typical child. startclickprintexclude--> Judith Steuber, who raised two grandsons with autism, said that if she had to do it all over again, she would do one thing very differently. "From the beginning, I wish I'd had more support from other parents," says Steuber, who now acts as a mentor for special-needs parents in her school district. "I think that makes a big difference." Autism Speaks has a state-by-state list of support groups. You can find a chapter of The Autism Society of America here. There are electronic support groups on Yahoo, the Berkeley Parents Network, and Autism Web. The Arc has support groups for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; Wiseman says many have a large number of parents of children with autism. |
Empowered Patient: Steps to take to get help for a child with autism »
