April is National Autism Awareness Month. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.
Autism has been in the spotlight a lot more these days and I'm sure it's the result of several celebrities and other high profile (read: Anglo) individuals coming forth and sharing their stories of raising an autistic child. Hopefully this attention will bring about more funding and research to assist families who are dealing with this issue.
Statistics have shown that black children who suffer from Autism usually receive a delayed diagnosis as compared to their white counterparts. Because black parents often lack resources or knowledge about the disorder they usually accept it when the doctor says "oh, boys are sometimes slower than girls" or "oh, she'll eventually catch up" and unfortunately the real issue is not discovered until they enter the public school system and at this point the child has potentially missed out on years of treatment. Here are some early warning signs, if your child is experiencing any of these issues you may want to have them tested- if your child's doctor does not do much to reassure you- GET A SECOND OPINION:
1.Does your child answer to his/her name? Unless a child has some type of hearing loss they should start responding to the sound of their name within the first few months of life.
2. Was your child talking and has suddenly regressed and is no longer talking?
3. Does your child resist cuddling and holding?
4. Does your child perform repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping?
5. Does your child have an unusual sensitivity to light, sounds or touch?
SOURCE: mayoclinic.com
Autism usually affects children during the first few years of life and many are diagnosed before their 4th birthday. If you are the parent of a black child with Autism you might want to consider becoming a part of this online community Autism Concepts.
My thoughts and prayers are with families who must face this challenge every day and I hope that researchers can determine the root cause so, that scientists can potentially prevent or limit the number of future cases as well as continue to effectively treat individuals who are currently diagnosed with the disorder.
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Sunday, April 20, 2008
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Sunday, April 20, 2008
Autism Awareness
April is National Autism Awareness Month. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.
Autism has been in the spotlight a lot more these days and I'm sure it's the result of several celebrities and other high profile (read: Anglo) individuals coming forth and sharing their stories of raising an autistic child. Hopefully this attention will bring about more funding and research to assist families who are dealing with this issue.
Statistics have shown that black children who suffer from Autism usually receive a delayed diagnosis as compared to their white counterparts. Because black parents often lack resources or knowledge about the disorder they usually accept it when the doctor says "oh, boys are sometimes slower than girls" or "oh, she'll eventually catch up" and unfortunately the real issue is not discovered until they enter the public school system and at this point the child has potentially missed out on years of treatment. Here are some early warning signs, if your child is experiencing any of these issues you may want to have them tested- if your child's doctor does not do much to reassure you- GET A SECOND OPINION:
1.Does your child answer to his/her name? Unless a child has some type of hearing loss they should start responding to the sound of their name within the first few months of life.
2. Was your child talking and has suddenly regressed and is no longer talking?
3. Does your child resist cuddling and holding?
4. Does your child perform repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping?
5. Does your child have an unusual sensitivity to light, sounds or touch?
SOURCE: mayoclinic.com
Autism usually affects children during the first few years of life and many are diagnosed before their 4th birthday. If you are the parent of a black child with Autism you might want to consider becoming a part of this online community Autism Concepts.
My thoughts and prayers are with families who must face this challenge every day and I hope that researchers can determine the root cause so, that scientists can potentially prevent or limit the number of future cases as well as continue to effectively treat individuals who are currently diagnosed with the disorder.
Autism has been in the spotlight a lot more these days and I'm sure it's the result of several celebrities and other high profile (read: Anglo) individuals coming forth and sharing their stories of raising an autistic child. Hopefully this attention will bring about more funding and research to assist families who are dealing with this issue.
Statistics have shown that black children who suffer from Autism usually receive a delayed diagnosis as compared to their white counterparts. Because black parents often lack resources or knowledge about the disorder they usually accept it when the doctor says "oh, boys are sometimes slower than girls" or "oh, she'll eventually catch up" and unfortunately the real issue is not discovered until they enter the public school system and at this point the child has potentially missed out on years of treatment. Here are some early warning signs, if your child is experiencing any of these issues you may want to have them tested- if your child's doctor does not do much to reassure you- GET A SECOND OPINION:
1.Does your child answer to his/her name? Unless a child has some type of hearing loss they should start responding to the sound of their name within the first few months of life.
2. Was your child talking and has suddenly regressed and is no longer talking?
3. Does your child resist cuddling and holding?
4. Does your child perform repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping?
5. Does your child have an unusual sensitivity to light, sounds or touch?
SOURCE: mayoclinic.com
Autism usually affects children during the first few years of life and many are diagnosed before their 4th birthday. If you are the parent of a black child with Autism you might want to consider becoming a part of this online community Autism Concepts.
My thoughts and prayers are with families who must face this challenge every day and I hope that researchers can determine the root cause so, that scientists can potentially prevent or limit the number of future cases as well as continue to effectively treat individuals who are currently diagnosed with the disorder.
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