Autism Spectrum
Disorders are a group of brain-based disorders that impair the development of a
child’s social behavior and communication skills. It affects an average of 1 in
59 children, a 15% increase of from the previously reported 1 in 88 children in
the United States. The rate is one in 38 among boys (or 2.7 percent) and one in
152 among girls (or 0.7 percent).[1] Autism Spectrum Disorders, also
known as ASD, are more likely to affect about 4.5 times as many boys as girls.
It does not recognize any boundaries when it comes to classifications such as
race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.[2] An individual with Autism may tend to
stand out to people because of his or her behavior or the unusual
characteristics they are displaying. They can become easily agitated and
require experienced individuals who know how to interact with them. It is
important to remember that they do not see things the same way that we do;
their perspective is different than ours.
A challenge that
individuals who have Autism Spectrum Disorders encounter is that they do not
always respond to others as expected, causing others to misinterpret their
silence or how they react to what others want from them. If you come in contact
with an individual, child or adult, who displays fidgeting, does not make eye
contact and does not seem to understand what you are asking of him or her, they
most likely have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). It is best if you maintain a
calm voice and see if he or she can tell you what their name is. Do not try to
touch them or move towards them too quickly. If he or she feels threatened, they
may run away from you. Instead, continue to talk with him or her to build a
rapport by asking what their favorite thing is. Once you know that the
individual is not going run off, contact 9-1-1 to report that you have found
someone who needs a first responder who is qualified to work with an individual
with ASD.
Individuals with
Autism Spectrum Disorder do not understand figurative or slang speech. They are very straightforward
in how they communicate, verbally and nonverbally. When talking with them,
remember that they take everything literally. If he or she starts to become
agitated, calmly ask him or her what they had to eat earlier and if they are
hungry. It is possible that he or she is hungry and needs to eat so that they
can focus on something other than their stomach. Also, depending on the weather
and what type of clothing they are wearing, they could be feeling cold or hot.
Individuals with Autism usually have something on them to identify who they are
such as a bracelet with emergency contact information or a patch on their
clothing with a QR code that can be scanned to notify their family as to their
whereabouts. A particular QR code can hold pertinent information to that
individual and can be updated online by family in the case that he or she goes
missing.
If an individual
with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is over-stimulated, he or she may try to
wander off in search of a calmer environment not realizing that you are unaware
of their location.[3]
Many individuals with Autism seek solitude when they wander away from the
chaos they are experiencing. Most times, they are not aware of how dangerous leaving the safety of the boundaries set for them can be. Children and adults
with the autism spectrum disorder are twice as likely to wander off, succumb to
prolonged exposure and probable drowning. A few examples of places they might
be drawn to could be a neighbor's pool, a local amusement park, or somewhere
they have happy memories of spending time with their family. There is more of a
possibility that he or she can become fatally injured, resulting in death,
while they are wandering unsupervised. As a community, we can keep a vigilant
eye out for anyone that is by themselves, especially a child, and call 9-1-1
for assistance when we have determined it is warranted.
Another way that
we can support individuals with ASD in the community is
to friend their families. Whether it is in our neighborhood, at church, or
through our child's school, these families will appreciate the interaction and support.
Friendship can resemble a lifeline to those affected by Autism Spectrum
Disorders. I know this because my youngest son received his diagnosis of ASD eleven years ago. If it had not been for the friendship and support of
extended family, friends, and other families at church our journey would have
been more difficult than it was for us to endure. We have been so blessed to
have the support and to be included in activities like we were. Everyone was so
patient with our son and would help us keep an eye on him so that he could
enjoy the same activities that his slightly older brother was participating in
like Vacation Bible School, Children's Church, and friends’ birthday parties. My
son has made such progress because the community was so supportive of my
family. He is now a sophomore in high school, taking advanced placement (AP)
classes, and plays baseball with his brother for the high school which they
attend.
I am so proud of
what he has been able to accomplish, including being able to walk down the
halls of the high school without anyone knowing he has ASD. It is because of
the obstacles that he has overcome that I have
been able to return to college, complete my Associate's degree, and I am
working towards finishing what I started thirty years ago, just in a different
path. I plan to acquire my Bachelor's degree in Psychology, as well as my
Master's in School Psychology, to "pay it forward" to the school
district that has been accommodating to my son. As a School Psychologist, I
know that I can make a difference in the quality of education that Special
Education students will receive and improve the relations between the Teachers
in the Special Education Department and the ones in the Regular Education
classrooms. The support of the community can make all of the difference in not
only the lives of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, but also to the
members of their families, as it has mine. Are you willing to friend and
support a family that needs to know that they are not alone in their journey? I
hope so!
If you are
interested in learning more about our journey, please start by visiting Nathan's Voice, my amateur blog. You can also follow me on Twitter @NathansVoice for updates. If someone that you know has recently received a diagnosis of ASD, please share the attached article with them!
[3] National Autism
Association - AWAARE