Ask Mrs Figgins
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Autism?

Dear Mrs. Figgins:

I am afraid to say these words out loud.

How do I know if my child has autism?

Jackie, Minnesota

 

Dear Jackie:

I can only imagine what you can be going thru as a Mother.  My heart and prayers go out to you. 

Autism is treatable, and studies show that early diagnosis and intervention, from can yield significant improvement in the outcome.

According to the Autism Society of America, http://www.autism-society.org, some of the following traits may be exhibited:

• Insistence on sameness; resistance to change

• Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words

• Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language

• Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason; showing distress for reasons not apparent to others

• Preference to being alone; aloof manner

• Tantrums

• Difficulty in mixing with others

• Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled

• Little or no eye contact

• Unresponsive to normal teaching methods

• Sustained odd play

• Spinning objects

• Obsessive attachment to objects

• Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain

• No real fears of danger

• Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity

• Uneven gross/fine motor skills

• Non-responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range

My best to you, Jackie,

Mrs. Figgins

 

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