WHAT IS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)?

WHAT IS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)?

ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by a range of challenges in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. It encompasses a spectrum of symptoms and severity levels, making each individual’s experience unique. 

ASD is often characterized into different levels based on the level of support individuals may require.  These levels serve as a framework to better understand and tailor interventions which recognize the diverse range of abilities and challenges those within the spectrum.

* LEVEL 1: MILD, indicates that individuals need some support, with difficulties primarily noticeable in social situations.

* LEVEL 2: MODERATE, suggests a more pronounced need for support, encompassing marked social challenges and repetitive behaviors.

* LEVEL 3: SEVERE, reflects significant impairments in both verbal and nonverbal communication, with substantial difficulties in daily functioning. 

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT “WAIT AND SEE”

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for most pediatric professionals and/or family members who do not have experience with ASD to tell a parent to just “wait and see.”  This happens for multiple reasons.  

* SCATTER SKILLS: Often, people with ASD exhibit “scatter skills” or strengths in specific areas, such as attention to detail or intense focus on particular interests, while challenges in other areas, such as interactions with others or issues with sensory processing. 

*COMORBIDITY: Many individuals with ASD also exhibit comorbid issues in other areas (e.g., anxiety, depression, opposition, etc.).  

*PRESENTATION OF SYMPTOMS: Unfortunately, stereotypes can and do still prevail.  In other words, if symptoms are not externalizing and/or obviously odd as was the case of Dustin Hoffman in the movie Rain Man then it can’t be ASD.
This is far from the truth and why ASD is referred to as a spectrum.  Differences in presentation of symptoms often occur between females to their male counterparts.
Females diagnosed with ASD can more readily imitate their peers like a “social chameleon.”   

*EARLY INTERVENTION: If you suspect your child may be showing signs of ASD, trust your instincts and take action now! Early intervention is key to prognostic indicators of future success. The information below has been cut and pasted from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/autism/conditioninfo/treatments/early-intervention.

Research shows that early diagnosis of and interventions for autism are more likely to have major long-term positive effects on symptoms and later skills. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can sometimes be diagnosed in children before they are 2 years of age. Some children with ASD whose development seem typical up to that point begin to regress just before or sometime during age 2 years. 

Early interventions occur at or before preschool age, as early as 2 or 3 years of age. In this period, a young child’s brain is still forming, meaning it is more “plastic” or changeable than at older ages. Because of this plasticity, treatments have a better chance of being effective in the longer term. Early interventions not only give children the best start possible, but also the best chance of developing to their full potential. The sooner a child gets help, the greater the chance for learning and progress. In fact, recent guidelines suggest starting an integrated developmental and behavioral intervention as soon as ASD is diagnosed or seriously suspected. 

With early intervention, some children with autism make so much progress that they are no longer on the autism spectrum when they are older. Many of the children who later go off the spectrum have some things in common: 

· Diagnosis and treatment at younger ages

· A higher intelligence quotient (IQ, a measure of thinking ability) than average for a child with autism

· Better language and motor skills

Don’t waste valuable time and progress! 

Contact Dr. Heidi Escoto today and schedule a brief phone consultation.