PDD - Autism Information
Autism Society of Washington
Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) covers a variety of neurological disorders. Autism Spectrum Disorder is the most well known form and can affect a child severely or mildly. Autism is found five times more often in boys than in girls. Rett's Disorder is more common to girls, though it is a rare disorder. Asperger's Disorder is commonly refered to as "high functioning autism". Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is also covered under PDD but is extremely rare. Many children are diagnosed as Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS). This category covers children who don't completely meet the criteria to be diagnosed with one of the first four disorders above or don't have the degree of impairment that qualify as one of those disorders. For more specific information on each of these disorders check out the DSM-IV page. Autism interferes with the normal development of the brain in areas of communication, thought processing and social contact and interplay. Children with Autism appear to be slower in these areas making it hard for them to communicate. Self stimulation behaviors (stimming) such as hand flapping, rocking or jumping around may be present. Some children also show self injurious behavior such as head banging or biting. The senses can be affected either in a hypo (under-
intensified) or hyper (over-intensified) manner. Most children with Autism have a difficult time making and keeping eye contact. Autism is currently more common than Down's Syndrome in developmental disabilities, yet many people know little or nothing about the disorder. Many parents are shocked to learn their child has Autism as their only knowledge of it was what they have seen in the movie "Rainman". Some children with Autism appear to be typical children when observed casually. If they misbehave, others just think their parents don't discipline enough. Unfortunately, it is common for most people to have little or no knowledge of this disorder, thereby making them judgmental and without compassion, yet the the current statistics estimate that nearly 1 in every 250 children have some form of autism.
The Grieving Process
Dealing with a newly given diagnosis of autism in your child leaves you in shock at first. Your son or daughter whom you have known and loved since birth now seems to be very different than what you had believed. Hopes and dreams you had for your child may seem to have vanished and you are finding yourself going through a grieving process for the child you thought you had and lost. This is a natural process, feeling anger, frustration, fear, betrayal, guilt, confusion and a host of other thoughts and emotions. Don't ignore your feelings but try to acknowledge them and work through them. As you become more adjusted to the fact that your child does have a disability you will then be able to focus more on what to do now. Every child with autism I know has improved when given the opportunity. Whether through various therapies, special programs, medication, behavior modification or a combination of these and other helps, every child can have success. Their success in life may now be different than what you once envisioned but all they need is your love, your support and your advocacy. You know your child, they are no different now than they were before you were given a diagnosis, you just have a name to put to all the misunderstood things. Be their voice, make sure they are being given all the tools they need to be happy and be all they can be.
Research Shows
There is no known cause of Autism at this point in time. We do know that there are neurological differences in the brain of a child with Autism. In some families there have been found to be other relatives with disorders in the Autism family such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), Bi-polar Disorder and others that suggest there may be a genetic basis to the disorder. The University of Washington Autism Center does ongoing research and is a good source of information. Autism is not a mental illness and children with Autism do not choose to exhibit the negative behavior associated with it. Although there is no known cure at this time, there are therapies and medications that can have a positive affect on the symptoms. Some characteristics improve as the child gets older. It's important to remember that a therapy, teaching style, or medication that works great for one child with Autism may have a completely opposite affect on another child. It's important to evaluate solutions you hear about them and use them first as a trial that is carefully watched.
Medications
Medication is something each parent has to look at for their child on an individual basis. No medication can cure autism, but several can help with symptoms. Deciding which medication to try, if you chose to, needs to be decided by you and your child's doctor. It is best to work with a doctor with experience in this field. Some meds called SSRIs work to help balance out the number of neurotransmitters running between the brain and the nervous system. Paxil, Luvox, Zoloft and Prozac are usually used for these. There are usually no serious side effects. Though used as antidepressants in people with depression, they seem to have the opposite effect in autistic children. It can help to calm them, help them be more focused on things outside themselves and decrease aggressive and stimming behaviors. I have had wonderful results for my son with Paxil for the last year and a half but have also talked to parents who said it did not work for them. There are other medications in use which do well for some children that SSRIs do not work for. These medicines have other side effects and require blood testing and monitoring to ensure there are no adverse reactions to the body. You know your child, recognize that nothing will make the autistic behaviors go away but use common sense and a trusted doctor's advice to decide how to best help alleviate the ones most detrimental to them and others around them.
School
Depending on the age of your child, try to find an appropriate placement in a school setting as soon as possible, whether in a Birth-to-3 Program, a Developmental Preschool, a Special Education setting or an Inclusion Program. Your school district should have Psychologists within the school district who coordinate a variety of testings to determine your childs needs and how to best address them. If possible, have a representative from your local PAVE (Parents Are Vital in Education) attend the IEP meetings with you. They know the law and will help ensure that your child is given all that is necessary. Federal Law requires school districts to provide whatever is necessary for your child to learn. (See the Resources page for the website containing this law). Share your concerns with the IEP team and try to work with them to fit a setting to your child. Work with your child at home, keep constant communication with all teachers and staff who interact with them. Your child will bloom, maybe not the rose you were expecting but lilacs and dahlias are gorgeous flowers too. Give your child every opportunity you can to feel successful and to be happy with themselves.
This page was last updated on: April 5, 2008
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Intervention Tools
What Every Parent Needs to Know is a helpful document that shares information for parents of children with Autism in areas such as Special Education, Questions Parents Ask, Dietary Interventions, Therapies, Medications, and other interventions such as Pivotal Response Training (PRT), Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Social Stories, TEACCH: Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Discrete Trial Training as well as some information on Sibling Needs. To access this document in Microsoft Word, please click on the link to the left.
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