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To talk to someone at CLO, contact
Nan Perin, Director
of ECAP, at 785-865-5520, ext. 109.
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About Autism
 In recent years, Autism
and Aitism Spectrum Disorders have become so frequently diagnosed that some professionals are refering to them as an epidemic. One in 144 childern has some form of the disorder. Diagnosis can be difficult because many health
care practitioners have limited training in or exposure to autism.
Researchers have not yet found a specific cause for autism, and
there are no medical tests for diagnosing it. A doctor may order
various tests to rule out other conditions since many behaviors
associated with autism can also be seen in other disorders.
In order to be diagnosed accurately, a child should be observed
by an interdisciplinary team of professionals skilled in determining
social, behavioral, communication, and developmental levels. Two
interdisciplinary teams in the metro Kansas City area with the expertise
and experience to diagnose disorders within the spectrum of autism
are:
The Developmental Disabilities
Ceneter
University of Kansas Medical Center
913-588-5983
The
Developmental Medicine Department
Children's Mercy Hospital
816-234-3674
Research on autism has long shown
that the earlier an intensive, systematic, and individualized intervention
program is implemented, the better the outcome for the child.
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Possible
Early Indicators of Autism:
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- Doesn't talk or use words in communicative
way at the appropriate age.
- Merely echoes the speech of others
without really understanding the meaning of words.
- Stops talking after his/her first
words, or fails to develop language.
- Appears to be deaf or doesn't have
the typical startle response (may not turn when you come
into the room or answer to his/her own name, or may seem
unaware of sounds in the room).
- "Hand gazes," looks at
lights through fingers, or displays other self-stimulatory
behavior.
- Ritualistic, repetitive behaviors.
- Extremely fussy eating habits or
an extremely limited food repertoire.
- Doesn't display anticipatory response
(may not raise his/her arms to be picked up, or may not
want to be held).
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- "Tunes out" a lot. Seems
unaware of what is happening around him/her or shows a lack
of interest in people.
- Resists change (wants things to
stay the same). Extremely inflexible or consistently very
upset by changes in routine.
- Extreme sensory sensitivity.
- Doesn't spontaneously imitate the
actions of others.
- Doesn't show interest in other people
or rarely initiates social interactions.
- Has advanced skills in some areas,
but shows delays in other areas.
- Has difficulty transferring skills
from one setting to another.
- Avoids actively looking at people.
Doesn't follow a shift in gaze, point, or say "look".
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