Autism: Early intervention is important

Just reported, the rate of Autism has increased 57% to a rate of 1 in 110 births from a previous estimate of 1 in 150 births. With 71 million children living in the United States and the CDC estimating the number of children living with Autism at about 550,000, the previous estimate didn't make much sense. Since 1 in 150 births would estimate the number to be closer to 473,000. But now that the CDC has released the new estimate at 1 in 110 births, this would bring the cases of Autism at 645,000.

Although a cure would be nice, we have to help these children now. And we have to help the families. Parents are feeling like they have no where to turn. And lets face it, they don't. Children won't get diagnosed with Autism until they are at least 18 months old. After the diagnosis and the initial shock that there is something wrong with their child, a parent starts seeking help.

So what's the next step. Since Autism is a spectrum disorder, they need to get evaluated. It's imperative to find out where on the spectrum they lie. But you don't have forever. Early intervention is important because, there is a critical window of 3 to 5 years old. Before the age of 5, a child with Autism has the biggest chance of being helped regardless of where on the spectrum they lie.

Well, that settles it, right? I mean if you get a child diagnosed the second birthday, and they get their child evaluated, an Individual Education Plan can be established and everything will be okay.

If you're the parent of a child recently diagnosed with Autism, here's some things you'll find out the hard way. One, the waiting list for most public facilities is 18 months to two years to get your child evaluated. So if you're child was almost two years old when diagnosed, which is usually the case, you're child will almost be 4 years old to get evaluated.

Two, once evaluated you have to enroll your child into a program that specialized in Autism. Depending on what time of year it is, you could wait up to six months. And if that isn't enough, the public school system doesn't allow individual attention to children unless an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is requested. Since Autism is a spectrum disorder, individual attention is necessary.

Okay, fine. So what does it take to get an IEP. A lot harder than you think. Since it costs a public school more time and money to implement and IEP, they're not in a hurry to have one done. And even if you do have one established, most plans come out very vague and they never focus on the real problems.

You can go to private facilities and spend thousands of dollars to get your child evaluated sooner, but there is no guarantee the educational facility will accept the evaluation. And a rejection, will just push back your time table back even further.

Accept Believe and Change NPF is building a multi-sensory, early intervention facility that will help alleviate these problems. We are a non profit organization that will work with parents and local facilities to ensure that your child gets the best care. We will introduce multi-sensory therapies that a child with Autism will find therapeautic and relaxing. We will offer an Equipment Library , advocacy for you child, art therapy, music therapy, and counseling for parents.

If you have any questions to help your child, or you suspect Autism, or you're having trouble getting an IEP for your child, you can always write us.

richelle.rose@acceptbelieveandchange.org
john.rose@acceptbelieveandchange.org

Or visit our website at www.acceptbelieveandchange.org, visit the contact page to leave a comment, email, or question.

Accept...Believe...and Change will follow...

Life is about the journey, not the destination.

John Rose, CPA