Autism may be even more prevalent

New research shows mild autism may be a lot more prevalent than doctors first thought. It could be as high as one in every 38 kids. Those kids may be doing fine in school, but with a little extra help, they could be doing exceptional and have fewer social problems. It is now becoming common for parents to wonder if their child has autism. If you are reading this and wondering about your own child, it may be time to ask your doctor or get an evaluation through Easter Seals. The kids with autism who are treated at a young age perform better in the long run. I think it's interesting to hear from the mom at the end of this article who says she didn't see any signs until her daughter was in third grade.

FROM NBC: A new study published online in the "American Journal of Psychiatry" suggests the prevalence of autism in kids may be far higher than previously thought. The findings could have a big impact on the way children are evaluated.

We are back, with news about a new study that is almost certain to ADD to the debate over a disorder that seems to be surging - and causes so much anxiety for families who wonder if their child HAS it. We're talking about the spectrum of autism disorders, and tonight, a new study overseas seems to show that the incidence could be even higher than anyone thought. Autism is a disorder that disrupts social interactions ...and covers a broad spectrum from terribly severe to mild.

Today's study finds the mild form might afflict far more children than experts had assumed -- that the incidence of autism could be as high as one in 38 children --twice as high as most previous estimates.

Professor Roy Richard Grinker, George Washington University "Autism is more common than we think and that there are a lot of kids out there who are actually doing somewhat well in mainstream schools but can do even better if they are provided some assistance." Researchers carried out the study in a suburb of Seoul, South Korea.

The study was easier to do there because of Korea's universal health care and education But the scientists say there is no reason to think the results would be different elsewhere Most previous research examined medical records of children whose parents who sought help But this study sponsored by the charity Autism Speaks focused on 55,000 of the 7 to 12 year olds in the suburb -- those in regular schools as well as special education classes

Dr. Young Shin Kim, Yale Child Study Center "So we knew that we were going to find more kids in this population." Judith Ursitti of Dover, Massachusetts thought her daughter Amy was doing fine until the third grade, when Amy started having problems with other children. Eventually she was diagnosed with Asperger's a mild form of autism -- and therapy has gotten her back on track. Amy "Now that I recognize how I am different from other people it has really helped me a lot." And, these scientists say, today's study suggests there are a lot more kids like Amy around the world who might benefit from the extra help that can follow a diagnosis of autism.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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New Autism Numbers

The debate continues on whether more kids are getting autism or people are just becoming more aware of the symptoms and getting their kids diagnosed. For several years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said autism impacts 1 in every 150 kids. But the number of kids diagnosed is growing so fast.. that number is now 1 in 110. In a way this is good news. I think most people who are involved in the autism community knew the numbers were higher than reported and this confirmation will give them more of an edge when it comes to funding. Typically, the more people who have a disorder, the more people who fight for those kids to have equal rights and protection.

FROM NBC: This study is from the CDC, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and several other sites. It's being published today in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. - Dr. Catherine Rice of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (CDC) is the lead author. Government health officials are reporting an increase in the prevalence of autism.

The CDC now estimates an average of 1 in 110 children has some form of autism spectrum disorder. The CDC calls the new data a "significant public health concern." Researchers there reviewed medical and school records of 8-year-olds -- because most cases of autism are diagnosed by then. Between 2002 and 2006, the prevalence of autism increased from 1 in 150 children... to 1 in 110.

Lee Grossman - President, Autism Society "When you see such a dramatic increase -- 57% in a four year period -- that shows... I'm trying to conceive of how many kids we've missed during that four-year period."

There was a striking difference in rates between boys and girls. Experts estimate 1 in 315 girls has some form of autism. But for boys -- that number jumps to 1 in 70. Dr. Max Wiznitzer - UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital "This study does not tell us the why, it just tells us what's going on and it identifies a public health issue."

In many cases, someone -- usually a mom or dad -- raised concerns about a child's development by age 2. Some of the red flags: Dr. Max Wiznitzer - UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital "Any child who loses skills, loses language or social skills, a child who's not making good eye contact." But the majority of cases weren't diagnosed by a doctor until around age 4 -- meaning: Lee Grossman - President, Autism Society "They've missed the benefits of early intervention."

No one has been able to pinpoint any one reason for the increase. they say it could be due to better detection and screening, or that cases could truly be rising. These findings are in line with another study released in October that was based on telephone surveys of parents.

This study was based on a review of records. Researchers had a team of clinicians go through the symptoms to confirm a doctor's diagnosis. - The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages pediatricians to screen all children for autism between 18 and 24 months. Autism spectrum disorder includes a wide variety of symptoms - but mainly affects communication and social skills.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Don't Ignore the Symptoms

We have been talking about the importance of getting children with autism diagnosed early for the last five years. Developmental pediatricians determined years ago that starting therapy as early as possible is vital to kids with this disorder. Now a new study proves the kids with autism who start therapy at 18 months are better off than those who don't. The problem? A lot of parents don't know the symptoms or aren't ready to face the diagnosis. If you don't know the signs/symptoms of autism, take a look at this story I did several years ago. Early Intervention can make a world of difference.
FROM CNN: Researchers have shown for the first time that if a child is diagnosed with autism as early as 18 months of age, offering the toddler age-appropriate, effective therapy can lead to raised IQ levels and improved language skills and behavior.

"Early intervention can be very effective for toddlers with autism," says Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer of the advocacy group Autism Speaks, and one of the two lead authors of a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

Since 2007, pediatricians have been told to screen 18-month-old children for autism. But what the next step is when such a young child is diagnosed has not been clear.
"It's crucial, if we're going to offer screening at such a young age, that we can offer an intervention, and now we know we have methods that are effective," says Dawson.

She adds, "This is the first controlled trial in children under the age of two-and-a-half."While Dawson was at the University of Washington, she and co-study author Sally Rogers from the University of California-Davis M.I.N.D. Institute devised the trial involving 48 children with autism.

All the children in the trial were between 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old at the beginning of the study. Half of the children were given community-based interventions or therapies and the other half were enrolled in a 20-hour per week intervention program called "Early Start Denver Model" (ESDM), developed by Rogers.

The goal of this research was to determine how much the debilitating effects of autism can be prevented or reduced.ESDM was designed to address the needs of toddlers with autism as young as 12 months old, and it is delivered by trained therapists and their parents in a very natural setting -- the child's own home -- with children sitting on the floor and playing, rather than having a more adult-directed therapy.

"It's a very pleasing kind of therapy, kids are happy. It is play, and it can happen everywhere," Rogers explains. Dawson adds that this type of intervention builds on a fun, positive relationship with the therapist. This is a contrast to traditional Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), which is delivered at a desk, with the child sitting next to the teacher or therapist, who breaks down complex tasks into small components and then gives tangible reinforcements.

At the end of two years, all of the children showed improvements. But children in the ESDM group had increased their IQ by nearly 18 points -- 10 points higher than the children getting the standard autism therapy offered in the community. Scores for listening and understanding as well as motor skills and self-care skills were all higher in the ESDM group.

"Many of the children had virtually caught up to the typical kids their age," says Dawson.Rogers says parents can pick up the ESDM therapy methods quite easily."They can learn this within six hours of working with therapists," she says.

Then parents can use the skills in everyday settings, not just during specific therapy sessions.The study's authors also noted that the children in the ESDM group required only 15 hours of weekly intervention with a therapist, compared with the usual 40 recommended hours. This can have a significant economic impact on families. In 2006, a Harvard study estimated the lifelong cost of care for person with autism is more than $3 million.

Children with autism can have one of several complex neurological disorders, which lead to social impairments, communication difficulties and restrictive and repetitive behaviors. While the cause of autism in not yet known -- genetics and environmental triggers are believed to play a role -- the benefits of early intervention have been shown to reduce disruptive behaviors and teach the child skills that will lead to greater independence as he or she gets older.

There is no known cure for autism. The researchers of this study are quick to point out this they didn't cure any children, either. The subjects of the study still have autism, although it may be in a milder form.

In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that all children be screened for autism at the ages of 18 months and 24 months. A report published in their journal, Pediatrics, that year said that several studies showed that the Denver model was an effective treatment, but that "controlled studies are lacking" to prove its efficacy. This new study does just that. Researchers and advocacy groups alike stress treatments need to be scientifically verified before they can be recommended on a large scale.

"This is a good-news story" says Dr. Fred Volkmar, director of Yale University's Child Study Center and an autism expert.

"Quite often the [autism] field is splintered," says Brenda Smith Myles, also an autism expert and spokeswoman for the Autism Society of America. "I think on this topic, you will see a lot of cohesiveness."

Volkmar says this is a "well-done study, an important study." He says it shows that by effectively intervening at this young age, it is possible to prevent some of the early problems autism causes.
Rogers acknowledges that this study is only the first step. "Every piece of science needs to be replicated before it becomes fact, so we are currently doing a replication study," she said.

For more information on how to recognizes autism, EDMS and other possible therapies, go to http://www.autismspeaks.org/ and http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Autism Study

Parents of children with autism are terrified about what would happen to their kids if they weren't around. Will they be able to hold a job as adults? A new survey of around 1600 parents of children with autism shows which topics parents are most concerned about.

The Easter Seals "Living with Autism Study" will be used to prioritize the needs of our local families. Teaching kids with autism basic life skills like how to answer a phone or how to respond appropriately to basic questions is key.

Parents want their kids to be financially and socially independent. The President of the Peoria Chapter of the Autism Society of America said, "The thought of us not being there to take care of them and know what's best for them, terrifies us. And that's why it is so important for us to get the services for our children that we need to teach them the skills they need to survive."

Just last week, Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the Autism Insurance Bill into law. Families are grateful, but say it's not enough.

You can find more information about this study by going to CI.EasterSeals.com:

These are just a sampling of the powerful sentiments parents of children with autism shared with Easter Seals through its new nationwide Living with Autism Study. As one of the nation’s largest providers of autism treatment and services, the one consistent message Easter Seals hears from families – after the initial anxiety of learning their child has autism – is an overwhelming concern about the life-long supports their child with autism will need.

For example, when it comes to parents of children with autism:

-Nearly 80% are extremely or very concerned about their child’s independence as an adult, compared to only 32% of parents of typically-developing children.
-They’re worried their child won’t fit into society, with few feeling their child will:
Make his own life decisions (14% vs. 65% of parents of typically-developing children)
Have friends (17% vs. 57%)
Have a spouse/life partner (9% vs. 51%)
Participate in recreational activities (20% vs. 50%)
-They report they’re “financially drowning,” with concerns for their child’s financial future seeming to far surpass the worries of parents with typically-developing children.
-74% fear their child will not have enough financial support after they die, while only 18% of parents with typically-developing children share this same fear.

Easter Seals will use the findings to shed new light on the ongoing challenges facing people living with autism, raising awareness of and advocating for the life-long services millions of families living with autism desperately need. We hope you find this intimate information from families living with autism helpful as you craft current and future autism-related stories. Easter Seals has an array of autism experts available to speak to you, as well as an eager group of families willing to share their personal experiences as they navigate their day-to-day lives – with autism.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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