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June 18th, 2023

6/18/2023

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY 2023!!! From sarasautismsite.com

Fathers of children with Autism may find that their current parenting skills are not as successful with their autistic child, as they had hoped. But, many fathers who have gone before you are there to help and support you.

You will find my Extended Book Reviews with < My Thoughts > of the following books written by Autism DADs in my on MENU; sarasautismsite.com ~

A Real Boy: How Autism Shattered Our Lives and Made a Family from the Pieces (2011), by Christopher Stevens & Nicola Stevens

Autism: Triplet Twist (2013), by James Potvin

Autism: Turning On the Light (2013), by Keith Ambersley

Secondhand Autism (2013), by Paul Brodie

The Horse Boy (2009) & The Long Ride Home (2015); by Rupert Isaacson

Also, please find my FREE ASD BOOK on the website MENU. It is important for fathers to have the support of others who understand a ‘son’ or ‘daughter’ with autism. Check online for Father’s Groups in your area.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY 2023!!!

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How Will I Know if it is Autism?

6/11/2023

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From FREE ASD BOOK ~ Know Autism – Know Your Child: with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker; 2023. Please find on MENU www.sarasautismsite.com

UNIT 1 – How Will I Know (it’s autism)?

In 2023, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 36 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). According to 2020 data, boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls. Most children were still being diagnosed after age 4, though autism can be reliably diagnosed as early as age 2.

< My Thoughts > “ASD prevalence was higher among boys than girls…”

Any data is only as good as the population from which it is collected. Many ‘at-risk’ children in ‘marginal’ populations may not be identified as being ‘ASD’ until they reach school age; when the social and cognitive demands exceed their current abilities. Also, parents may hardly notice troubling deficits in social reciprocity; nor do they always recognize ‘sensory stress’ behaviors in their children. They just notice that ‘something’ seems to be wrong. Parents may believe that it’s their parenting, before they consider that their child is struggling with a disorder.

Whiffen (2009) shares concerns about her son – Finally home, I hurry to my computer. I place my fingers on the keyboard and type “AUTISM”. My pinky finger hangs over the Enter key, frozen. My fear has definition. I am afraid of what I might find.

That evening, I go to bed unable to sleep, I go back downstairs. I press the Enter key, I force myself to look at the “Autism Signs & Symptoms” checklist –

Inappropriate laughing and giggling. CHECK!
No real fear of danger. CHECK!
Apparent insensitivity to pain. CHECK!
May NOT want cuddling or act cuddly. CHECK!
Little or no eye contact. CHECK!
Difficulty expressing needs. CHECK!
NOT responsive to verbal cues. CHECK!
Sustains odd play. CHECK! CHECK! CHECK!
Inappropriate attachment to objects. CHECK!
Insistence on sameness; resists change in routine. CHECK!

My eyes filled with tears as I looked at this description of my son on the computer.
What can you do while you are waiting for the world of doctor’s appointments, consultations, complicated referral systems, and intervention program possibilities to open up to you?
It may be time to reiterate that ‘taking early action’ does not necessarily mean jumping into a program or therapy for your child. There are many reasons why this could be unwise, not only for your child, but for your family. Parents should always take time to think things through.

Reference:
Whiffen, L. (2009). A Child’s Journey Out of Autism: One Family’s Story of Living in Hope and Finding a Cure; eBook Edition.

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Author

     Just to let you know that I, Sara Luker, have put forth my best efforts in presenting what I have learned over my 30 years with autism, Sharing Extended Book Reviews of stories about those who have gone before us.
     Understand that all health matters ALWAYS require medical decisions/diagnosis/treatment by highly qualified and licensed individuals. See website DISCLAIMER.

     Here you will find excerpts containing a combination of selections, synopses, general information prose, quotes and references to peer-reviewed articles.

Plus < My Thoughts >, which are my responses to the material; as a state certified educator with a 2013 Master’s Degree in Special Education, and over 30 years as Sonny’s mom.

The BLOGs on this site are meant to be insightful and timely. Comments and Responses are welcomed.

     The offered DOWNLOAD material is organized in UNITs and Chapters. The autism information comes from –

**Peer-reviewed scientific journal articles, informational     and educational-writer articles.*

**Prose, which explains the currently circulating general public knowledge.*

**Personal, < My Thoughts > which are ‘educated guesses’ about what it all means.*

**Poignant synopses of published parent stories.*

**Pages filled with decisions, denial, cited references, definitions, appendices, and more.*

Hearing the words “this child has autism,” parents are often shell-shocked.

Then, in the face of so many more questions racing through their minds, the doctor says, “Just go online and read everything you can about autism.”

Yes, disturbingly this kind of professional advice is given to many of our families.

If you are one of those families, or clinicians, I hope this material will give you a good start.

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June 18th, 2023

How Will I Know if it is Autism?

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