What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

According to the CDC, 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. 1 in 34 boys have an autism diagnosis, and 1 in 144 girls are diagnosed. Autism spectrum disorders occur across all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

What is autism spectrum disorder?

“Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms in two primary areas: social communication and restrictive and repetitive behavior,” says Dr. Candice Lake, Director of Wedgwood’s Autism Center for Child Development.

Deficits in Social Communication

In this category, you may see things like differences in eye contact, facial expression, and verbal communication. Differences can be lack of, or limited facial expressions, eye contact, or verbal skills. They can also be on the other end of the continuum: very animated facial expressions, intense eye contact, or using made up words or advanced language.

Restrictive & Repetitive Behavior

This can look like different body posturing and mannerisms – like finger waving or hand flapping – or an insistence on sameness and challenges with change, like taking a new route to school or transitioning from summer to winter clothing.

“It’s definitely a spectrum,” said Dr. Lake. “There’s just such a wide range of how symptoms can manifest. It’s very different for each person. Often, we see an uneven profile of skills. A child may have really great social skills, but have really poor skills in other areas, like self-care.”

Diagnosis

With established, reliable behavioral standards, an autism diagnosis can be made when a child is as young as 12 months, but more commonly occurs around 2 – 3 years of age. Dr. Lake suggests that parents who are concerned about their child’s development reach out to their pediatrician as a first step.

“Our team at Wedgwood’s Autism Center for Child Development can help guide you through the process and connect you to resources as well,” she added.

With a diagnosis, behavioral interventions may be appropriate to help set your child up for success.

Individualized Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention

Young brains are at their prime to learn and absorb new information and skills, so early intervention is key.

“Early intervention starts after a diagnosis, usually around age 3, up until the child is ready to transition into school,” said Dr. Lake. “And because autism is a spectrum disorder, and every child has their own specific needs, strengths, and challenges – individualized services are really important.”

At Wedgwood, our team works with families to understand their priorities and establish goals.

“We don’t do cookie-cutter programming here,” adds Dr. Lake. “Whatever is most important to the family, we work on that first.”

Understanding each child’s likes, dislikes, and motivations are also an integral part of treatment. One child may be very interested in dinosaurs, another may only want to play on the swings. Using what grabs the child’s attention and incorporating that into interventions increases their effectiveness – and are more fun for the child.

 

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Wedgwood’s Autism Center for Child Development, located on the northeast side of Grand Rapids, can provide support and intervention services for children with autism spectrum disorder and their families. To get connected to resources for a diagnosis, or to learn more about our center, visit www.wedgwood.org/autismcenter or call 616.965.3492

 

Check out the Wedgwood Coffee Break Conversation with Dr. Lake on our YouTube channel, or on the Wedgwood Podcast – available wherever you get your podcasts.