Acceptance of autism spectrum disorders

My nephew was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on the age of eight, over a decade ago when autism often went undiagnosed. He experienced many challenges throughout his childhood; nevertheless, he managed to beat them due to the dedicated support of his loving parents and family. There has long been a stigma related to autism, which is primarily brought on by a lack of knowledge of this disorder. Fortunately, significant progress has been made lately in research and awareness of ASD.

What is autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

ASD is a neurobehavioral and developmental disorder characterised by impaired social interactions, impaired communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviors that range from mild to severe (Owen et al., 2020). The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM) estimates that autism occurs in roughly 1 in 54 children (or 18.5 in 1,000 eight-year-olds) (CDC, 2020). A 2016 study found that ASD occurs across all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups and that boys were greater than 4 times more more likely to be identified with ASD than girls. Among children diagnosed with ASD (with available IQ), one third also had mental disabilities.

Identification

Early identification and intervention are critical to reducing symptoms, improving cognition and functioning, reducing health care costs, enabling children with ASD to enroll in mainstream schools, and helping adults find greater employment opportunities (Dunlap and Filipek, 2020). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) really helpful universal infant developmental screening in 2001, and in 2016 expanded this advice to incorporate ASD-specific assessment at 18 and 24 months of age at each health care visit or when concerns arise (Christensen and Zubler , 2020; Dunlap and Filipek, 2020). Nurses play a vital role in screening children for ASD and needs to be knowledgeable about risk aspects. These include having a sibling with ASD, prenatal exposure to valproic acid or thalidomide, advanced parental age, gestational diabetes and maternal bleeding, low birth weight, small for gestational age, and preterm birth (Christensen and Zubler, 2020).

During each routine well check at 12 and 18 months of age, nurses and providers should assess for signs of developmental delay (Christensen, D. and Zubler, 2020):

• Development history and current level of development
• Language delays or unusual language use
• Unusual social reactions, akin to difficulty interacting with other children
• Sensory problems
• Repetitive behaviors
• Emotional and behavioral reactivity

Additionally, several screening tools can be found, akin to the Modified Autism in Toddlers Checklist, Revised with Follow-up Interview (M-CHAT-R/F), the Infant and Toddler Checklist (ITC), the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), and the screening for autism in toddlers and young children (STAT), which could be used for a more detailed assessment.

Physicians should avoid dismissing any concerns parents could have about their child’s development. Instead, listen and reply to these concerns appropriately. Document your child’s developmental history, note any findings out of your observations of your child, and share these findings together with your primary care physician. Children meeting screening criteria needs to be referred for further developmental and medical evaluation. Once identified and diagnosed, specific treatment for ASD should begin as early as possible, preferably before the age of two. Be sure to offer parents with information and resources akin to those required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which sets requirements for college kids with disabilities and offers assessments for local schools’ special education schemes.

Autism acceptance

Currently, the Autism Society is working with legislators to maneuver April from Autism Month to Autism Month. Their goal is to “strengthen acceptance through improved supports and opportunities in education, employment, affordable housing, affordable health care and comprehensive long-term services” (Autism Society, 2021). We can assist expand these efforts by educating ourselves and others. Additionally, we are able to fully support our ASD patients and their families.

My nephew is a particularly vital person in my life – extremely intelligent, extremely talented and stuffed with love and joy. I’m comfortable to report that today she is successfully and independently completing her studies. Let’s proceed to extend awareness and acceptance of autism! For more information, check Autism Society AND Autism talks.

Autism Society (2021). April is autism acceptance month. https://www.autism-society.org/

Christensen, D. and Zubler, J. (2020). CE: From the CDC: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders. , (10), 30–37. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000718628.09065.1b

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, March 26). Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM). https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/addm.html

Dunlap, J. J., and Filipek, P. A. (2020). CE: Autism spectrum disorder: the role of the nurse. , (11), 40–49. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000721236.69639.e3

Owen, A. M., Gary, A., Schnetter, V. (2020). Nursing look after patients with autism spectrum disorders. 18 section 2, 28-36. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NME.0000653180.86134.05

Weill, V. A., Zavodny, S., and Souders, M. C. (2018). Autism spectrum disorders in primary care. , 43(2), 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000529670.62188.1a