Autism: Oh, The Possibilities

Autism:  Oh, the possibilities has so many meanings.  For Lynda, I always tried not to look at the possibilities of what she could have learned had her life not been interrupted at the age of ten.  There were so many possibilities but we will never know.

Today there are even more possibilities with applied behavior analysis and early intervention.  There are more possibilities for children to become communicators by speaking, using augmentative communication devices, sign language, PECS....the possibilities are endless.

When Lynda was four in 1975 and PL-94-142 was just being signed into law, parents for the first time saw possibilities for their children with autism.  The prognosis at that time in history was not that promising and the possibilities were elusive.  Most parents never gave up.  They never took their eyes off of the possibilities.  In 2013, we see more and more possibilities for children with autism.  With early intervention, we see the possibility of a child actually losing his diagnosis of autism because he no longer demonstrates many of the diagnostic criteria.  Through persistent therapy and many hours of hard work on the part of therapists, teachers and parents this is a real possibility. We see more and more children participating in inclusion classes and them being successful.

Autism is no longer a diagnosis of hopelessness.  It is instead recognized as a spectrum disorder ranging from mild to profound.  Lynda's autism was in the severe range but proper training could have made a lot of difference.

I can't do anything about the past.  It is what it is.  I can make a difference in the future of children like Lynda.  Early intervention is the key to unlocking the possibilities.  Applied Behavior Analysis is the only therapy that has been proven by research to be effective especially for children on the more severe end of the spectrum.

If you suspect your child, grandchild or other child in your life has characteristics of autism, get help.  Don't give up after one door closes.  Keep looking and advocating until you receive help.  In 2013 there is still a great divide among physicians and psychologists who will diagnose a child early, preferring to wait for the child to "outgrow it".  They won't.  Don't accept no if your child displays the symptoms of autism.  It can make the difference in the number of possibilities available to your child for a lifetime.