In honor of National Autism Acceptance Month
Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental condition. Often, early delays in development are not noticed, because children will sit, crawl, and walk on time. Autism spectrum disorder primarily shows up in the ways kids connect with the world in their social and communication skills.
About 3.2% of U.S. children are identified as autistic by the time they are 8 years old. Boys are identified as autistic more than three times as often as girls.
What causes autism?
There is not one common cause or reason for autism spectrum disorder. To date, a number of factors have been associated with an individual being identified as autistic.
What do we know?
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Families do not cause autism.
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Vaccines do not cause autism. This has been studied for decades by experts in the US and other countries and has been disproved.
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Family medical history and genetics MAY play a role. When a family has one autistic child, the chance that a sibling is on the autism spectrum is 10 to 20 times higher than in the general population.
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Most children on the autism spectrum do not have a specific medical or genetic condition.
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Environmental factors are being studied, but are not yet understood.
Benefits of early identification
Each child on the autism spectrum has different needs. The sooner autism is identified, the sooner families can access supports and services.
What can you do?
If you have concerns about your child’s development, discuss with his or her medical provider.
They will conduct a developmental screen and an autism screen.
If the screen is positive, they will conduct any necessary testing and refer a specialist for evaluation.
Not all children with developmental delays are on the autism spectrum.
What to expect if your child is on the autism spectrum?
Having an autistic child may bring a different set of challenges than you expected for your family. It can also open doors to new ways of understanding the world.
Remember, the autism diagnosis doesn’t change who your child is. Knowing that they are on the autism spectrum can be a way for you to better understand your child’s strengths and needs to help them access resources to help them grow and thrive.