Light It Up Blue! #AutismAwareness

April is Autism Awareness Month. What is Autism? Well, unless you’ve been hiding under a rock in the last few years you have likely heard a great deal about Autism or seen a commercial (or more like 37) regarding the current numbers surrounding diagnosis. So, in honor of this month devoted to raising awareness, I wanted to share something with you that has been a rather large part of my life.

What Is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. They include autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome.

ASD can be associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances. Some persons with ASD excel in visual skills, music, math and art and even have savant like tendencies.

Autism statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1 in 68 American children as on the autism spectrum–a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years. Careful research shows that this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis and awareness. Studies also show that autism is four to five times more common among boys than girls. An estimated 1 out of 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.

{Via Autism Speaks – Learn more at Autism Speaks.org}

Why this matters to me…

As I have mentioned a good many times in the past, I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. I got my Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis with a Focus in Developmental Disabilities. The majority of my career is centered around children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with Autism. Some of the coolest kiddos that I have ever met have been through my professional experience.

What is ABA?

Applied behavior analysis is the science in which procedures derived from the principles of behavior are systematically applied to improve socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree and to demonstrate experimentally that the procedures employed were responsible for the improvement in behavior. (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 1986)

Applied Behavior Analysis is currently the only research-based, effective treatment for Autism.

Research indicates that early intensive intervention results in substantial gains for children diagnosed with autism. At least 47% of children who receive early intensive intervention using behavior analysis, are mainstreamed into typical classrooms and become indistinguishable from their peers (Lovaas, 1987). Thousands of studies demonstrating efficacy of ABA-based interventions for individuals with disruptive behavior (Maurice, Green, & Luce, 1996, 2001). I will gladly get you this literature if you’d like to read 🙂 I could talk to you for days about ABA, so if you have any questions about the background, certification, therapy, or anything else, please email me. I would love to chat with you!

How Can I Get Involved?

Advocacy for Autism Awareness is HUGELY important, but advocacy for evidence based treatment (ABA) is extremely important as well. If you know someone who has a child diagnosed with Autism or any ASD, tell them to find a BCBA. You can search our board’s website to find certified behavior analysts in your area. And certification matters my friends!

You can join in and support your local chapter of the Autism Society. Here’s the site for Alabama where I am a member of the Junior Board Autism Society of Alabama. You can participate in a variety of fundraising events to help raise funds and awareness while having a great time! Here are two upcoming events in the Birmingham area:

Walk for Autism – Birmingham, AL