Autism is a major research driver in the Northwest–in Seattle we have both the UW’s Autism Center and Seattle Children’s Autism Center (along with an autism walk and the Lakeside Center for Autism). Seattle Children’s Autism Center is a recent creation, resulting from Children’s friendly takeover of ASTAR, and offers both clinical study and treatment, making it a one-stop autism shop for families.
Tonight at 8 p.m., KING 5 is airing a Children’s Healthlink Special, “The World Within: Northwest Stories of Autism” (also on KONG at 7 p.m. on January 3). Local icon Jean Enersen will be exploring the startling spike in autism rates–it’s estimated that one in a hundred children have autism spectrum disorder (ASD)–and why researchers still don’t know precisely what is responsible for either ASD or its increase.
What we do know is that when the CDC compared rates of diagnosis in eight-year-olds in 2006 and compared that to 2002, autism’s prevalence had increased 57 percent. We also know that early intervention treatment has good results, but that the “early” part is absolutely key. Parents tend to notice something unusual about their children at age two, but in most cases official diagnosis and treatment don’t occur until the child is over four years old.
In the House health care bill, $17 would be set aside during the first year for a “National Training Initiative on Autism Spectrum Disorders.” This is after NIMH allocated $60 million in “stimulus” funding to promote research on better, earlier means of diagnosis and/or effective treatment for older children and adults with ASD. So autism is literally in all the headlines, though for the short term it seems we’re more focused on learning how to live with it than on solid leads for cure or prevention.
Thank You! For giving the public the opportunity to see what gifted autistic children are like, each one is special in their own way, like each snow flake is different and beautiful, as mention in your feature.
Hopefully soon insurance companies can see how important it is for early intervention and provide the assistance needed for each child to receive Speech, Occupational and Physical therapy. Also something that is just as important is behavioral therapy, it was not mention, but it would address the social piece of autism.
I am a mother of a 5 year old child, it is unfortunate that not every community is supportive of autistic children as in the Seattle area, I live in Bellingham Wa. and it is like finding the needle in the haystack in regards to finding help with therapies, there is a long waiting list for Speech, Occupational and Physical therapists. Families in Skagit County seem to get better support from their community than in Bellingham and that saddens me. I have been to the Children Hospital with my son, he was diagnosed with autism and they gave me lots of “where to” and “what recommendation” would work best for my son, but lack of insurance, 30 visits for the year for all disciplines does not go far. I hope it does not take another decade for Bellingham to wake up! We have the Childrens Developmental Clinic, but no support from the community to expand the much needed help for autistic children and all the children in Whatcom county who are in their own special need.