April Is National Autism Awareness Month

Autism.  A term frequently encountered, but often misunderstood. Children are diagnosed with autism across all socio/economic levels in this country.

On The Rise

As we begin National Autism Awareness Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week new estimates that 1 in 68 children in the United States has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  The new estimate is roughly 30 percent higher than previous estimates reported in 2012 of 1 in 88 children. The CDC also reports "ASD is almost five times more common among boys than girls:  1 in 42 boys versus 1 in 189 girls."

While accurate statistics are often lacking, experts predict that by 2016 there could be close to 1.5 million adults with autism. Adult autism brings a further level of complexity in terms of treatment, but also in areas of employment, self-sufficiency and social interactions.

What Is Autism?

There is no known cause of autism. It is defined by certain behavioral traits that manifest themselves in the first three years of life. Autism will impact a person's ability to communicate and to interact with others.  There are some common signs of autism in children:

• A lack of or a delay of spoken language capabilities;
• Repeated use of language and/or motor mannerisms (such as twirling objects, flapping of hands);
• Impaired eye contact;
• Limited interest in peer relationships;
• Lack of spontaneous play;
• A fixation on parts or objects or motions.

The cost of caring for a child with autism is estimated from $3.5-5.0 million according to the Autism Society. The total cost for the United States nears $90 billion in insurance, research, education, housing, transportation, caregiver, etc.

Complicating this is the widespread belief that there is no single program or treatment that will work with all individuals with autism. There are choices to be made by the family and the individual who is dealing with autism that must take into consideration all aspects of the student's challenges.

Goal: Competent & Resilient 

Alisa Dror, Chief Administrator of Pinnacle School explains at Pinnacle "the emphasis is on individualized academic curriculum and integrating social emotional development through counseling, executive functioning and language pragmatics." Pinnacle School, located on the Greenwich Stamford border, serves high functioning students on the autism spectrum and is in the final stages of becoming a Connecticut State Approved Private Special Education Program.

Dr. Dror notes "in everything that we do at Pinnacle, we strive to teach our children social emotional self-awareness."  She further stresses, "at the heart of our efforts, fostering the development of competent and resilient individuals is our goal." Individuals with autism, notes Dr. Dror, "should be treated as someone with both unique strengths and challenges. The formation of individualized programs that focus on creating engaged and enthusiastic learners is key."

Students with autism can be taught the Common Core Academic Standards, however the instruction must be customized.  When motivated and inspired, students with autism can achieve a love of learning, which in turn builds self-esteem, social and academic competence and a sense of resilience. Dr. Dror describes how at the Pinnacle School "that as our students become more confident in foundational skills such as competence and resiliency, it enhances their willingness to take on new experiences and challenges. We focus on developing these skills as core foundational skills to all future success."

The Collaborative Center for Learning and Development at Greenwich Education Group can provide discreet services outside of the school setting that are typically utilized to address needs of students on the autistic spectrum, including speech and language, pragmatics and social skills groups, perspective taking and behavior services. Please contact Diane Ferber at dferber@greenwichedgroup.com or 203-409-0069 for more information.