April is Autism Awareness month and although I don’t have a child who is autistic of my own, as a teacher I have gotten to know and love many students who have autism.
Today I got a hug from one of my students and it made my heart just completely full. You might be thinking, “OK… what’s the big deal? I’m sure you get lots of hugs from students.” And you’d be right. I do. Kids hug me all the time.
But this hug was so especially special because of who the giver was. This student is autistic and when I met him last year (when he was in Kindergarten) he didn’t even really like to touch and I NEVER heard him talk.
He couldn’t eat in the cafeteria because it was just sensory overload and he got so scared and upset… Now he is a first grader and he readily comes to me with big hugs and will whisper things to me during class. I can’t usually hear or understand him, but I sure try. He still gets upset when the fire alarm goes off during a drill but he eats in the cafeteria now.
Seeing how much he has grown and watching him overcome many of his fears and make friends has been amazing!
What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder, or Autism, is exactly that: a spectrum. Every person on the spectrum is different and will show their struggles differently. It is a disorder that causes difficulties in communication and social interactions at varying degrees.
Some children will speak well but have difficulty with social skills and reading social cues, others will be non-verbal.
(To read more information about Autism Spectrum Disorder and what causes it, click this link.)
Some Facts About Autism
- 1 in 59 children in the US are affected by Autism
- The average age of diagnosis is 4 years old, but low income, minority children are often diagnosed with autism significantly later, at 8 years old.
- Indicators of Autism typically show in a child as early as 2 or 3
- Autism is about 4 times more common in boys than girls
What Does This Mean?
The best way to help someone with ANYTHING is to be AWARE of any problems and struggles that they might have. The facts showed that many low income children do not get diagnosed until around 8 years old!
That means that they live 8 years of their lives with little assistance and understanding. They may just be seen as misbehaving children. Building up Autism awareness is important.
The more that people know about Autism and what to look for in their children and children that they are around, the sooner diagnoses can occur.
What to Look For
There are many ways that an Autistic child might act (or react) differently that can help clue parents and guardians in. There are some specific behaviors that are very common and could be a sign that a child might be on the spectrum.
Being Hyper-focused
Your child might have interest in only one topic and has a hard time breaking away from it. Or maybe transitions are especially difficult. You might see your child often staring at one toy for an extended period of time or spinning the wheel of their toy car over and over without losing focus
Sensory Overload
High sensitivity to loud noises or certain textures can be a sign of autism. Certain sounds might upset them more than what is normal.
Struggling with Social Skills
This one is difficult because social skills in children can really range! Kids can be shy just because they are shy. If it seems like your child really just is unable to connect with people more than what could be considered “shy” you might start watching for other signs. Difficulty with communication and social interaction is extremely common in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Watch to make sure that your child picks up on gestures, facial expressions, and subtle cues that help with understanding a person’s meaning. Do they have a lot of difficulty following directions? It might not just be that they “aren’t listening.”
Picky Eating
Most kids are pretty picky eaters to start off. But if your child is only interested in one food or seems overly sensitive to food textures, this could be a sign that there’s more to it than just “being picky.”
Difficulty with Motor Skills
If a child is having difficulty with motor skills that should be developmentally appropriate for their age (gross and fine), this could also be a sign. Difficulty running or handling objects when they are past the toddler stage could be a cause for concern.
What to Do if I Think My Child Might Have Autism
You can have your child tested. Talk to your pediatrician about your concerns. They can help you get the resources to assess your child and help you get in contact with a speech language pathologist.
Use the Autism Awareness Toolkit attached below to help you understand this process.
Resource: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association-
https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/autism/
You are so right about sensory overload often being linked to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Our son has had sensory overload from the moment he was born. It took years of asking doctors and therapist for help before we finally got the testing and diagnosis that he needed all along. Your research is spot on for us; he was eight when he was FINALLY officially diagnosed. Once we had the diagnosis in hand we could begin getting him the help that he needed and what a difference that has made for our whole family. Bless you for being such an amazing teacher to this little boy; his family will love you forever for all you do for him ♥♥♥♥♥
This is a really great post!! Thank for so much for sharing this!!! ❤❤ I worked in the disability field for years and met the most incredible people ever!
Great article! I have realized that autism is not a one size fits all sort of thing and each diagnosis is so unique. Love that you brought more awareness to the issue.
Well, I missed April lol but Autism awareness goes way past one month of the year. Thank you so much for sharing this. So many people still don’t completely understand Autism.