April is Autism Awareness Month
- Category: Blog
- Posted On:
- Written By: Urvashi Iyer, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects an individual’s ability to communicate and regulate their behavior. Autism can be diagnosed at any age, but is typically identified in the first three years of life and is known as a “developmental disorder”. Autism presents itself on a spectrum because there is a wide variety in the types of severities and symptoms people exhibit.
Common characteristics of ASD include:
- difficulties with communication
- restricted interests
- repetitive behaviors
According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects 1 in 59 children in the United States today. While the cause of autism is still unknown, research has shown early identification and treatment of the symptoms lead to positive outcomes later in life.
At the Milestones Centers for Child Development, our speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and occupational therapists have extensive training and experience working with children with autism and their families.
Our SLPs play a central role in screening and identifying appropriate services for children with autism. Along with building communication skills, our SLPs focus on joint attention, understanding verbal language, and the use of functional communication. At times, children with autism are unable to verbally communicate, so our therapists are equipped with knowledge on alternative forms of communication, such as sign language, picture icon exchange, and speech-generating devices.
Children with ASD may also have difficulty organizing their senses, which then impacts their ability to attend to and focus on daily living activities as well as involved educational tasks. Occupational therapy can help children and their families learn about their unique sensory system and develop an individualized plan to help increase focus and attention.
For more information on autism and the therapies provided at Milestones Center for Child Development, please visit our Milestones webpage, or contact us at:
Milestones Center for Child Development, Claremont: 909-621-7956.
Milestones Center for Child Development, Chino Hills: 909-630-7877
Sources:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml
