YOUR SPECIAL CHILD
AUTISM Myths and Truths
BY SARAH LYON
Myth # 1: Autism is
caused by vaccinations.

One of the biggest misconceptions about
ASD is that childhood vaccinations, such
as MMR, cause kids to develop autism.

According to the CDC and the Institute of
Medicine, there is no link between vaccines
and autism.

Myth # 2: People with
autism are geniuses.

There is a common misconception that all
people with autism spectrum disorder are
geniuses, can do difficult math problems in
their heads or have a special gift. It is true,
some people with ASD do have unique
talents and gifts. However, extreme cases
such as the one seen in the movie “Rain-
man,” are rare. As our cultural progress in
the understanding of autism, it is acknowl-
edged that many people with autism have
high intelligence, great attention to detail
and view the world in a different way that is
valued in work environments. This opens a
new set of opportunities in the workforce
for people with autism.

Myth # 3: People with
autism don’t want friends.

It is true that many people with ASD strug-
gle to understand social norms, which may
cause them to feel isolated or to value
alone time more than group settings. The
myth here is that people with autism do
not want friends or do not value close
relationships. Everyone needs friends,
attention, love and acceptance and all peo-
ple deserve it as well. People with ASD may
38 WashingtonFAMILY JULY 2019
need friends that are understanding and
supportive of their social struggles and
may benefit from support groups that help
them build social skills.

Myth # 4: People with autism
don’t experience emotions.

Those who have autism may find it hard to
read body language and understand other
people’s feelings, but that does not mean
they do not have emotions themselves.

They have feelings of joy, sadness and frus-
tration just like everyone else. They may
have trouble expressing their emotions or
they show them differently than others, but
they still experience normal highs and lows.

About one in 59
children have been
diagnosed with autism
spectrum disorder,
according to the CDC.

Myth # 5: Autism can be cured.

Over the years, as ASD has become more
common, there have been many ideas
about how it can be cured. Some examples
include removing gluten from the diet, tak-
ing vitamins, eliminating mercury from the
diet and other fads. Parents typically turn
to these ideas because they are concerned
for their children and desperate for a cure.

Studies have shown that none of these fads
have worked and autism cannot be cured.

What is encouraging, however, is the posi-
tive changes that can come from behavioral
therapy. This helps kids develop communi-
cation and social skills and gives them the
right tools to succeed in school and the
workforce. People with autism do respond differ-
ently to many situations but as we learn
more about ASD, we find that not all of
the characteristics are negative. Those
with autism can be happy, successful
and maintain healthy relationships with
support and understanding from others
around them. ■
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/KATARZYNABIALASIEWICZ
T he Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) defines
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as
“a developmental disability that is caused
by differences in how the brain functions.

People with ASD may communicate, inter-
act, behave and learn in different ways.”
About one in 59 children have been
diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder,
according to the CDC. While autism may
be common, there are many myths and mis-
information. Below are some of the most
common misconceptions.




YOUR SPECIAL CHILD
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THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY SCREENING BY NAPSI
There is not just one kind of autism but rather
many subtypes, and each person with autism
can have unique strengths and challenges.

A combination of genetic and environmental
factors can influence the development
of autism.

Though ASD can be reliably diagnosed
as early as age 2, recent studies say that
the average age of diagnosis in the U.S. is
between 4 and 5. Furthermore, the reported
prevalence among white children is 7 percent
higher than for African American children and
22 percent higher than for Hispanic children
— suggesting missed or delayed diagnoses in
those groups.

For young children on the spectrum, early
intervention is crucial; it can translate to
a lifetime of impact by supporting healthy
development, improving communication,
decreasing challenging behaviors and leading
to positive outcomes later in life.

What You Can Do:
1 Learn the Signs: Parents can learn to
recognize the early signs of autism. Not all
children with autism show all signs of autism.

That’s why all children should be screened
for autism. A diagnosis is the first step toward
supporting your children to help them fulfill
their potential. Here are some possible signs
of autism:
• No big smiles or eye contact at 6 months
• No babbling, back and forth gestures
such as pointing, and little response to
their name at 12 months
• Very few words at 16 months
• No two-word phrases at 24 months
• Restricted interests
• Repetitive behaviors
• Unusual and intense reactions to sounds,
smells, tastes, textures, lights or colors
• Loss of speech or social interaction at
any age.

2 Take Action: If your child displays any
of these signs, ask your pediatrician or
family doctor for an evaluation right away.

While every child develops differently, early
screening improves outcomes. Studies
show, for example, that early intensive
behavioral intervention improves learning,
communication and social skills in young
children with autism spectrum disorders.

3 Get Support: Autism organizations are
great resources for families and offer
a great deal of support and guidance. The
nonprofit Autism Speaks, for example, is
dedicated to empowering parents to help
children with autism live their best possible
lives, while working to increase understanding
and acceptance for the 70 million people
worldwide with autism. The Autism Speaks
President and CEO Angela Geiger says
they “hope to give families the tools they
need to identify early signs, feel empowered
to get their children screened and seek
support if they need it.” For personalized
support and questions, you can email the
local DMV chapter of Autism Speaks at
nationalcapitalarea@autismspeaks.org. Other great online resources worth checking
out are screenforatuism.org, autism-society.org
and asha.org. ■
— SPOTLIGHT SPECIALIZED LEARNING —
Little Leaves Behavioral Services
Th e mission of Little Leaves Behavioral
Services is to help people with social,
communication and behavioral challenges
grow and succeed so that they can participate
as fully as possible in their families and
communities. Using evidenced-based
practices based on the principles of Applied
Behavior Analysis (ABA), our professionals
partner with each family to develop and implement an individualized
therapeutic plan.

Our therapeutic approach incorporates strategies that have been
proven eff ective for helping children. We create a treatment program
that is individualized to your child and tailored to the needs of your
family. We also help families coordinate the logistics of therapy so that
they can focus their time on what really matters — caring for their
children. Th e Little Buds Program, a center-based ABA program for young
children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder run in a preschool-like
setting. We also work with children in their homes, daycares and
schools throughout the Baltimore metro area, Washington DC and
Northern Virginia.

For more information 202-420-8359
info@littleleaves.org • www.littleleaves.org
The Auburn School
The mission of The Auburn
School is to grow the social
and academic potential
of bright students with
social and communication
challenges. We offer a
dynamic educational program
for intellectually curious
students with challenges in
the areas of communication,
socialization, pragmatic
language, and organization.

Open now, our Little
Leaves center-based ABA
program for young children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is run
in a preschool-like setting. We also work with children in their homes,
daycares and schools throughout the Baltimore metro area, Washington
DC and Northern Virginia.

Fairfax Campus
Silver Spring Campus
Ashley Pawlowitz
Beth Kubovci
(301) 588-8048
(703) 793-9353
bkubovcik@theauburnschool.org apawlowitz@theauburnschool.org
www.theauburnschool.org WashingtonFAMILY.com 39