The Ultimate Autism Solution For Teaching Autistic Children Social Skills

April 27, 2012 - PRLog -- There is every reason to be hopeful about the future of a child with Autism, as long as the appropriate support is started early, according to expert Sandra Arntzen M.Ed.

Arntzen is a Behavioral and Social Skills Educator for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is also the author of "Ultimate Autism Solution", a proven educational method for parents and carers of autistic children.

For more information visit:
http://autism.healthlife.mobi/teaching-autistic-children-social-skills-with-the-ultimate-autism-solution

As cases of children with Autism increase, experts are warning parents to act swiftly in the event of early indications. While there is no known way to prevent occurrences of Autism in children, it does seem that early intervention is the single agreed method of ensuring the most positive outcome.

Dr Thomas Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agrees:

“Early detection is associated with better outcomes. The earlier kids are detected, the earlier they could get services, and the less impairment they'll have on their learning and in their lives on a long-term basis is our best understanding.”

Once a diagnosis is made, it is important for carers and parents to adhere to a structured behavioral program to give their child the best chance of improvement. According to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of children diagnosed with Autism in the United States has increased by an alarming 78% in the last ten years.

Where previously only 1 in 110 American children was diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum, the latest data indicates that 1 in 88 now has some form of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  At the current population level, it is estimated that 1,000,000 children in the United States is on the spectrum.

Anna and her husband, Tom, started to notice some changes in their son’s behavior when he was 15 months old. Harry, who had previously been a contented and chatty toddler, began struggling to calm himself after tantrums and started fixating on the position of the toys in his nursery, throwing screaming fits if they weren't arranged in a certain way.

He started to reject physical affection and became withdrawn, talking only when he needed to and avoiding eye contact. While they dreaded the diagnosis, Anna and Tom took Harry to see a pediatric specialist on the recommendation of their personal physician. After conducting a large number of tests, she confirmed that Harry was suffering from Autism.

“So many emotions ran through us”, says Anna. “Fear, anger, confusion and, more than anything, guilt: we felt so guilty that we hadn't been able to protect Harry from this condition.”

Following a strict behavioral program that is tailored to his specific needs and abilities, Harry is now showing significant progress in terms of his communication and social skills, and is demonstrating an increased awareness of how to manage his emotions in situations that he finds challenging. And, while at first Anna and Tom struggled to come to terms with the diagnosis, they are pleased that Harry was diagnosed relatively early.

Most Autism diagnoses in the United States are still made when the child is between four and five years old. At this stage, the child's brain is substantially more developed and entrenched habits are harder to change.  When questioned on the reason for this startling increase, Autism experts have suggested that better diagnoses, a broader definition of the disorders that make up ‘Autism’ and increased awareness of ASDs account for around 50% of the newly diagnosed cases.

However, that still leaves 50% of cases unaccounted for, which places ASD on an ‘epidemic’ level in the United States. While the increasing rates of Autism diagnoses vary according to gender and ethnic background, one thing is clear: symptoms typically appear before the age of three and need to be recognized as early as possible to ensure the best possible future for the child and the family.