When most people hear autism they associate it with a child. But like my son, Brandon, who is now thirty-six, our children grow up, and we want them to live well and learn how to survive in the world. There are thousands of children being diagnosed with autism everyday and those children will grow up. We need to have the resources in place to help them, and as parents, we need to know what to do.”
I’ve been where you are, and I know from personal experience that when our children are helped at an early age, they have a much better chance of changing negative behaviors, improving performance, increasing self-acceptance, and self-esteem. However, if you missed that opportunity as I did with my son, don’t give up.
I know firsthand it’s never too late to get help for your child. I didn’t find out Brandon had a form of autism called Asperger Syndrome until he was thirty-two years old. When I tell people that their bottom jaw drops open in disbelief. Then they ask, “How did you find out?” I would say, "I found out by reading a book and then answering the questions." When my son was diagnosed with epilepsy and learning disorders, at age nine, in 1982 the word autism was unheard of. That has all changed. Today, autism is a national epidemic.
Facts About Autism• Autism affects 1 in every 91 children between the ages of 3 to 17 in the United States.
•1 in 58 boys is on the autism spectrum.
• A new case of autism is diagnosed every 15 seconds worldwide.
• Prevalence of autism is expected to reach 4 million people in the next decade in the US (Autism Society of America)
• Asperger’s syndrome(AS) is generally thought to be a mild form of autism. Because Asperger’s syndrome has only recently been diagnosed in the United States, it is unclear how many people have the disorder. Some studies indicate that 2 out of every 10,000 children have AS in the United States. Other studies indicate that as many as 3-4 of every 1000 children have this condition. Asperger’s syndrome affects boys more often than girls.
• Epilepsy and seizures affect over 3 million Americans of all ages. Approximately 200,000 new cases of seizures and epilepsy occur each year. For about 80 percent of those diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with modern medicines and surgical procedures. However, about 25 to 30 percent of people with epilepsy will continue to experience seizures even with the best available treatment. Doctors call this intractable epilepsy.
• As many as 1 out of 5 people in the U. S. has a learning disability. Almost 3 million children (ages 6-21) have some form of a learning disability and receive special education in school. 4.7 million children between the ages of 3-17 have been told they have a learning disability.
Attend one of Amalia Starr’s presentations, workshops & training sessions. Sign up for your free personal phone consultation. Read her new book, Raising Brandon, which provides the proven tools to help your child reach their full potential—no matter their age or stage of development.