By: Victoria H

Since the dawn of motherhood, we have made significant strides in our abilities to care for our children and know more now than ever before. The collective efforts of mothers and medical providers have allowed us to provide an informed, structured environment to help our children flourish. April is Autism Awareness Month, which provides an opportunity to educate ourselves and recognize the needs of those who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). No matter where you are on your motherhood journey, it is important to understand and know the signs of Autism to help better support yourself and others.

Autism is best described on Autism Speak’s website as “a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.” Often people think of the spectrum as linear, but the spectrum is actually more circular in that the diagnosed person could have any combination of symptoms with different levels of severity.  Those with ASD have symptoms that range from barely detectable and maskable to those that are very apparent and require special assistance throughout different phases of their life.

Every child is unique and it is true that each child develops at their own pace.  Though the symptoms can vary dramatically, there are some core symptoms that indicate your child may be on the spectrum.  AutismSpeaks.org defines them into 2 major categories: Challenges with socialization, and having repetitive and restrictive behaviors. The early noticeable symptoms are: 

• Limited eye contact or lack of response to their name by 9-12 months

• Delayed speech or lack of babbling by 12 months

• Repetitive behaviors such as hand-flapping, rocking, or spinning objects

• Preference for playing alone or difficulty engaging with others

• Unusual reactions to sensory stimuli, such as being overly sensitive to sounds or textures

If your child shows any of these symptoms, it’s important not to panic! Remember that every child develops differently so contact their physician to see if an evaluation is necessary.  Early intervention can make a huge impact on your child’s future development with ASD.  The sooner you catch it, the sooner you can take advantage of nutritionists, therapists, and support groups. 

Many other families navigate having a child with ASD successfully.  Autismspeaks.org has multitudes of resources to connect you with physicians, other professionals, and resource guides for events and support within your community.  An ASD diagnosis should not be viewed as the end of the road but as a new beginning.  Autistic children are special in that they bring a new perspective to life and have beautiful and unique talents to contribute to the world.  Some famous people with ASD are award winning actor Anthony Hopkins, Satoshi Tajiri who is the creator of Pokémon, and world renowned child activist Greta Thunberg. The diagnosis does not define the individual!

We all can benefit and learn from those with ASD.  Every child is unique and special and deserves to be loved, understood and celebrated no matter their diagnoses.  Be sure to visit your local library this month to check out some beautiful books for you and for your child on Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Education is important to creating a society that embraces our differences and allows all children to be seen and valued.

For local support, The Buffalo Autism Project has events centered around those with autism and introduces people to the resources available in Buffalo, New York.  Check out their Facebook and Instagram pages for more information.