Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, and learn – and diagnoses of the disorder are happening in record numbers. The CDC says 1 in 36 American kids is diagnosed with autism and that’s up from 1 in 64 back in 2010. But is there really an increase in autism, or are we just better at diagnosing the disorder?
“I believe that both are occurring,” said SSM Health pediatric neuropsychologist Dr. Nancy Viscovich. “We are recognizing that many children have more subtle symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), like rigid thinking, obsessive interests, difficulty with transitions, and challenges with emotion and sensory regulation.”
What factors may be associated with autism?
Viscovich says some more recent issues also may be contributing, such as:
- Advanced age at time of pregnancy
- Extreme prematurity or very low birth weight
- Toxins in the environment
Parenting a child with autism
Autism can look very different from one person to the next. So, what is the best thing parents can do for their child who has autism?
“Love them unconditionally as they are,” Dr. Viscovich said. “But also seek treatment as early as possible to help them discover new ways of learning and social skills, which are very important as their child enters school. The sooner the intervention, the better the long-term outcome.”
Dr. Viscovich advises parents to help their children with autism by encouraging them to:
- Work toward a healthy lifestyle
- Eat minimally processed foods
- Increase time spent with family
- Accept that differences can be very helpful
She also said that reducing screen time and exposure to chemicals and pesticides is important to keep children with autism healthy, as is true for all children.
If you think your child may have autism, start by talking to your pediatrician.
Watch Dr. Viscovich as she discusses the rise in autism diagnosis on Madison, Wisconsin’s ABC affiliate.
