Welcome to The John Maxwell Biasco Foundation for Children with Autism

Autism is a disorder of brain development that affects a person’s ability to communicate, understand language, play and interact with others. Signs are typically apparent during the first three years of life. Early diagnosis and prompt intervention beginning during the toddler and preschool years are key to treating this complex spectrum of developmental disorders.

Reported incidence of autism has increased considerably over the past 20 years. Nationally, autistic spectrum disorders may affect as many as one in 500 persons, making the condition more common than childhood cancer or Down syndrome. Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls and knows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle and educational levels do not affect the chance of autism’s occurrence.

Because of the variations in symptoms, autism is often referred to as a spectrum disorder. Autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) include classic autism, Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD or PDD-NOS).

Autism impacts the normal development of social interaction and communication skills. Children with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication, interacting with others, organizing and responding to environmental stimuli and initiating leisure or play activities. The disorder makes it difficult to communicate with others and relate to the outside world. In some cases, aggressive, obsessive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present.

There are no medical tests or biological markers for autism. Screening must rely on the careful observation of behaviors. Children with autism may display stereotypic patterns of behaviors, interests and activities. Repeated body movements (hand flapping, rocking, spinning in circles), unusual responses to people, attachments to objects and resistance to changes in routines may be observed. Individuals may be either under- or over-reactive in the senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.

Every person with autism or a related developmental disability is an individual. No two children with these disorders experience the world or behave in the same way. The impairment of social skills, communication skills, and cognitive skills present can range on a spectrum from mild to severe.

Often a diagnosis of autism is made after parents or pediatricians notice a lack of or delay in speech development, little interest in others or a regression in early speech and social skills. These first signs alone do not indicate a child has autism, but serve as red flags for many developmental delays or disabilities. Recent studies show that at least 20 percent of children with autism experienced a “regression” as reported by their parents. These children have a mostly normal development followed by a loss of social and communication skills. Because autism is difficult to diagnose, a child may be evaluated by a variety of professionals before a final diagnosis is determined.

Any child who is suspected of having the early signs of the disability emerging deserves a through assessment by a specialist, or preferably a team of experts trained in the area of developmental disabilities. The specialists most commonly associated with diagnosis and intervention are pediatric neurologists, developmental pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, geneticists, speech/language pathologists and occupational therapists.

Early diagnosis is important because prompt educational intervention is the key to greater progress in children’s mastery of fundamental communication, social and cognitive skills. Autism is a treatable condition and progress has been made in behavioral, educational and psychopharmacologic interventions. Although a cure has not been found, persons with autism can be helped to reach their greatest potential.

This information is provided as a public service by The John Maxwell Biasco Foundation for Children with Autism.

For More Information Contact:
The Autism Society of America
7910 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
1-800-3-AUTISM
Fax 1-301-657-0881

ASA Fax on Demand
1-800-329-0899

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