Few learning disorders are as misunderstood as autism and autism spectrum disorders. There are so many question marks surrounding the condition, it can be hard to decide where to start investigating.
Since the 1980s, the number of autism diagnoses has been dramatically increasing. But, despite the very vocal claims from the “anti-vax” crowd, there is no corresponding evidence to say that the actual incidence of autism is increasing — rather, we’re just getting better at diagnosing it.
A study, the results of which were presented recently at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Atlanta, GA, showed that there may be a link between fathers with “technical” jobs (i.e. jobs with very little person-to-person interaction) and autism diagnoses in their children.
“We speculate that people who choose these technical fields do so because their brains are wired differently,” says University of Texas Health Science Center researcher Aisha S. Dickerson, PhD, who was lead first author on the study. “They may be more antisocial, prefer to focus on one thing at a time, and not talk a lot.” Dickerson notes that these are similar characteristics of children with autism.
While research continues on the causes of autism, more and more is also being done to care for the number of people already diagnosed, especially school-age children. The CDC estimates the one in every 50 children between the ages of five and 18 suffer from some form of autism. And less half of those diagnosed will have paying jobs within two years of leaving high school, the lowest rate for any learning-disabled group.
Special needs schools for children with autism can provide these students with the environment they need to achieve all that they can. Whether it’s personalized, one-on-one care, away from the hectic activity of the regular classroom, or an innovative technology designed especially to appeal to an autistic child’s specific learning style, these schools are raising the bar when it comes to tackling autism head-on and getting results.
Give your autistic child all the opportunity you can to lead a full and happy life, no matter where they fall on the spectrum. Find out what special needs schools for children with autism can help you and your family connect with each other, and with the world. Find more: deronschool.org
