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I interacted with several families who had children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) before becoming a SAHM. While I could try to write about what it is like having a child diagnosed with ASD, I know I could never do it justice. Instead I encourage you to visit Domain of the Mad Mommy and read her inspiring and heartwarming story. Then read her 10 Things I Have Learned About Autism.
ASD is group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.
A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder.
About 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
Information from CDC.
Learn more about autism spectrum disorder by listening to this podcast.
Visit these sites for more information: Autism Society/Autism Speaks/NIH
