Dear Dick
articles about wide ranging psychological issues
from "The Local Bulletin" (Brisbane Australia)
by Dick Rigby
©all articles are copyright 2006

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Autism
Autism the puzzle

February 2006
Recently I read an article by Prof Margot Prior (“InPsych” Oct 2005) about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).  Some of the points she made about this very important topic are well worth repeating. 
There are about 6 in every 1000 children suffering from this disorder in Australia.  This means that it is one of the most prevalent developmental disorders.  ASD occurs four times more commonly in males than females.
Despite it being such a common disorder, there is very little know about it.  In Australia there is a chronic shortage of skilled carers for these disadvantaged children.  The causes of the condition are still unknown.  There has been a lot of research directed at finding the root causes, but as yet clear cut genetic or environmental factors have not been identified.
Children suffering from ASD have problems with social interactions, understanding, and communication.   They also tend to have fewer interests than normal children.
One form of ASD is Asperger Syndrome (AS).  This was first described as recently as 1944.  Children with AS are at the high level of functioning of Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Most of these AS children attend normal schools, but they have very special needs.
The challenges facing these children at school include:

  • Vulnerability to learning difficulties, particularly problems with planning, organization and attention
  • Behavioural problems such as obsessions, high anxiety, problems relating to teachers, acceptance by peers, vulnerability to bullying and unacceptable behaviours
  • Difficulties in coping with stress
There is a need for much greater resources to be allocated to helping these children cope at school.  If we do not help these children when they most need it, they will not reach their potential.  If we do address these problems at an early age, they can be minimized or even fixed.  There are critical time periods in the brain’s development.  Professional intervention during these critical periods is much more effective than trying to fix the problem years later.
It is a myth that children just grow out of AS.  There are many in our community who carry the legacy of childhood AS into their adult life.  Some of these people struggle.  In 1992, Donna Williams told her story of surviving as an adult autistic in the book “Nobody Nowhere”.
If we do not provide sufficient remedial resources for the AS children, not only do they suffer, but society suffers as well.  When their needs are not addressed, we may be condemning the Asperger child to an unhappy school life and, in some cases subsequent antisocial behaviour.