Once a child is diagnosed with autism

As the prevalence of autism has increased astronomically in recent years, so has the number of available treatments and education options. Parents must sift through the many interventions and decide which is best for the education of their child. More and more parents are educating themselves; the treatment options are exciting and give hope to parents of children with autism. But the task of determining which treatments and education paths are best for each child is a great responsibility.

Once a child is diagnosed with autism, families have many questions and concerns. One of the major dilemmas is determining how a child with autism will be educated. Each child is different with unique qualities; the education of each child with autism is determined by their needs and strengths.

Autism is considered to be a spectrum disorder. It is a disorder characterized by symptoms that include repetitive behaviors or interests, deficits in social interaction and deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication. Furthermore, children with autism often have unusual responses to sensory stimulation. Children with autism may also display symptoms that include an inability to form relationships, delay in the development of speech, lack of imagination, repeated patterns of activities, extreme aloofness and insistence on consistency in routines and isolated areas of strong ability.