Idelle Kursman

The increasing rate of autism should be everyone’s concern, not just those who have a family member with the diagnosis. At the present rate, 1 in every 59 children is diagnosed with autism. There is a spectrum according to the severity: those on the high end of the spectrum are able to function independently while those on the lower end require constant care and supervision. Any child could receive the diagnosis regardless of socioeconomic class, color, or religion. Anyone who feels it is not “their problem” may one day be in for a big surprise—if that person does not have a child with autism, then a sibling’s child, a niece or nephew’s child, or a grandchild could have this developmental disorder. Therefore, autism should be everyone’s concern.

The following is a list of questions people may have. I will try to answer them as clearly and succinctly as possible.

Q. What is autism?                                                                                                      According to the website Autism Speaks (https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism), “Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.” As every individual is unique, autism affects each person differently.

Q. What are some telltale signs of autism?                                                                                                                      Signs include

• Repetitive behaviors like hand flapping, rocking, jumping
• Inability to make eye contact
• Speech difficulties
• Repetition of words (echolalia)
• Inability to participate in social interaction
• Sensitivity to sounds, smells, and tastes
• Trouble understanding the feelings of others
• Agitation with schedule changes
• Unusual mood patterns, sleep difficulties
• Hyperactivity
• Fixation on particular topics
• Limited attention span

In my novel True Mercy, one of the main characters is an eighteen-year-old man with autism named Adam. I include many characteristics of autism in my portrayal of Adam like hand lapping, rocking, echolalia, sensitivity to smells, unusual mood patterns, and fixations on certain topics.

Q. When do signs of autism appear in children?

According to Autism Speaks, signs of autism may occur from the first few months of life to as late as 2 or 3 years old.

HelpGuide (https://www.helpguide.org/articles/autism-learning-disabilities/does-my-child-have-autism.htm/ ) has compiled a list of early signs of autism:

The baby or toddler doesn’t:

• Make eye contact, such as looking at you when being fed or smiling when being smiled at
• Respond to his or her name, or to the sound of a familiar voice
• Follow objects visually or follow your gesture when you point things out
• Point or wave goodbye, or use other gestures to communicate
• Make noises to get your attention
• Initiate or respond to cuddling or reach out to be picked up
• Imitate your movements and facial expressions
• Play with other people or share interest and enjoyment
• Notice or care if you hurt yourself or experience discomfort

Q. What can parents do if they notice these signs?

If a parent notices their child has developmental delays, it is vital they seek the advice of their child’s pediatrician to find out if testing is needed. The earlier the diagnosis, the sooner the child can receive early intervention, which is critical for the child to make gains in their development. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the therapy that has proven to help children with autism make significant improvements.

Q. What are some resources to get help?

I gathered some resources but this list is by no means exhaustive.

Autism Bedforshire http://www.autismbedfordshire.net

Autism Speaks http://www.autismspeaks.org

Autism Society http://www.autism-society.org

Autism Web http://www.autismweb.com

Autism Hwy http://www.autismhwy.com

HelpGuide  https://www.helpguide.org/home-pages/autism.htm

Addendum:

I had intended to conclude my blog post at his point, but when Amy Tobik of Autism Parenting Magazine (https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/supportive-states-raising-autism-child/?utm_source=Autism+Parenting+Magazine+Contributors&utm_campaign=71fe1ce660-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_06_18_01_56_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_782e0cc91d-71fe1ce660-96778409 ) sent me this article by Krystal Rogers-Nelson, I couldn’t resist including it. She provided a list in the order of the most supportive states for raising a child with autism.

The three main factors considered for these rankings include:

1. State laws requiring insurance coverage of ABA therapy (points were weighted based on age limit, coverage limit, and types of insurers required to provide services)
2. If a state is part of the ADDM Network (Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, which estimates the number of children living with autism and other developmental disabilities in various places in the United States).
3. Grants available to individuals and families in the specified state

Rank	State	Age Limit?	Coverage Limit?	ABA Therapy Requirement for ALL Insurers in State	ADDM Network	Grants Available
1	California	No	No**	Yes	No	Yes*
2	Massachusetts	No	No	Yes	No	Yes*
3	Indiana	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
4	Colorado	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
5	Vermont	21	No**	Yes	No	Yes*
6	Maryland	19	No	Yes	Yes	Yes*
7	New Jersey	21	No	No	Yes	Yes*
8	Washington	No	No	Yes	No	No
9	New Hampshire	21	Varies based on age	No	No	Yes*
10	New York	No	$45K	Yes	No	Yes*
11	Oregon	No***	No	No	No	No
12	Connecticut	15	No	No	No	Yes*
13	Maine	21	$36K	Yes	No	Yes*
14	Pennsylvania	21	$36K	Yes	No	Yes*
15	Mississippi	8	No	Yes	No	No
16	North Dakota	21	No	No	No	No
17	Ohio	21	No	No	No	No
18	DC	No	limited to cost of similar therapy	No	No	Yes
19	Wisconsin	9	$50K	No	Yes	Yes*
20	Delaware	21	$36K	Yes	No	Yes
21	Arkansas	18	$50K	Yes	Yes	No
22	Minnesota	18	No	No	No	No
23	Nebraska	20	No	No	No	No
24	Utah	10	No	No	No	No
25	Wyoming	20	No	No	No	No
26	Illinois	21	$44,877	Yes	No	No
27	Florida	No	$36K, $200K lifetime	Yes	No	No
28	Georgia	6	$30K	No	Yes	Yes
29	Rhode Island	15	$32K	No	No	Yes*
30	South Carolina	16	$50K	Yes	No	No
31	Virginia	10	$35K	No	No	Yes*
32	Kentucky	21	$50K	No	No	No
33	Kansas	12	limits based on hours	Yes	No	No
34	Michigan	18	varies based on age	Yes	No	No
35	Oklahoma	9	$25K	Yes	No	No
36	South Dakota	18	varies based on age	Yes	No	No
37	Texas	9	varies based on insurance plan	Yes	No	No
38	Alaska	21	varies based on insurance plan	No	No	No
39	Iowa	21	$36K	No	No	No
40	Louisiana	21	$36K	No	No	No
41	Arizona	16	varies based on age	No	Yes	No
42	Missouri	18	$40K	No	Yes	No
43	Nevada	18	$72K	No	No	No
44	North Carolina	18	$40K	No	Yes	No
45	Tennessee	12	varies based on insurance plan	No	Yes	No
46	Alabama	9	$36K	No	No	No
47	Hawaii	13	$25K	No	No	No
48	Montana	18	varies based on age	No	No	No
49	West Virginia	18	$30K	No	No	No
50	New Mexico	19	$36K, $200K lifetime	No	No	No
51	Idaho	n/a	n/a	No Law Requirement	No	No

Multiple grants available for this state.
**Can’t exceed the cost of treatment allowed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
***Must start treatment before age 9.

Idelle Kursman is the author of True Mercy, a thriller designed to bring awareness to two issues: families coping with a loved one with autism and the human trafficking crisis. True Mercy is for sale on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IngramSpark, and Smashwords.

Need help with blog content? Please contact me through my website, www.idellekursman.com.