Once in a while, we come across a guest Expert who has something impactful to contribute to the Savvy Auntie Community. Since April is Autism Awareness Month, we invited Bonnie Sayers,a freelance writer/editor that has many Autism Family Adventures and writes about Autism Spectrum Disorders, to share her thoughts on the occasion.

Chances are you know of someone on the autism spectrum.  This could be through an acquaintance, community member, church family, co-worker’s family or even a distant relative.  You may observe them at functions or events a few times out of the year with limited contact or conversations.

As the parent to two teens on the autism spectrum, I often find it confusing to read how some on the autism spectrum are labeled to have Asperger’s Syndrome while others refer to it as “high functioning autism." I have read many times where the terms are used to describe the same person.

The person either has autism (ASD) or Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) with the main difference between the two being the speech component.  Someone with autism has either a speech delay, had a speech delay or impairment, or is nonverbal.  Those with Asperger’s Syndrome never had a speech delay.  They may still receive speech therapy for pragmatics training, which would entail the use of language in social settings.

A child on the autism spectrum may also have other co-morbid disorders such as OCD, ODD, DSI, ADD, ADHD, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder, Apraxia, Hyperlexia, Dysgraphia, Tourette Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome and Epilepsy.

There are other disorders that have similar traits to autism. These are Fragile-X Syndrome, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, Sotos Syndrome, Moebius Syndrome, Elective Mutism, Attachment Disorder, Hyperkinetic Disorder, Disintegrative Disorder, Avoidant Personalilty Disorder.

What works for one individual on the autism spectrum is not always the case for others.  No two people with autism or asperger’s are the same.  An evaluation and assessment are utilized to determine the course of action families take.

Some of these children will need medication, restricted diets such as Feingold or gluten-free and casein-free (gfcf) and Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), speech, occupational and/or physical therapy. Others may be in a Applied Behavioral Analysis program also known as ABA or a discrete-trial training program (DTT).

Then there are children that have auditory processing deficits and utilize AIT or other listening programs to help.  Dr. Stanley Greenspan developed Floortime, which is another intense program teaching children to play by role modeling

For those who are nonverbal their choices for communicating with adults and other children are sign language, picture cards and communication devices.  Families face funding obstacles for therapies, plus there is a high turnover in therapists.

Respite is available from various resources so parents can take a break, or have an additional person to help out around the house.  If you have a niece or nephew on the autism spectrum, you may want to offer some assistance.  For many households, a family member is the only person the parent can trust.  You may have to encourage your brother or sister to take that step and get out of the house for some solace to enjoy a hobby for a few hours.

Resources for aunts

I encourage aunts to show an interest in the child with autism, learn what their favorite toys and comfort foods are to make the visits an easy transition for all family members.  By reading some books on the topic of autism, you will be gaining further insights into your niece or nephew.

To learn about Asperger Syndrome, I suggest reading a book written by Dr. Tony Atwood. For knowledge and related experience pertaining to autism, the expert to read is Dr. Temple Grandin, an adult with autism and lecturer. To learn about Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Carol (corrected) Kranowitz is the author to consult.

Please also note that once April is over with Autism Awareness Month, with Mother's Day and Father's Day coming up, there are many opportunities to help and support the parents of your autistic niece or nephew.