Apparently autism is on the rise.  According to this interesting article in The Telegraph it was pretty much unheard of 30 years ago.  2013 Statistics say that 1% of the population are autistic.  Whereas in the 1994 DSM-4 it estimated between 0.02 and 0.05 per cent. Whether it’s just become easier to identify or too many people are jumping on the bandwagon it’s hard to say?

Claiming Benefits

You can claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA) if your child has autism and there will be children who do need that additional support.  But perhaps not all of them, for some parents in difficult circumstances the extra funds varying from £20 up to over £130 per week are just a lifeline they need to make ends meet. Although I would prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt.  I am sure the majority wouldn’t want to label their child without due course?

If you are worried about your child, you can do a course about understanding autism with NCC Home Learning. I think the £300 cost is money well invested as it offers lots of practical advice to help your child. If you work in childcare completing the course will make you more employable. With statistics illustrating the increasing prevalence of autism schools and support groups will need qualified individuals that can correctly identify those children who do need help and be there through the challenging times ahead.

Sadly, some children might just be labelled as naughty because they fidget and are disruptive in class.  But the condition has impaired their communicative and social skills.

In the past these children might have been excluded from school because they don’t respond in the same ways as others.  However with the right measures in place they can thrive.  I think it’s fantastic that there is a greater awareness of the condition now. Some parents have had it so hard dealing with their child’s condition.  It can be quite disruptive and aggressive but hopefully the public are on the whole more sympathetic and understanding of people with autism nowadays. The more we know about the condition the greater the level of support for those that truly need it.

Getting Advice

The NHS has a useful article about the signs of autism. Children may have developmental delays, not respond to social cues in the same way, they might prefer their own company and reject opportunities to play with their peers.

Certain movements they might do repetitively or say the same thing over and over. My husband says we are all on the spectrum somewhere, it’s just some people are higher up than others, so for most of us we can engage as normal, responding to situations appropriately, when those with severe autism cannot manage. I guess one of the reasons its on the rise is that professionals are better equipped to diagnose it.