Expert: James Michael Roan - 11/10/2005

Question
I have a friend who's son shows a lot of sons for Autism he is 4 years old... She won't talk to the doctors about it because she doesn't want her son labeled for the rest of his life... How can I help her with this

Answer
Hi Patti;

This is always a tough subject to deal with. I experience it frequently. When a parent is first confronted with the possibility that their child may have delays, it sets the "grief cycle" into motion. The first stage , of course, is denial and it is a defense mechanism that actually protects the cognitive stability of the parent until they can slowly adjust. Unfortunately, children with autism do not have much time. There exists a narrow window of opportunity in which children with autism are able to receive and benefit from early intervention services. This is roughly between the ages of 3 and 6. For children with autism who do recieve effective intervention services during those years, approximately 75% will develop functional communication skills and develop independence as adults.

If you live in the U.S., school districts are responsible for assessing and serving children suspected of having a disability from 0-21 years of age. Let me know how you do.

Kind Regards,
James