Many children with autism have other health problems

By Lisa Ackerman

Recently, a new study has announced: Many children with autism have other health problems.
Source: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/09/25/many-children-with-autism-have-other-health-problems-study-says

I am thrilled to see this evidence finally reported. Parents living with autism have been sharing thousands of these stories with TACA every year.

The hallmark of the autism diagnosis is the inability to communicate or communicate effectively. Not all individuals with autism have this as a serious issue, but many do. If you add in the high threshold to pain many children with autism seem to have – it compounds this issue even further.

Parents have to navigate these issues and play the ultimate game of charades when it comes to their child’s health. We have to view all the signs and do our best to interpret results from the clues we receive. It is an extremely difficult job.

Imagine if your preverbal child could never tell you how they feel? Look at Ryan – age 6 – who with the help of an iPad could finally communicate to his mom.

Ryan shared a complex thought. For years, this mom never knew how her son felt. Imagine her heartbreak finally knowing, but wondering how her child felt all these years without the ability to tell someone about the pain.
At TACA, we are thrilled that parents are FINALLY being HEARD!! Individuals with autism experience many treatable issues outside the spectrum. Treating these issues will greatly improve the quality of life. This is something TACA families have been talking about since inception in 2000.

Resources for Families:

1) Find a TACA Chapters http://www.tacanow.org/local-chapters/ . If there isn’t one by you – check out TACA live chat for support. http://www.tacanow.org/about-taca/real-help-now-live-chat/ and TACA Parent mentors http://www.tacanow.org/about-taca/parent-mentor-program/

2) TACA Family Scholarships http://www.tacanow.org/about-taca/family-scholarship-program/

3) Who pays for what http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/who-pays-for-what-a-guide/

4) Biomedical links