November 18, 2009

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Watching a child grow and develop is usually a source of delight for parents. But sometimes his behavior just isn't typical.

For Jill and Drew Crossman, the experience changed from joyful to concerning when their son Tom was four years old.

"In the beginning I thought he was typical. But as he got older, he wasn't making noises," Jill says.

And for Natalie and Mat Rhymer, they noticed their son Jonas avoided eye contact and didn't make discoveries or share them.

Both sets of parents knew something was wrong, but they didn't know what.

Lori Warner, Ph.D., director of Beaumont's HOPE Center in Berkley, which specializes in treating children diagnosed with autism, says it's important to recognize early warning signs that may tell parents that it's time to seek a professional opinion:

• Delayed language milestones: Babies should be babbling by 10 to 11 months and using words or "word approximations" (like "ook" for "book" or "uice" for "juice") by 15 months.
• Lack of interaction with other children or parents by one year (e.g., making eye contact, mimicking gestures like clapping or waving bye-bye). "Kids are naturally so interested in each other," Warner says.
• Absence of orienting to something you're pointing to or using pointing to get your attention by 18 months. Absence of pretend play such as talking on the phone, stirring a pot or hugging a doll.

"Early intervention is crucial. All the research points to the necessity of diagnosing as early as possible and beginning intense evidence-based intervention," says Dr. Warner.

But how do you know what's right for you and your child? The Crossmans and the Rhymers took similar paths, but are achieving the therapy they need for their children in different ways.

Jill Crossman took Tom to Beaumont's Center for Human Development for testing and diagnosis. "As a parent, I was prepared and almost happy to have a label for what was going on with Tom," she says.

The Crossmans then decided to go through the GIFT of Hope program in 2005 at the Center for Human Development's HOPE Center. "It was the roughest 12 weeks of my life, but I'd never take it back. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The look of confusion in Tom's eyes was gone," she says. "He was a little lost soul, found."

The Rhymers took a different approach to therapy for Jonas, 3, who was diagnosed with autism around 18 months. Natalie and Mat, along with Jonas' grandparents and tutor, go to weekly sessions with an applied behavior analysis therapist at the Center for Human Development. There, they learn the training from the GIFT of Hope program, spread out over a longer time.

"Our goal is to help Jonas learn the things he needs to know to live in this society and to quell the inappropriate behaviors associated with autism," says Natalie. "Early intervention is so important, we really jumped in to get the ball rolling."

The next step for Jonas is preschool. "We found a preschool program in our district specifically for children with autism," says Mat. "We are going to do whatever it takes to help Jonas succeed in life."