Sarah Beard: It feel like they screamed a lot. I am not afraid anymore.
Male Speaker: Sarah Beard is among the one to one-and-a-half million Americans diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, so described because autism appears in many forms. As puzzling at it is, greater understanding of autism is creating a variety of effective behavioral therapies.
Sarah Beard: My mommy likes to do things with me.
Male Speaker: This is Sarah Beard at the age of 5.
Sarah Beard: We play catch, and I play soccer.
Male Speaker: But not long ago Sarah's days were filled with tantrums, and methodic rituals such as lining up toys or spinning in circles.
Sarah Beard: Myself is something who is a personality and I am a special person of anality.
Male Speaker: Sarah has Asperger's Syndrome, one of many conditions classified as an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Michelle Whitacre: Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that we typically see characterized by like difficulty with social interaction, communication, and some behaviors.
Male Speaker: The symptoms may vary widely in severity, but can include impaired social interaction, fixation on objects, tantrums, resistance to change, resistance to hugging or cuddling, lack of eye contact, and difficulty communicating needs.
Catherine Lord: Autism really is defined completely by behavior at this point. I mean, there are hints about the biological causes of it, but there is no clear biological marker.
Male Speaker: And it doesn't always appear right away.
Jennifer Elder: There seems to be two ways this disorder appears. One is that the children just don't seem to be developing normally. And there is another group that start to develop normally and for some reason it's like the light switch is turned off.
Male Speaker: That can make early diagnosis tough. Yet, early diagnosis is crucial to helping children with autism develop language and social skills.
Catherine Lord: Kids may be very happy little kids, who smile and are just as cute as can be, but they don't participate in social interaction the same way.
Male Speaker: At the University of Michigan, researchers have developed early criteria for diagnosis, as early as age 2.
Catherine Lord: One of the earliest signs is a child who seems to understand some language but doesn't respond to his or her name.
Colleen Beard: I knew something was wrong and to get a diagnosis almost in a way was a relief.
Male Speaker: Once a diagnosis is made, individually tailored interventions can begin.
Jennifer Elder: We do everything in the context of play. We try to set up what we call social reciprocity, which is turn taking, that's what's critical for learning language.
Female Speaker: You like the green one, okay.
Male Speaker: Though Sarah's mother sees progress, she knows there are more hurdles to face.
Colleen Beard: She is still having a difficult time just really kind of talking to other kids. Loud noises still can be a problem for her.
Male Speaker: That's because sensory integration is often another challenge.
Michelle Whitacre: Lot of times our children have difficulty processing sensory input the way we do.
Male Speaker: To some a light touch is painful.
Michelle Whitacre: Somebody brushing by you in a hallway, you may not pay in mind. Well, a child with autism, they may not know how to interpret that input or it may be too much for them, and they may yell or withdraw.
Male Speaker: Yet some of those same children crave deep pressure. For them, a big hug may help.
Developed by a woman with autism, this hug machine provides children with deep pressure stimulation.
Michelle Whitacre: We've found that for some kids it is a very calming effect.
Male Speaker: Therapists say a controlled amount of pressure helps teach sensory self-regulation, and can calm children's senses, so they can then focus on learning.
Terry Mutzenberg: I can usually see the tension in their face start to decrease also. Then when they go back into the classroom area, they are able to sit down in the table task area, hopefully circle group or something, and be able to perform at the table.
Male Speaker: Home and family support may be the most important link for children with autism, and that includes the whole family.
Jennifer Elder: Back in 1981 when I first started working with families of children with autism, I worked primarily with mothers, because mothers were available.
Male Speaker: But researchers at the University of Florida have found that teaching fathers skills in communicating with their autistic children benefits the whole family.
Jennifer Elder: It's an interesting dynamic, and the children have responded positively and the mothers and siblings have learned from the fathers. It didn't happen when we trained the mothers, but it does with the fathers.
Chuck McCormick: Is it all going to be one color again? Okay, I see.
Male Speaker: Chuck McCormick took on the challenge.
Chuck McCormick: It's very important to these kinds of boys, and I assume to the young ladies have it too, that they have both parents, if they can. And you are going to put white on the green.
Male Speaker: His success surprised his wife.
Virginia McCormick: The level of patience he has and the level of care, I could not have imagined that he would be able to do this.
Chuck McCormick: Really what you are doing is guiding what's happening, and when you see progress with these guys, it's wonderful.
Jennifer Elder: Dave has changed a lot, in that he is more socially aware. He is more interested in the people around him. And I think the quality of the relationship between the dad and Dave has improved.
Male Speaker: Despite the overwhelming challenge autism presents, these parents cherish every little bit of progress.
Virginia McCormick: You don't even remember who you were anymore before the kids. And that's what I credit them with is they bring a deepness to your life.
Sarah Beard: My mom, are you happy?
Colleen Beard: I am very happy today.
Male Speaker: Since autism is different from child to child, parents and experts agree an individualized approach can make the biggest difference in treatment.
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