Voices of Autism

Marshawn Burrell is an active 8 year old who lives with his mom, two aunts, and grandma in Chicago, IL. Like many other boys his age, he is fascinated with cars and trucks, legos, video games, computers, and television--watching local public access channels for hours and memorizing all of the city's public transportation buses and trains. He's a very smart little boy with an excellent memory and above average reading skills. So, what makes Marshawn different from most other boys? Well he was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. He may sound like your typical 8 year old boy but there are many things about him that set him completely apart in a class of his own.

Marshawn appeared to be your average toddler. He knew some words such as mama, dada, baba, etc. His bright smile and adorable laughter could light up any room. As time went on, his mother noticed he wasn't progressing developmentally like kids his age should be. He wasn't speaking in sentences and he was displaying some of the common symptoms of autistic behavior such as lack of social interaction, not making eye contact, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and head banging-- a self-abusive behavior common in autistic children. After being evaluated by his physician and a neurologist, Marshawn was diagnosed with autism. Autism is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as autism spectrum disorders. Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severly limited activities and interests. Upon hearing the news, I didn't think that it was a big deal. As his aunt, I had it set in my mind that he was misdiagnosed and was just developing a little later than other kids. Like many other people out there, I had no clue what autism was and how it affected individuals. As time progressed, I would learn to appreciate his early diagnosis and also increase my own awareness about autism.

Being diagnosed early was definitely a plus. Marshawn started speech and occupational therapies and was put into a special program within the Chicago Public Schools for autistic children before he turned 3 years old. I attended many of his therapy sessions and was able to see how consistent teaching was able to make a huge difference in his behavior and social skills. He learned to speak in sentences and his vocabulary improved immensely. It was a challenge along the way since Marshawn was often stubborn and didn't want to follow instructions. Rewarding his correct behavior was an excellent incentive to get him to cooperate and complete the tasks that were asked of him. Much of Marshawn's development was due to his early diagnosis. Many cases of autism aren't caught as early which makes it harder to integrate proper learning and social behaviors and skills needed to adapt in today's world.

Although the causes of autism are unknown, it's likely that both genetics and environmental factors play a role. Studies of people with autism have found irregularities in several regions of the brain. Other studies suggest that people with autism have abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain. These abnormalities suggest that autism could result from the disruption of normal brain development early in fetal development caused by defects in the genes that control brain growth and regulate how neurons communicate with each other. There has even been speculation that raised mercury levels found in vaccinations administered to the child during infancy and certain types of fish eaten by the the mother during pregnancy can lead to autism. While these studies are interesting, they have not been proved and require further study.

Experts estimate that every three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. For many children with autism, symptoms improve as the child gets older with the proper treatment and therapies. Some children can grow up to lead normal or near normal lives. They can get jobs and learn to take care of themselves, although some may still require assistance. During childhood and adolescence many autistic children exhibit behavioral problems. Many autistic children have increased strength also. For these reasons, some parents choose to medicate them on things such as Ritalin or other drugs to control their behavior. Marshawn's mother chose not to medicate her child because she didn't want him "under the control of a drug that he could become dependent on." While there's no cure for autism, therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can bring about substantial improvements.

Since my nephew was diagnosed with autism six years ago, I've made it a top priority to increase autism awareness by participating in a charity walk for Cure Autism Now and donating to other charities that are working to spread autism awareness and work towards finding a cure. In addition to the Cure Autism Now Foundation, there's also the Autism Society of America, Autism Research Institute, The National Society for Autism Research, and several others.
While many still ponder the puzzle of autism, those living with the disorder are an intricate puzzle within themselves. Their minds are at work. Just like the rest of us, individuals with autism are pieces of a great puzzle who may not be meant to be figured out. None of us can completely understand another because we don't know what goes on in everyone's mind. I think of Marshawn building and designing things with his legos. He may stack them in one way to make a building, or he may stack them in a way that creates a whole city. I believe the inner workings of his mind are like a city--busy and full of life. It could be the mind of an autistic child that creates something of beauty in this world. Most of us like the challenge of a puzzle-- even when we can't always put all of the pieces together.