SUSPECT AUTISM?
Jesse Aguirre, 3, works on fine motor activities with volunteer Melanie Hsu in CHAI’s “Monkey Room.”
Ask for help sooner rather than later
Autism is a difficult diagnosis for physicians to make — or for parents to hear. That’s why it’s important for parents and primary care pediatricians to look hard for warning signs, and when children display them, connect with an autism specialist as early as possible.
Anthony Woodruff is glad his son’s pediatrician took no chances. When his son Jared was still nonverbal at 6 months, Anthony asked Janet Perlman, MD, what to do. Was this a speech delay or something more serious?
Autism Warning Signs The warning signs of autism can be identified in children as young as 12 to 18 months; they include:
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Dr. Perlman, a pediatrician with Bayside Medical Group, asked Woodruff to bring his son back in three months. When they returned, Jared’s verbal ability still seemed stalled; Dr. Perlman sent them to have Jared’s hearing tested.
He could hear; his problem was something more serious. Dr. Perlman suspected an autism spectrum disorder and referred the San Leandro family to the Children’s Hospital Autism Intervention program (CHAI), a program in Children’s Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
“Getting a developmental assessment sooner is better than later,” said Dr. Perlman, “(At CHAI) they do good developmental assessment and help the kids get what they need. We get a lot of support there, a lot of knowledge. They also helped get the regional center referral going.”
Pleased that Children's Hospital Oakland is in the area
Dr. Perlman is pleased to have Children’s Hospital Oakland in the area. “It’s great to know (community pediatricians) have a children’s hospital right in our midst. It’s really nice to know (Children’s Hospital Oakland) is just down the street.”
By the time Jared turned 1 he was receiving intense one-on-one intervention at CHAI.
“Early prevention is better,” said Anthony, excited about how well his son is doing now at the age of 5.
“(Jared) has a nice vocabulary, two-word sentences, and is learning to adapt to other kids,” said Anthony, “I give the awards to CHAI for that, for using the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to help him communicate nonverbally before he began using words.”
Jared is now in a specialized kindergarten class in the Oakley area, the family’s new home. “CHAI is great,” said Anthony, “I hope they never discontinue that program.”
Clinic director empathizes, her son has autism disorder
CHAI’s clinical director, Mimi Lou, PhD, also understands the difficulty of making or hearing a diagnosis of autism. Her son, now 14, also has autism spectrum disorder, and is still nonverbal.
Jared and Dr. Lou’s son are among the 1 in 150 American children with an autism spectrum disorder.* The vast majority are boys, about four of every five.
Despite the mystery of autism spectrum disorder’s cause and lack of a cure, Dr. Lou stresses that the sooner children are referred, evaluated and get appropriate help, the better. “If you suspect at all, it’s better to evaluate,” is her advice to primary care physicians, “because the kid’s future could depend on it.
Helping children 18 months old and up
CHAI helps children as young as 18 months, and occasionally younger, as in Jared Woodruff’s case. CHAI typically bows out when kids turn 3—that’s when responsibility for autistic children moves from regional centers to school districts.
Responsibility for autism intervention services changes as children age:
- 0 to 3: Regional centers, such as Regional Center of the East Bay for Alameda and Contra Costa counties
- 3 to 22: School districts
- 22 and up: Regional center.
Dr. Lou, proud of CHAI, said she wants to be a “Johnny Appleseed” of their eclectic, developmental approach. “What I’d love to be is the model program where people come, and train, and take what they learn out into the world,” she said.
Meanwhile, she hopes to encourage physicians to be more aggressive about referring children they suspect have an autism disorder.
“Too frequently the response is, ‘Let’s wait and see,’” said Dr. Lou. “I think a lot of physicians say that because they don’t think there’s anything you can do about autism; they’d rather wait than give a diagnosis where there’s not much you can do.” CHAI’s record shows there’s actually a lot that can be done; but sooner is better than later.
* Based on a 14-state survey of 8-year-olds published by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is CHAI?
Children’s Hospital Autism Intervention (CHAI) is a comprehensive program of integrated services for infants and children up to age 3 who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
CHAI is designed for children who have developmental difficulties with communication and language, and in social relating. Each child receives up to 18 hours a week of customized direct services, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral and developmentally-based treatment.
Services may be delivered at home, in a childcare placement and/or at CHAI’s own site in Oakland.
Families pay nothing
CHAI is an early intervention program funded by the Regional Center of the East Bay; families pay nothing.
If you suspect your child has a developmental delay or autism spectrum disorder ask your pediatrician for a referral to Children’s Hospital Oakland's Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics department for a diagnostic assessment. The department can be reached at 510-428-3351.
- Children’s Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics department
- Autism Society of America
- Regional Center of the East Bay
510-383-1200 - CARE Parent Network (Contra Costa County)
925-313-0999 or 800-281-3023 - Family Resource Network (Alameda County)
510-547-7322 - MATRIX Parent Network (Marin and Sonoma counties)
415-884-3535 or 800-578-2592
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