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MA Act Early guest bloggers share their thoughts about healthy development in young children, what to do when concerned about a child's development, and the importance of routine developmental screening, and timely early intervention whenever there is a concern.

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One in a Million: A Physician's Perspective

4/10/2013

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By Stephanie Blenner, M.D., Boston Medical Center

Three in One Thousand

She had long hair and unyielding eyes. I was only a resident at the time, so I sat to the side while the attending physician told the mother that her child had something called autism.

He explained it was a neurodevelopmental disorder. When she asked what to do, he told her to spend time with her at home.

At 3, she was too young for school or formal intervention. When we left the room, he told me I was lucky to meet a child with autism because it was so rare.

One in Eighty-Eight

Over 15 years later, we see children with autism every day in our clinical program. We never tell families it is rare or that they should wait to intervene. Instead we talk about how common autism is, how many other families have sat in their shoes, and the importance of early intervention.

We do this in English, in Spanish, in Vietnamese, sometimes with both parents, sometimes with just the mother or another family member. As clinicians, we do this so often the packets of printed information for families need to be restocked weekly.

This is our job as health professionals, to assure children are screened, diagnosed and receive the intervention that can make such a difference.

One in Fifty

Autism awareness requires more than just describing what autism is, explaining that it is common and that early treatment is critical.

We also need to to let people know that while autism is all too common, children with autism are not.

That each is singularly unique and special. That the chance to identify a child with autism early means that, through intervention, their community will have a unique opportunity. They will be able to know and appreciate that child as possibly only those closest know them; as the individual behind the disorder.

In this way, as we work together on autism awareness, we remind ourselves why this work is important. That the most recent sobering 1 in 50 statistic belies what each of us privileged to do this work knows, that each child is more truly one in a million.

The blog post above was first published on April 10, 2013 at the New England INDEX Disability Info Blog at www.disabilityinfo.org/blog.  We are happy to republish it here for our readers.

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    Guest Bloggers:

    Elaine Gabovitch, MPA

    Elaine Gabovitch, MPA is the the MA Act Early state team leader, CDC ambassador, and family family at UMass Medical School's Shriver Center. Most importantly, she is the parent of a child with autism.

    Stephanie Blenner, MD

    Dr. Blenner is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician from Boston Medical Center and is a member of the MA Act Early Steering Committee.

    Jason Travers, PhD

    Jason Travers PhD, BCBA-D, is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a member of the MA Act Early Steering Committee.

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