Autism Q&A With Early Detection Expert

Parent & Child magazine welcomes parent advocate and autism expert Nancy D. Wiseman. Nancy will answer your questions during April (National Autism Awareness Month) about early detection of autism in children and intervention efforts.

Nancy D. Wiseman has been advocating for improved awareness of early autism detection among parents and medical professionals since 1999.

• Founder and president of First Signs, a national nonprofit organization that educates parents and professionals about the early warning signs of autism and related disorders


• Author of The First Year: Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed Child (2009)


• Recipient of the 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics’ Dale Richmond/Justin Coleman Award for outstanding achievement in child development


• Mother of Sarah, diagnosed with autism at 2, now thriving at 13

Do you have a question for Nancy? Submit it in the comments section below. Nancy will post answers to select questions twice during the month of April.

Comments

[Jerry L.]

Hi Nancy:

A few of my wife's friends who are pregnant or have newborns are really anxious about all the news they read about the increase in autism in America. Should they be worried? What can I say to reassure them?

[kathy bell]

I have a 6 year old son that no doctors will help with. We have tried to get Adam help since 3 when easter seals was done with him. I finally got Adam in pre school by the grace of god watching us and running into a old friend who helped. Adam has never slepted a whole night in his whole life. He ws found that at 9 months he had acid reflects and that helped for a while. He didn't speek till around 4 from 2 to 3 we did sign lanuage which we learned from easter seals. He is in kindergarden now and doing exceptionally well considering I didn't knowif he could do it he is reading and comumeticationg well with his teacher. I am very proud we need basically how to control tempers and outbursts. Is there a book with ideas and help to work around all these things

[Karen B.]

I'm pregnant now and thinking ahead about vaccines my baby will need, but I've read a lot of conflicting information about the link between vaccines and autism. Can you help me navigate through the arguments both for and against vaccines? I want my baby to be as healthy as possible, but I'm not sure whose advice to follow.

[Abbey Turner]

I am a mother of a child that was diagnosis with autism within the last month. It has not only been a struggle for us to hear the news but also the support and services available for children with Autism. The doctors give their diagnosis and recommendations and we were on our own from there. I am well educated within the Autism Spectrum and yet I am having difficulty finding answers to all my questions. Where do we turn? What do we believe? Does the diets of autistic children really have an effect on their learning capacity? What can I do for my child besides therapies and diets.

[Cathy Mealey]

I am interested in your profile information that your daughter Sarah is now 'thriving' To what do you attribute her current condition? What therapies helped her reach the point she is at now? What kind of expectations do you hold for her future?

[Caroline R.]

What age should I start looking for signs of autism in my baby?

[Kim Casto]

I am the mother of a 7 year old with autism. He does a lot of running & yelling, I have a hard time getting him to focus on learning when I try to work with him, should I have on some kind of medication like for hyperactivity to help him focus better.

[Janice]

Hi Nancy:

My 3 year old is autistic. Will his symptoms get worse as he gets older?