By Paola Velasco
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral problems. People with autism perceive and interpret the world differently through sight, hearing, and touch. Their way of socializing is enigmatic to those around them.
In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly chose April 2 to commemorate World Autism Day to raise awareness and provide appropriate information about this condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide, 1 in every 160 children has ASD. Autism is four times more likely to occur in males than in females, regardless of race, socioeconomic level, or geographic location.
Almost 1% of all children in Mexico, around 400,000, have autism. Because this figure is based on the first study in the country, there is no previous comparative data. However, 400,000 children is a significant number, and indicates an urgent national public health problem. In the United States, statistics show that 1 out of every 54 people has autism, according to the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM), one of the highest rates of autism in the world.
In San Miguel de Allende, Niños con Autismo de San Miguel AC, offers therapeutic support for children with ASD and their families. Professional psychologists follow and treat each child according to his or her needs. Autism does not manifest the same in every child. These children can present mannerisms such as constant movement of the hands or body, irregularities in language, or difficulties in social interaction. Maria Magdalena Godínez, one of the organization’s therapists, comments, “Early therapy guarantees children’s independence and that he or she will be able to do things that they would not otherwise be able to do. It gives us great satisfaction to see the children make progress.”.
Generous donations from the public and fundraising efforts enable this non-profit organization to make improvements to its facilities at Centro de Niños con Autismo and buy materials for testing, diagnosing, and therapy.
We spoke with Rocio Puig, president of the board of directors. Her autistic son Adrian is a clear example that timely therapy and support can bring great results. He was diagnosed and began treatment at the age of four months. Adrian, now 20 years old, has managed to excel in academic, social, and sports activities.
Diagnosis at an early age makes a difference. For some families, though, it is not easy to accept that their children may have a condition that will modify their lives and the lives of all family members.
We interviewed some mothers who shared with us that when their child was diagnosed with autism, they initially felt grief. “Every day I learn to decipher him, his likes and dislikes, his moods…” says Ahideé Contreras, the mother of three-year-old Mariano, who has ASD.
We also spoke with Ana Isabel Tovar, the mother of three-year-old Rafa. It has been a learning experience to be the mother of a child with ASD, she says. Society does not always understand, since physically the child does not have any distinctive features. “Sometimes, when we ride on public transportation, Rafa cries and acts out. Passengers look at us in an irritated manner, as if I can’t make my son behave. For me, the biggest challenge is to always be patient, and not to judge or expect him to do things.”
Carmen Granados is the mother of Angel, three. Her biggest goal is to be able to give her son the tools to be independent and fend for himself.
It is important that parents and family members contribute to developing their child’s potential through therapy and demonstrations of love, patience, and understanding. Some famous people with autism include Albert Einstein, Stanley Kubrick, Tim Burton, Ludwig van Beethoven, Bob Dylan, Amadeus Mozart, Lionel Messi, and Michael Phelps.
Niños con Autismo de San Miguel de Allende AC welcomes children with ASD, and offers scholarships, psychological help and support for families. This past April 2, they were at the San Miguel Plaza Cívica to honor people with autism and to talk more about the symptoms and the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.
Centro de Niños con Autismo is located at Centenario 57, Colonia Ignacio Ramírez.
If you would like to donate or contact Niños con Autismo, call 415 688-1755 or email info@ninosconautismosma.org
