By KARAN MINNIS, Guardian Lifestyles Reporter, karan@nasguard.com

Autism is a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication, and causes restricted and repetitive behavior. It is estimated to effect one in every 150 births, and one in every 94 boys worldwide. Ten years ago one in 2,000 children were diagnosed with the social and communication disorder.

The figures also show that one in every 10 autistic children is a savant — they exhibit super intelligence in one area like math, music, or the arts.

And in The Bahamas, there has been an increase in the number of children presenting with autistic tendencies according to DeCosta Bethel, president of Resources & Education for Autism & Related Challenges (REACH), as the organization marks Autism Awareness Month.

"Autism is not something that you can prevent or fight, unless we all decide not to have children and we know that will not happen," he says.

The national voluntary support and advocacy group is largely comprised of parents, and their regular activities include support and information meetings, funding an annual summer program open to any student with autism and on-going advocacy in areas of respite care and early intervention.

Autism affects many parts of the brain. How this occurs is poorly understood. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life. Signs include poor communication skills, lack of eye contact, lack of social interest, severe language deficits and flapping hands. But early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social, and communication skills. Currently, there is no known cure. Few children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood.

According to Bethel, until a cure is developed it's up to the public and the families to help the affected live relatively normal lives.

"Most people do not understand autism, while others choose not to accept that its exists. Therein lies the problem. Until we have more public knowledge we cannot expect people to be accepting. Instead, they view autistic children as problematic, but they're not. They just have special needs."

According to Dr. Mildred Gore Lancaster of Midwestern State University, early intervention is critical.

"We can do lots of things to help older children with autism but we can do astonishing things for many children with autism when they are very young. One of the interventions we use is pivotal response training, which capitalizes on the things the child is obsessed with to motivate him to talk," says Dr. Gore Lancaster.

One of the strategies is floor time during which they focus on the creation of relationships with the child, which she says often results in children beginning to speak who have never spoken before.

She says other experts teach autistic children sign language or picture communication when they believe the children won't speak.

"The child learns that if he wants some juice and instead of screaming, or crying, or kicking someone, he can take a picture of a card with juice to mommy or his teacher and get juice and learns to communicate."

Another tool is Applied Behavior Analysis which is the science of applying experimentally derived principles of behavior to improve socially significant behavior.

"In this process a variety of behavior analytic procedures are used to strengthen existing skills and build those that have not yet developed. That involves explicitly arranging for the learner to have multiple, repeated opportunities to learn and practice skills throughout every day, with abundant positive reinforcement," says Bethel.

No two cases are alike, and have to be treated accordingly.

"Some use aggression against other people as an attempt to communicate with other people. Some use banging their head. It's their attempt to say, 'Stop this. I don't like this or help me to escape this unpleasant thing.' When it comes from a child with autism, aggression very rarely means I want to hurt you," he says. "To them aggression means I'm trying to tell you something and I don't have any words. Self-aggression is often because of sensory problems."

Children with autism typically do not smile, some may talk constantly about one topic while others may not speak at all and may only make sounds.

Some autistic children exhibit behavior problems. Most are unable to handle change and have some sensory and movement disorders. Bethel says parents are the experts when it comes to their autistic children.

"Anybody who has had an autistic child, they go through a lot. The parents go through the pressure in dealing with the difficulties. They wonder whether they are making a step forward or a step backward with a child. My child may not be as extreme as some of the other persons I have seen but the thing about it is I empathize with them knowing what they are going through which can really be intense at times," Bethel said.

"Many times the world just takes persons who have neurological development difficulties and just pushes them to the side and I really believe that that has been the case in The Bahamas — even with handicapped people," he said.

As a part the world-wide observation project REACH is working to establish several on-going information workshops. For information call DeCosta Bethel at 557-2554.

New Providence autism centers

The Stapledon School Autism Unit

Dolphin Drive

Tel. 323-6000 or 323-4669

Garvin Tynes Primary School Autism Unit

Alexander Blvd.

Tel. 341-7872 or 361-8585

The Nassau Learning Center

East Bay Shopping Center, opposite the old Paradise Island Bridge

Tel. 393-3149