10th December 2015
Despite the huge potential positive impact of early diagnosis, children are still facing a 9 to 18 month waiting list before they are even seen by a consultant, let alone have their diagnosis completed. This shocking information is contained in the newly launched accessautism.ie website designed to guide parents, friends and educators of pre-school age children with autism. The site was created by Irish Autism Action and Early Childhood Ireland.
Welcoming the launch of the new site, Teresa Heeney CEO of Early Childhood Ireland said: “One of the most difficult challenges facing carers and educators, particularly at pre-school level, is how to talk with a parent or guardian about behaviour that they have seen that indicates a child might have autism. The site gives a step-by-step guide to the sorts of behaviours to watch out for, who to consult and how to broach the subject with the parents. The whole approach is child and family centred and gives the early years’ professional a practical and very sensitive template to follow. This is why Early Childhood Ireland members chose Irish Autism Action for its charity partner and raised €300,000 through our National Pyjama Day initiative for them in 2015.”
While the site does not pull its punches when it discusses the delays and waiting lists that parents in particular will encounter, it is, at all times, both honest and positive in its outlook. One of the prominent quotes contained on the site from Jasmine Lee O’Neill, a mute autistic savant who is a poet, writer, illustrator and musician, sums this up well.
“It does not have to be about tragedy or pain or loss. Bearing an autistic child is not losing that child. It’s gaining a very special new son or daughter.”
“The reason we’re highlighting the delays in diagnosis and therapy provision while launching this site is because they make such a big difference to children with Autism,” said Kevin Whelan, CEO, IAA. “Catching it early means the family can better meet the child’s needs, their therapists can take advantage of the extra “plasticity” of the brain in early development to help them adopt more useful behaviours and their teachers can learn how to work with each child.”
One of the most difficult challenges facing a teacher, particularly at pre-school level is how to talk with a parent or guardian about behaviour that they have seen that indicates a child might have autism. The site gives a step-by-step guide to the sorts of behaviours to watch out for, who to consult and finally, how to broach the subject with the parents.
“The key message here for teachers is not to leap to conclusions or to encourage the parents to either” said Whelan. “The teachers have to understand that Autism is a condition, not the whole child. And it is a condition that they cannot diagnose but that certain behaviours should be taken as being good reasons to seek a diagnosis.”
The site is www.accessautism.ie and was funded by ECI and IAA using funds raised through the Pyjama Day Appeal. All of its content is free to access and it contains extensive links to other sites for service providers, researchers and support groups.