Autism awareness: Finding family, community support

This paid piece is sponsored by Sanford Health.

Autism is a spectrum condition, so some people with autism need more support than others. Having one family member with autism can affect the entire family.

Autism is a complex lifelong disability related to the development of the brain.

Symptoms may be detected in early childhood, but autism often is not diagnosed until much later. The main symptoms of autism are:

• Difficulties in social communication and social interaction.
• Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities.

People who are autistic also often experience sensory difficulties such as increased or decreased sensitivity to light, sound, color, smell, taste or touch.

Specialized care: Children’s developmental health at Sanford Health

How common is autism?

One in 36 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder. Worldwide, about one in 100 people are autistic.

Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. It is diagnosed more than four times more often among boys than among girls.

While mild cases make up the majority of autism diagnoses, “profound” autism affects 27 percent of American children with the developmental disability, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported. The CDC broke down that definition statistically for the first time in 2023.

Children who are profoundly autistic are nonverbal, minimally verbal or have an IQ of less than 50, according to the report in the journal Public Health Reports.

The importance of support

Parents of a child with autism must have a good support system in place. This will help your child cope with the unique aspects of their disability. It also will help you learn how to manage your feelings when faced with the challenges of raising a child who is autistic.

Pay special attention to the needs of other children in the family. Sometimes, siblings’ needs get lost when so much attention is needed by the child with autism. Spend one-on-one time with your other children. Look for sibling support groups that can provide a safe place for them to talk and share their feelings and fears.

Part of this support will come from the health care team that is treating your child and educating you as a parent. They may recommend interventions such as speech therapy to improve communication and social skills, while making well-being and quality of life better for both autistic people and their caregivers.

While some autistic people can live independently, others have severe disabilities and require lifelong care and support, the World Health Organization says.

Additionally, people with autism can face stigma for their differences. Along with individual autism care, the WHO promotes communitywide accommodations to make living, learning and working environments more accessible and inclusive.

Autism support groups

Parents of children with autism and people on the autism spectrum themselves benefit from a strong support network. You may find the following support groups helpful:

• Autism Speaks. This organization provides support and advocacy for autistic people and their families.
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network. This organization, which is run by and for autistic people, provides policy and legal advocacy, educational resources and leadership training for autistic self-advocates.
• GRASP — Global and Regional Autism Spectrum Partnership. This autistic-led group provides community outreach, online support, education and advocacy for teens and adults on the autism spectrum. Membership is free.

Learn more

• Autism and ADHD: How to know if your child should be tested
• Kids with big emotions? Reach for these coping skills
• Diagnosing, managing a child’s developmental disabilities