Orlando Southwest - Issue #2 (April 2024)

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OFM 0424 Autism - FINAL_DEPT 3 / 15 / 24 11 : 02 AM Page 1 those on the autism spectrum , although these behaviors are oftentimes not official diagnostic characteristics . Things like obsessing over a singular H E A L T H song or tapping your foot when impatient have now become the basis of self - diagnosis , leading to an overcrowding of resources by those who don’t H need them , the misdiagnosis or under - diagnosis of other mental , attention or neurodevelopmental disorders , and a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be on the autism spectrum . Self - diagnosis is not the only large hurdle many will face when handling an autism diagnosis . The Importance It can be harder for females to receive a diagnosis , as they often find it easier to mask their symptoms . “ The female brain is quite different from the of Autism male brain in that there is a lot of intuitiveness . A female that’s not on the more [ severe or typical side of the ] autism spectrum can usually figure [ social interactions ] out , but they’re having to do Advocacy it in a more intellectual way rather than a natural one . When they can’t pick up on an interaction , they’ll often act like they do , which is something males don’t do as often . We don’t know exactly why , ” says Dr . Krista Marchman , founder and director of Educational Consulting Associates , Inc . “ That’s the challenging part . ” This complex form of masking makes it more challenging to diagnose a girl or woman with autism . In fact , a 2017 study published by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psy - chiatry found that the male - to - female diagnosis ratio is close to 3 : 1 . Despite the many hurdles in receiving a diag - nosis , its importance should not be understated . An early diagnosis allows for a more complete understanding of one’s own mind and can guide Autism Acceptance Month not only acts as a parents as they seek to make the best decisions for reminder to celebrate the differences within our their child . Early intervention may also help close the gap in associated social , motor and speech communities , but also works to highlight both the delays . resources and struggles those with autism face . “ Recent studies have found that when diagnosis and intervention were delivered before the third By Chelsea Valcourt birthday , improved social communication skills were indicated , ” says Marchman . “ If a child does not receive intervention for social communication ESPITE ONE IN 36 CHILDREN RECEIVING AN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS , and other developmentally delayed skills such as there’s much about the disorder that is shrouded in myths , motor functions , speech , sensory integration , etc . , Dconspiracies and stereotypes . Autism Acceptance Month provides and there are impairments in joint attention and an annual space to highlight the importance of official diagnoses , to early social responsiveness , then later social learning demystify the stigmas , and to encourage awareness and acceptance of can be significantly impacted . ” those with autism . There are many resources available for those “ As discussions of autism signs have become more mainstream , stigmas disappear , ” says Ellen with autism and their families in Central Florida . Fittro , chief clinical officer at InBloom Autism Services . “ At InBloom , our caring and professional Educational Consulting Associates acts as a clinicians recognize how amazing and unique each and every child is , and celebrate each child’s starting place for individuals with autism , focusing strengths and differences . ” on comprehensive and early childhood neurode - It all starts with a diagnosis . velopmental evaluations . However , Marchman’s An autism diagnosis can be life - changing , although it may be challenging to get . Misconceptions sur - work doesn’t stop there , as she also works with rounding what it means to have autism and the causes of it can have detrimental impacts on the ability to adults in order to provide diagnoses that may have procure an accurate diagnosis . been overlooked in their childhood . “ There are many misconceptions about autism and that’s what makes Autism Acceptance Month so With an experienced professional and educa - important . Some common myths or misguided beliefs are that autism is caused by vaccines , is solely a tional background in diagnostic evaluation , edu - childhood condition , that there’s one identifying behavioral signifier and that only boys have autism , ” cational therapy and parenting consultation , says Benito Aragon , vice president of marketing , communications and business development of Quest Marchman is deeply familiar with the importance Inc . “ Each of these misconceptions can lead to stigma , so public education is so important . ” of an accurate diagnosis . Understanding the complex Rising trends on social media encourage self - diagnoses based on a set of behaviors associated with 34 ORLANDO FAMILY april 2024 ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM

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OFM 0424 Autism - FINAL_DEPT 3 / 14 / 24 4 : 26 PM Page 2 nuances between diagnoses and how different dis - orders present in those of different ages and genders , is the key to her success . “ I specialize in evaluation and diagnosis as well as psychoeducation for parents and those working with autism . I’ve evaluated children through adults on the spectrum for over 25 years , ” says Marchman . “ My efforts have become especially focused on appropriately evaluating adults who have been misdiagnosed or overlooked as being autistic , as well as on girls and women on the spec - trum as they can present very differently from the male phenotype . I also provide workshops for mental - health professionals on adult autism and girls on the autism spectrum . ” For more than 30 years , Devereux Florida has been helping those with a wide range of mental and neurodevelopmental disorders . “ We have seen firsthand the life - changing impact that can be made when behavioral treatment is delivered in a clinically sound approach that also addresses the impact to a child’s mental health , ” says Michelle Llorens , executive director of Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Florida . “ Devereux offers an array of services — from children’s residential treatment for those with the most intensive needs , to community - based services for parents and care - givers to be supported and provided with tools to prevent situations from escalating to a crisis level . ” In addition to a myriad of other services and to better cater to the needs of those with learning and developmental disabilities , the organization offers The Devereux School , an accredited K - 12 program school located on its Viera Campus . A low student - to - teacher ratio , up - to - date technology and constant communication with children’s care providers ensures a tailored educational experience . At InBloom , behavior analyst board - certified clinicians work with the children to provide applied behavior analysis ( ABA ) therapy . Through ABA therapy , skills are taught by combining tasks with activities that the child prefers , making learning those skills something to look forward to . During therapy sessions , children work on a variety of dif - ferent skills such as communication , social , play and more . “ ABA is supported by decades of research demonstrating its effectiveness for improving the quality of life for individuals with autism , ” says Fittro . “ ABA therapy continues to evolve and places a strong emphasis on creating a compassionate and motivating learning environment . Close attention to both developments in abilities and changing interests of the children ensures a consistently tailored plan , and ongoing discussions with parents and caregivers help to relieve anxiety and keep everyone on the same page . Recognized and accredited by the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence , FoundArt also provides applied behavior analysis therapy but infuses it with artistic expression in order to make learning and building new skills an enjoyable activity for their students . They work closely with schools and ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM april 2024 ORLANDO FAMILY 35

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