New Jersey Combats A Wave of Autism

The New Jersey Health Department has a special range of services dedicated to assisting families living with children affected by autism. New Jersey has the highest occurring rate of autism in the country (one in 96 New Jersey children is afflicted with the disorder). The program’s funding is expanding, as the needs of the population grow. Last year, the state spent $110 million on services for developmentally disabled children.

Sena Hong is a service coordinator for the Early Intervention System. She has the unfortunate job of deciding just how much therapy the state can provide for autistic children under the age of three, and often is the first to suggest to the parents that their child has autism. Like many of her co-workers in EIS, she has an autistic child herself.

I have heard a range of statistics of the national autism level, but one in 150 seems to be the mode. I see signs up and down the Jersey Turnpike that claim that one in 96 children born in New Jersey have some form of autism. Are there any findings on why there is such a discrepancy between the two numbers?

They do not know the exact cause, but Rutgers University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey are conducting extensive studies. New Jersey is doing a lot of progressive research on autism, and a lot people are moving here to take advantage of the programs.

Have researchers made any conclusions about how environmental factors related to autism?

Heavy metals have been implicated in autism. High mercury and lead levels have been suspected as a cause, but we don’t know for sure what the environmental factors are. It is being researched, but there are no conclusions as of yet.

Is there a leading theory on why there are so many children with autism in New Jersey?

New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country with a heavy industrial base. But again, we don’t know for sure whether those are significant factors or not.

How many children in New Jersey have autism?

The exact number is hard to pin down. New Jersey just mandated registration for autism. By law, any doctors who diagnose autism must register the State Birth Defects Registry, while to this point registration was infrequent, and done by our program. To this point, autism has been a voluntary registration.

What kind of services does the Early Intervention System offer?

Typically, they use ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis), speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

We offer use regular play therapy, which is when a person with a special education degree goes to their home and observes the children play. The ABA program, also called Discreet Trial, involves coming up with a program for every activity. Autistic children cannot do simple things like sit or eat with their spoon. You teach the children the desired behavior, and reward them with cookies, or something else they like to do.

Some parents do not like the therapy; they feel like it is the same as training a dog, but other parents worship ABA and maintain that it works. As the child gets older, the program changes to suit their needs.

What kind of reactions do you get from parents who are told that their children are autistic?

It is a crushing blow to any family. Often times there is denial. The first thing they notice is that a child loses language. They used to be able to speak, and then they stop speaking. Something seems to happen neurologically at about 18 months.

What other complaints do parents have with your program?

They often want the system to “fix” their child, but do not understand how critical the carryover is. Professionals will say that children need 24/7 services. They do not mean therapy; they mean that the child needs to be engaged socially as much as possible.

How does the program rank with those of other states?

Some other states do not require co-pays, such as New York and other surrounding states. The state of New Jersey spent $110 million last year, and the budget is increasing dramatically from years previous.

New Jersey has some of the best pre-school programs in the country. Alpine Institute, Eden Institute, just about every school district has an individual or regional program to address the issue of autism.

We provide services in a child’s natural environment, which some other states do not do, whether they are at home, at day care, or at a babysitter.

As the autistic get older, are there state programs to benefit them? And after high school?

There are assisted living programs, and institutions. It depends where they land on the spectrum of severity. It also depends on what kind of early intervention, and what kind of behavioural therapy they’ve had.

Generally speaking, children with autism either live with their parents or are put in a home as they get older. There is a center called Alpine Group that is well known in New Jersey. There is a huge waiting list, and it costs $80,000 a year. Insurance does not pay for it, and many people cannot afford such services.

~ by vonawrath on November 21, 2008.