AUTISM provokes more
puzzlement and _ heartache
than perhaps any other brain
disorder.

For the parents of an
autistic boy or girl, it usuaily
means they will never know
the joy of communicating
with their growing child. For
the child, it- means that
whatever is experienced of
the world will probably re-
main locked within for life,
wrapped in self-solation and
degrees of mental retarda-
tion.

The causes and cure of the

Strange. affliction have |

resisted discovery as stub-
bornly as its victims reject
human contact.

First described by
psychiatrist Leo Kanner in
1943, autism currently af-
fects about 350,000 children
and adults. Usually present
from birth, the disorder may
not be diagnosable until the
age of 2 or 3. © ne

“One of the earliest signs
is lack of reaching out to the
mother,’? says Arthur
Schubert. of the Winston
Prouty Centre for .. Child
Development in Brattleboro,
Vt. “‘The child lacks a ‘ca-
pacity to accept warmth, and

there’s ‘a lack of eye-to-eye ..

contact.”’ Oo

As they grow older,
autistic. children reject
human contact and. show
- obsessive preoccupation with
inanimate objects. They
often indulge in self-destruc-
tive. behavior, such as head

banging, and may become.

franticif ‘their routines or
surroundings are even slight-
ly changed. to
Many perform repetitional
behaviors, such as rocking
back and forth in place.
Many: never learn to speak,
and. those that do often
merely echo what is said to
them. : :
Three-fifths of all autistic
children are mentally retard-'
ed. At the- same time,
autistic. children are fre-
quently attractive and grace-
ful. -Sazs Schubert, ‘‘It’s
agonizing for parents to see
their lovely child getting
bigger, more beautiful and
more difficult to cope with.”
Recent studies point to

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biochemical and genetic
causes. The only efficient
treatment devised so far in-
volves behavioral therapy,
which rewards the child for
reaching out and relating to
other people.

Though autistic children

can improve, many do not. -

Structured educational pro-
graming and consistent
‘behavioral treatment have
been effective in reducing
maladaptive behaviors and
increasing the child’s ability
to communicate and per-
form meaningful work.
‘These children ‘perform

-better at vocationally

Oriented tasks than in aca-
demically oriented subject
matter. Thus training pro-
grams that emphasize
repetitive job training skills
have shown a fair degree of
success. ,

lronically,.many autistics
develop outstanding talents
in mathematics or the arts;
virtually all so-called idiot-
savants are autistic. Where
these autistic men and
women get their remarkable
talents remains as much a
miystery-as autism itself.

For more information on
autism contact Gateway
House Society at 946-0401,

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. from

HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL
. INJURIES

@ May be fatal or cause severe burns
®@ Sudden muscle spasm may throw
the casualty same distance causing
further Injuries such as broken bones
@ Treat injuries in accordance to
Priorities - breathing, bleeding,
shock, fractures, then others. Do not
make 3 rescue attempt until cable or

conductor is shut off and will remain
put of service until ihe casualty is

moved or treated an the spot @ In-
sutating material such as dry wool or
clothing Is not, protection against
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siderable gap and cause flash burns
® immediately seek medical aid ©

Lightning may produce similar injuries ~

to those of a high voltage electric
current.

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