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t m c » p u l s e | j a n / f e b 2 0 1 7 38 A Broadening Spectrum Filling a gap, The Autism Center at Texas Children's Hospital offers applied behavior analysis therapy to patients It's really amazing when you look at the breadth of problems ABA can help address, as well as the breadth of skills it can help enhance. — LEANDRA BERRY, PH.D. Pediatric neuropsychologist and associate director of clinical services at The Autism Center at Texas Children's Hospital B y A l e x a n d r a B e c k e r O ne in 2,000. Just three decades ago, that was the prevalence of an autism diagnosis. Today, according to data collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 68 children will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder by 8 years of age. The numbers are alarming, but experts incite caution: a vast majority of this surge can be explained by increasing diagnoses—credited to a broadened definition and growing awareness—rather than a rise in cases. And while there is an ever-growing body of research focused on potential origins or triggers for the disorder (including genetic factors and expo- sure to environmental toxins), it is still unclear what, exactly, causes autism spectrum disorder. One thing is certain: autism spec- trum disorder can be exceptionally dif- ficult for children and their families. But early intervention and a commitment to therapies has been shown to improve symptoms and enhance quality of life. A dramatic difference Autism is a neurodevelopmental dis- order characterized by impaired verbal and nonverbal communication skills, social difficulties and repetitive behav- iors. Individuals "on the spectrum" may be affected in vastly different ways. Symptoms include: struggling with empathy; an inability to regulate emotions, manifesting in outbursts and self-injurious behaviors such as biting, head banging and hitting; arranging and rearranging objects; repeating sounds and phrases; and extreme inter- est in a specific subject. Many individ- uals with autism have extraordinary talents in arts, music and academics, while others may deal with significant disabilities, including the inability to communicate verbally. Most cases of autism are diagnosed in childhood, as early as 18 months, and empirical evidence unequivocally states that the earlier a child begins