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Life Changes and Autism
Different Address, Same Challenges By Sue Poremba
There is help for the families of children with autism who have suffered through a catastrophic event. Rob and Sharon Oberletner, who have a son with autism, created www.AutismCares.org, which has provided connections between families.
"We tried to put families in a safe place," Sharon Oberletner says. "The important thing was to get some routine back into the lives of these children and their families." AutismCares.org provided items like battery-powered DVD players and movies for the children with autism, items that might seem like a luxury to some families but are a lifesaver to the family ofan autistic child.
Recognizing that all children are different, there are indications that some children with autism have an easier time coping with change as they get older.
"Experience is the best teacher," Murray says. "Parents have other priorities when the children are young, so they aren't worried about exposing them to change. If they aren't exposed to it, the kids can't learn to deal with it."
The trick is to keep things as comfortable as possible, according to Karen Berkman, director of the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of South Florida.
"Think of when you are in a brand-new life experience," Berkman says. "That's what those kids are going through every day of their lives."
