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HEATHER AVEY Reporter Guymon Daily Herald
ALLISON GIPE/Guymon Daily Herald
Eleven-year-old Kyle Gipe of Texhoma
At first he was a developing normally, but when he was about 18 months he just shutdown and quit responding to even his name. Kyle Gipe, 11, suffers from autism, but lives a happy and healthy life with his family and friends. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Autism causes kids to experience the world differently from the way most other kids do. It's hard for them to talk with other people and express themselves using words and they usually keep to themselves. Some even need help to communicate. "Although he is autistic, every kid is different where they don't all fit in the typical guidelines. I think most people just think "Rain Man" when they hear the word autistic, but he's loving, he's funny, he's smart, and he is compliant," Allison Gipe, Kyle's mother expressed. Autism affects about one in every 150 kids, but no one knows what causes it. Some scientists believe some kids might be more likely to get autism because it or similar disorders that may run in their families. Some children with autism may react to what's going on around them in different and unusual ways. Normal sounds may really bother someone with autism, so much so that the person covers his or her ears. They often can't make connections that other kids make easily. For example, when someone smiles, you know the smiling person is happy or being friendly. But a kid with autism may have trouble connecting that smile with the person's happy feelings. Linking words to their meanings is sometimes hard for them. Trying to understand what someone is telling them and what their words really mean can be very frustrating. Especially for them when they can't find the right words to say to express their feelings. Autism causes kids to act in unusual ways. They might flap their hands, say certain words over and over, have temper tantrums, or play only with one particular toy. Most kids with autism don't like changes in routines. They like to stay on a schedule that is always the same. They also may insist that their toys or other objects be arranged a certain way and get upset if these items are moved or disturbed. "When Kyle was small he was the only autistic kid in our town, he was it. And so, we've had to learn as we go. His school is great about providing trainings and sending teachers to workshops and anything else they have needed or wanted to do. We are fortunate to live in a small community where everyone knows Kyle and everyone is very understanding," Allison said. He's a kid, of course he had some bad days, and maybe once a year would have a full on meltdown, but it was very rare," she added. He made them understand. No one is sure why this happens, but approximately 20 percent of children with autism seem to develop normally for the first one to two years. Then these same babies experience what doctors call a regression. This means that they lose abilities that they had before, such as the ability to talk. "I think it is so important to teach the social aspects. These are skills they will need the rest of their lives to cope in society and at least to some degree "fit in". My son has no problems with school work, he's an honor student, but our issues are with appropriate responses to situations. For example, a girl threw up in the gym last weekend and he started cracking up laughing," Allison explained. "These kids are so literal. I said one time when I was frustrated that I just wanted to choke someone, but of course I was kidding, but it really upset him. It was then that I realized things like that are kind of black and white with him. So, we've worked really hard on slang like phrases and what people mean by them." Several treatments for autism are available. Research has shown that very intense behavior and language therapy may help some children. There is no medicine that treats autism itself, but medicine may help with some of the symptoms of autism, such as aggressive behavior or sleeplessness. Children don't "outgrow" autism, and it can't be cured. With therapy, some children may improve as they mature. The individual child's language skills and overall intellectual level may help predict what will happen with the autism. "We were very lucky to have caught this at such an early age and that we were able to help Kyle and get him the help that he needed. I encourage parents that if they suspect their child may be suffering from autism to take them and have a check-up as soon as they can," Allison said. Look to page A6 of Wednesday's edition of the Guymon Daily Herald for more information on autism.
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