DEARBORN — One in 88 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder, making it one of the most common disabilities amongst children in the U.S. At Dearborn Public Schools, however, just 91 children have been diagnosed with autism, a low figure for a district with over 18,000 students. 

According to some local Arab American parents with children who have been diagnosed with autism, getting a parent to admit that a child suffers with the disorder is a major problem in this community and could result in setbacks for those children. 

Autism is known as a complex developmental disability that usually develops in the first three years of a child’s life.The condition is the result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, often affecting the development of a person’s communication and social interaction skills. 

Though autism cannot be definitively diagnosed until around 18 to 24 months, research shows that children as young as 8 to 12 months may exhibit early signs. 

Parents should look for symptoms such as no reciprocal sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by 9 months; no babbling or back-and-forth gestures by 12 months; or any loss of babbling, speech or social skills at any age.

Often times a child may appear to be developing normally, but then suddenly show signs of regression. The disability is 4 to 5 times more likely to develop in boys than in girls. 

If diagnosed and treated properly, autism’s can have a limited effect on a child as he matures.  Unfortunately, although often times a child may develop signs of autism early on, a parent will not take the appropriate action to seek assistance in time. 

Mona Alaoue, a local parent who is starting an autism awareness organization called Blue Hands United of Dearborn, says that her son showed signs of possibly being autistic at the age of 2. He has since benefited immensely from treatment. 

“Catching it early is key to success and it makes a whole difference. Unfortunately, in our community they are not catching it early on and children aren’t diagnosed until they are around 4 or 5,” Mona says. 

Treating the disorder early on while a child’s brain is still developing can be highlybeneficial for them. In many cases, a child who is diagnosed at an older age will suffer with more severe autism later on in his or her life.

Mona says she picked up on all the signs early on, after her child’s appearance and behavior began shifting. He had a speech delay until the age of 3, didn’t make eye contact and barely had social skills. She adds that her child didn’t “pretend play,” which was also a big sign that something was amiss. 

Alaoue says she sought treatment for her child as soon as she noticed the changes. Just a couple of years later, doctors say he has made enough progress to be discharged from both therapy and special education classes. He is now in first grade at a local Dearborn elementary school.

“He’s a miracle boy. They were looking to diagnose him but then they ended up un-diagnosing him at the age of 4 and a half. I give credit to the fact that there was early intervention. People don’t believe me until they see him. He is the same kid,  he’s just 110% improved. He is able to keep up with both academics and his friends,” Mona adds.

Each child who is diagnosed with autism will receive individual therapy depending on his strengths and weaknesses. Therapy could include speech, language, occupational, and visual therapy. Some programs may even allow a specially trained therapist to come to the child’s home. 

Mona’s distant relative and friend Mariam Alaoue is also helping with the establisment of Blue Hands United of Dearborn. Mariam’s two childre both have autism, and she’s worked in collaboration with Dearborn Public Schools to make sure they have the proper attention and care.

Mariam says her children can now receive therapy up to five times a week, mostly due to lenient insurance coverage that was recently passed by Governor Rick Snyder under a Michigan Autism Reform bill. While both of her children have been diagnosed with the same disability, they are on opposite ends of the spectrum, which means they each have a different set of treatments and challenges.  

“One is afraid of people and the other will go anywhere with anyone. For regular kids, going to Chuck E Cheese is fun, but for my child it’s scary. The noise, the sound and lights is scary for him. I can’t just pick up and go to a birthday party. You slowly have to get them used to situations like this,” Mariam says.

Mariam believes some children in the community may be suffering without treatment because their parents are too ashamed or embarrassed to admit the problem.

Recently, Dearborn Public Schools tried to use Mariam as a liaison to other parents when they were having difficulty accepting that their child needs treatment for autism.  She says in one case a mother refused to even speak with her and the child still remains without proper care.

“The Arab community needs to be more open with having a kid with any type of disability. They need to stop thinking that they will get better.  Parents need to know what the signs are and they need to know that it’s okay. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. There are so many people out there that are just like you. I am okay with sharing my story because I want my kids to be an example for other people,” Mariam adds.  

Mariam says she and her husband have done research and taken any necessary measures to ensure that their children continue to progress. She adds that she’s already noticed improvements from her children through continued therapy. 

“My five year old has come a long way. He went from being non-verbal and scared of being around people. Now he’s verbal not as scared as he once was. They work so well with the kids. They’ve done a great job.  If you would have seen my son at the age of 2 compared to now, you won’t even think it’s the same kid,” Mariam says. 

Currently, Dearborn Public Schools offers a special needs service for children with autism. The district has established classrooms for several age groups designed for children with the disability, however children with more severe cases are bussed to other districts such as Trenton. 

With Blue Hands United of Dearborn, Mona and Mariam hope to accomplish several goals targeting the Arab American community. In previous years, the Mackinac Bridge, the Renaissance Center and Motor City Casino were lit blue in honor of Autism Awareness Month in April. The mothers are aiming to bring the awareness to the community this April in hopes of lighting Dearborn’s City Hall blue on April 2nd if they are able to secure a permit.

Currently, twelve people are involved in the launch of the organization, and the group is in the process of completing legal paperwork. They have been in talks with several other nonprofit groups and are aiming to involve Dearborn Public Schools in the initiative. 

Part of the group’s goal will be to distribute paperwork with literature including warning signs, programs, and opportunities for families who are dealing with autistic children. Currently, there is also a group in Lebanon called the “Lebanese Autism Society” that is promoting the same cause. Mona adds that one targeting Dearborn’s community is long overdue.

“We need all the donations and the support we can get, but mostly we need our community to have acceptance. I know some may disagree with me, but I believe having a child with special needs is a blessing. Those families know the value of every small thing. They appreciate achieving milestones and eagerly await every stage of their child’s development,” Mona adds. 

To learn more about Blue Hands United of Dearborn, visit the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bluehandsunited.