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Families wrestle with autism diagnosis Continued from page 1 3 · Thursday, October 25, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com first-time parents." Families across Hamilton and Halton share similar stories. In Milton, Ana Bejarano and her husband, Antonio Herrera, did just about everything to soothe their fussy toddler, Lucas. At 18 months, the young boy was getting very little shuteye, would shy away from any touch, didn't point to objects or people, and wouldn't respond to his name. Lucas was also very rigid in his play and suffered meltdowns for no reason. "The doctor said he's just eccentric," said Bejarano. "She took the wait-and-see approach." This approach, according to medical experts, is common, as family doctors don't often feel comfortable making the diagnosis. Many believe a specialist is better qualified to do so. "I didn't know it was autism, but I knew enough that something was really wrong," she said. Dorian Poe, 9, is a Burlington boy who was diagnosed with ASD when he was in Grade 1. It took several years for the long-awaited answer to his tantrums and fits that left the family reeling since he was a toddler. "He was hurting inside and he's frustrated, but we never knew why," said Dorian's mom, Christine Poe. Obtaining a diagnosis is a long, taxing journey. According to these three families, the wait was roughly two years. They decided they couldn't waste any more time. The Carefoots sought the advice of a medical professional trained to identify autism, the Milton couple opted to pay out-of-pocket for answers, while the Poes just kept pressing their family pediatrician. "When we got the diagnosis, it was like death to me," said Bejarano. "We both cried." As devastating as it is, the diagnosis is also a relief, allowing families to inch forward down the long, winding road towards solutions. "I wasn't comfortable starting behaviour therapy without a diagnosis," said Carefoot. "Once he got that, we just went full steam ahead." ··· Autism is a lifespan disorder -- one its victims must deal with their entire lives. It originates in the brain and changes with development. Severity of symptoms experienced by infants, children, adolescents and adults vary widely, hence the designation of autism as a "spectrum" disorder. In the U.S., statistics indicate one in 88 children have ASD. "This is a huge epidemic," said Bejarano. North of the border, however, Dr. Peter Szatmari, McMaster University's ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog Lucas, right. The family knew something was amiss with Lucas, despite being told by their doctor the youngster was "eccentric." Also, Adrian was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder. Look for more on the family in a future story in the series. Below, Oakville's Max Carefoot, 6, sits quietly during therapy with Wendy Kranz of blueballoon health services in Burlington. unravelling the mystery: Antonio Herrera and Ana Bejarano are pictured with their sons Adrian and MEET THE EDITORIAL TEAM: Metroland Media Group's Halton Division editorial staffers, from left, Catherine O'Hara, Eric Riehl and Julie Slack, are the talent behind the four-part series Navigating Through The Fog. expert on spectrum disorders and director of the Offord Centre for Child Studies, suspects the figures are more like one in 100. ASD is prevalent in today's society. But this doesn't mean that the condition is on the rise. "Most of the increase is accounted for by better recognition, better diagnostic criteria, understanding what autism looks like in the very young and in older individuals and in those with other conditions like Down's syndrome and cerebral palsy," said Szatmari. Trish Simons, president of Autism Ontario's Hamilton-Wentworth chapter and mom to three boys on the spectrum, thinks there's more to the increase than better diagnostic tools. "When my children were diagnosed, it was one in 15,000. Thirteen or fourteen years later, it's one in 88," said Simons. "You can't just tell me that in 13 years boom, everybody's figured out this is how we diagnose it." Changes in risk factors, such as environmental influences, increased frequency of in vitro fertilization and older parents could contribute to autism's pervasiveness against the background of genetic vulnerability, explained Szatmari. Yet, much about ASD remains to be determined as medical researchers continue to explore its mysteries to develop better ways to treat it. Next week, Navigating Through the Fog looks into the traditional therapies available for those living with autism, their successes and the hardship parents face when accessing therapies and funding. 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