Doctors can earn continuing education credits by completing course materials in the kit. Autism is not obvious at birth, making detection more difficult, according to Dr. Robert L. Trelstad of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Wiseman said the campaign was launched in New Jersey because it has many programs that treat people with autism. The state has identified 3,000 schoolchildren with autism, an increase from 1,000 children in 1995. Experts believe the complex disorder affects more than 500,000 Americans.
Affected children have trouble communicating and socializing.
They may not respond to their names or look at people. Compton and his wife said Daniel, now 7, appeared to be deaf, not responding to his name and often speaking nonsense. It took nearly a year for Daniel to be diagnosed with autism at age 3. He now attends a public elementary school that provides an environment for normal socialization and specialized attention, Doug Compton said. Our physicians were very good, but they had no perspective on autism.