Gina Davis knew something was amiss with her son Austin when, at ten months old, he did not babble the way her friends' children did. At two, Austin still did not talk. Nor did he seem to hear his mother's voice, though his hearing was normal.

At 22 months, Austin was hospitalized for an E-coli infection. "He really declined after that," says Davis, who lives near Palm Springs. "He went into his own world." By his third birthday, Austin was diagnosed with autism.

Austin is one of an estimated 11,500 children under age nine diagnosed with autism in California. The rate of autism, a developmental disorder with no known cause or cure, has tripled among California children since 1987. It's four to five times more common in boys than girls and affects all ethnic and economic groups.

Problems communicating

There's no laboratory test for autism. Doctors identify it by children's behavior: serious problems communicating and relating to people, along with repetitive behavior patterns. Some autistic children have much more severe symptoms than others.

Austin, now six, still does not speak. He laughs and smiles, but does not cry or seem to feel physical pain, says Davis. "He cut his foot open one day," she says, "and he was just running on it." When she examined the cut, she found a piece of glass inside.

But Austin does know how to soothe himself. "When he's over-stressed he goes in his room and puts on classical music," Davis says.

Autism rate soars

Dr. Robert Byrd of UC Davis led a recent state-sponsored study of the reported increase in autism. He says he expected to find that more kids are now called autistic because doctors are diagnosing autism better, or because a wider range of problems are labeled "autism." Instead, he found, it's true: more children have autism-now it's one in every 500 children born in California.

The causes of autism are unknown, though most people agree it's partly genetic. Many parents suspect immunizations, but federal studies and a review by the American Academy of Pediatrics found no link between autism and vaccination.

Early treatment is critical

Every child is different-even some who get intensive therapy never speak, says Dr. Susan Schmidt-Lackner, medical director of Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services in Los Angeles, which runs a therapeutic school specializing in autism.

"Other kids will seem almost typical-they're quirky, but you wouldn't know they have autism," she says. "When I see a kid who's two, it's hard to know where he'll end up, but we want to blast that kid with intervention."

Kids practice skills

Treatments vary depending on the child, she says, but usually include speech and language therapy as well as occupational therapy, like learning how to stack blocks.

For Austin, the state disability system paid for occupational therapy, and counselors at the Elk's Club helped him learn skills like holding a spoon. After he turned three, Austin entered a public preschool geared toward autistic children.

There, says Davis, "they learn by repetition." For example, counselors spent weeks showing Austin how to put two Legos together. Then they moved on to three. In the same way, they teach Austin how to play.

Parents share information

Davis also got the Regional Center of the California Department of Developmental Services to pay for three hours a day of in-home tutoring. She's been sharing her knowledge of resources with other parents in the Coachella Valley chapter of the Autism Society of America (CVASA), of which she's now president.

Parents often don't realize, she says, that Regional Centers will pay for respite care and in-home services. And low-income parents are eligible for social security.

Families need understanding

Sylvia Vann of Fresno says when she takes her four-year-old autistic son, Alex, out shopping or to church, many people judge his rocking and high-pitched screams as bad behavior.

"You get a lot of criticism," she says. "Then you try to explain autism to someone and they look over your head. My goal is to write a book to make the public aware."

Vann herself has attended every autism workshop she could since Alex was diagnosed at 18 months. Now, with occupational and speech therapy, Alex is progressing. "He's saying a lot of words!" Vann reports.

Austin, too, has made progress. He now responds to his mother's requests and has even joined a game of tag with other children.

"Something is going on in that mind of his, and I would love to know what it is," says Davis. "But I'm learning. You have to have an unbelievable amount of patience."

For friends, neighbors, teachers

Hosting an autistic child in your home or child care program can be challenging. Here are suggestions from Reva Guimont, who provides parent support at Exceptional Parents Unlimited in Fresno, and Edie Bartnof, vice principal of the therapeutic school at Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services in Los Angeles.

1. First, ask the parent about the child. Does the child like touch or hate it? What may trigger a tantrum?
   
2. Ask the parent how you can help. Do you have a room where the child could be alone? What can you do to reassure the child?
   
3. When you ask questions, leave lots of time for the child to come up with an answer.
   
4. Try to keep autistic children away from cluttered, chaotic, and noisy environments.
   

What is autism?

Autism is a developmental disorder, usually appearing before age three, defined by:

• Problems in communication, such as major delay in spoken language or lack of spontaneous play,
  
• Problems in social interaction, such as inability to hold eye contact or play with others, and
  
• Obsessively following routines or repeating words or actions.
  

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development recommends a doctor evaluate a child for autism if he or she:

• Does not babble or coo by 12 months
  
• Does not gesture (point, wave) by 12 months
  
• Does not say words by 16 months
  
• Does not say two-word phrases by 24 months
  
• Has a loss of language or social skill at any age.
  

Resources

• Autism Society of America, 12 chapters in California, 800-3AUTISM, www.autism-society.org
  
• California Department of Developmental Services, 21 Regional Centers, 916-654-1690, http://www.dds.ca.gov/
  
• Parent-run Parent Training and Information Centers, California Department of Special Education, 916-445-4613, www.cde.ca.gov