By Sarah Stultz, AlbertLeaTriubne.com

As a parent of a child with autism, Albert Lean Jayne Iverson knows firsthand the frustrations that can come from daily living.

&8220;Being a parent of an autistic child is stressful and at times overwhelming,&8221; Iverson said. &8220;When your child is first diagnosed with autism, it can be very emotional. You grieve for the child you always dreamed you would have and the uncertainty of their future. This grieving process seems to continue on because you see your child overcome one hurdle and then you see them struggling to do things that most typical children their age do so easily.&8221;

Because of these experiences, a couple years ago Iverson formed Albert Lea&8217;s Autism Support Group. The group meets monthly to give families dealing with similar situations the chance to meet and discuss the joys and challenges of raising a child with autism.

This month, in light of Autism Awareness Month, the group is making an extra effort to help raise awareness of the disorder that affects 1 in 150 births, according to the Center for Disease Control Prevention.

Autism, a lifelong developmental disability that usually appears during the first three years of life, is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain.

According to the Center for Disease Control Prevention, 1 in 150 people have the disorder.

Because it is a spectrum disorder, it can range in mild to severe and everywhere in between.

&8220;People with autism have a different way of seeing, hearing and feeling things,&8221; Iverson said. &8220;Some cannot speak, while others can seem to talk just like everyone else. Some people with autism may act in unusual ways by flapping their hands, saying certain words over and over, having temper tantrums, having little eye contact or may struggle with making friends or playing games.&8221;

Iverson said one of the frustrating misconceptions about autistic children is that they are naughty, unruly children who choose not to behave. But this is not usually the case.

&8220;I like the comparison that says having autism is like living in a foreign country where you don&8217;t know the language or like trying to learn the rules of a very difficult game,&8221; she said. &8220;Children and adults with autism may look like they are being naughty, bad or different, when in fact they are just struggling to try to understand the world around them.&8221;

Though there is still no known cause for the disorder, researchers continue to investigate different theories, including the link between heredity, genetics, medical problems and environmental causes, she said.

&8220;What we do know is that autism is not caused by bad parenting,&8221; Iverson added.

For more information on autism, contact your family doctor or pediatrician, local school or Autism Support Group.

Iverson can be reached at 377-3029 or by e-mail at jeiverson@msn.com.

Autism Support Group upcoming events:

April 19: Family Fun Festival at Northbridge Mall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

May 1: A visiting psychiatrist will speak about autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and treatment from 6 to 7 p.m.

May 25: spring family picnic at Edgewater Park from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

June 14: bowling fundraiser competition between the Albert Lea Fire Department, the Albert Lea Police Department and the Freeborn County Sheriff&8217;s Department from 1 to 4 p.m. All proceeds raised from the event will go toward autistic children in Freeborn County. The Autism Support Group will also be having a bake sale and a raffle for a chance to win prizes.

Autism statistics

1 of every 150 American children is autistic.

There are 1.5 million Americans living with the effects of autism.

The lifetime cost of caring for a child with autism ranges from $3.5 million to $5 million.

The United States is facing almost $90 billion annually in costs for autism, including costs for research, insurance costs, non-covered expenses, Medicaid waivers, educational spending, housing, transportation, employment and caregiver costs.

(Information from www.autism-society.org)