Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), can seem mysterious and often misunderstood. The advocacy organization Autism Speaks generally defines ASD as “a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.”

The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM), which is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), indicates that most ASD children are identified by age 8 and that approximately one in 44 children in the U.S. have ASD. And worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that number to be one in every 100 children.

Due to the wide variety of conditions within ASD and the varying degrees of severity, it can be difficult to diagnose until a child is older and in social situations. Since diagnoses fall along a spectrum, each person diagnosed with ASD can have very diverse challenges – and strengths.

Signs and symptoms of autism

Not only can the variety of conditions within ASD make it difficult to identify in very young children, but some children without autism may exhibit one or more possible ASD indicators. It’s important that parents bring up any concerns with their health care providers so that children can be screened and evaluated early.

Indicators to look for (regardless of age) include:

• Losing any speech or social skills, or delayed language development
• Avoiding eye contact
• Preferring solitude
• Demonstrating difficulties in understanding feelings of others
• Constantly repeating words or phrases, known as echolalia, and repetitive behaviors like rocking or spinning
• Resisting minor changes in routines or surroundings
• Reacting strongly and in unusual ways to common things like tastes, textures, lights, colors, smells and sounds
• Having few interests

ABA: A promising treatment

There is no “cure” for autism, but there are interventions – for both the individual and their caregivers – that can help overcome specific challenges, as well as treat any co-occurring conditions such as ADHD or anxiety.

One promising treatment is called Applied Behavioral Analysis, or ABA. According to the American Psychiatric Association, ABA is a “systematic study of the child’s functional challenges, which is used to create a structured behavioral plan for improving their adaptive skills and decreasing inappropriate behavior.” It is tailored to the individual to maximize their strengths, limit challenges that hinder opportunities, and improve harmful behaviors.

The good news for Transocean families is that your Transocean Medical Plan provides benefits for behavioral services for ASD, including intensive behavioral therapies (such as ABA) that are:

• Focused on the treatment of core deficits of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
• Provided by or under the direction of an experienced psychiatrist and/or an experienced licensed psychiatric provider.
• Focused on treating maladaptive/stereotypic behaviors that are posing a danger to self, others and property and impairment in daily functioning.

In addition to the behavioral component of treatment for autism, the Transocean UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Medical Plan also covers a number of other medical care benefits, including inpatient, residential and outpatient treatments, and scheduled and non-scheduled admissions related to autism.

For more details on medical coverage for autism, please contact UHC directly at 1-800-765-6731.