In the late 1950’s I was a seventh-grader in a school with a gangly boy we’ll call “Charlie.”

He was “retarded,” the catch-all term that covered all sorts of brain disorders. Since no special education facilities were available for kids like him, he either went to a public school or an institution. Charlie loved his red-and-white bicycle with its tank, battery-powered horn and chrome-plated fenders. But his pride and joy was the speedometer clamped to the handlebars. It didn’t take long for the tough guys to bear down on this “different” kid, using that as their weapon.

The favorite torment was wiggling an index finger back and forth above their palm, simulating the movement of a speedometer’s needle. Then they’d smack their fist down as if bashing the instrument. Charlie reacted with a pained groaning sound and rode away as fast as he could. After seeing this happen a couple of times I went to the school’s principal, who lived just down our street. The punks were caught in the act and punished, but soon resumed their little game. Charlie disappeared and I never saw him again.

More is known about mental and emotional disabilities today, but one in particular stands out like Charlie did.

Autism sneaks into a baby’s mind and steals its ability to learn, be affectionate and talk. A writer made the point from an autistic child’s perspective: “Not being able to speak is the same as not having anything to say.”

The disorder strikes boys five times more frequently than it does girls, and affects more than 400,000 Americans. Multiply that by two and you’ll include at least part of their families, who help and cope. April is National Autism Awareness Month. That means little to most of us, but for families with an autistic child, every day is a school day. Unlike typical classes, however, a parent and the child may have 10 or 12 separate half-hour sessions every day. The goal is to prompt the youngster’s reaction to what’s being “taught.” Not his or her understanding, of course, but simple awareness. For example, someone smiles at the child, and the child smiles back.

Autism is best diagnosed before a child’s third birthday. Evidence usually includes the inability to communicate or react as most toddlers do. Usually they have no verbal language skills and don’t recognize names or familiar objects. These children can, however, become fascinated with a particular something and ignore all other impulses. Bright lights, a ringing telephone, and unfamiliar events can drive them into hiding. Typically childish social skills like making eye-contact or sharing experiences and discoveries are largely non-existent. Parental affection and praise go unnoticed. In older autistic children, specific actions are sometimes connected only to a particular place; for example, eating an ice cream sandwich at grandmother’s house, but never at home.

The current treatment of choice is called “Applied Behavior Analysis,” and requires 40 hours a week of a teacher’s time to be spent with a single autistic pupil. That time investment, multiplied by thousands of families, is producing encouraging results. In some cases, children have been included in regular classes without their being identified as autistic.

A recent issue of Newsweek magazine (and appearing on MSNBC) told of a 13-year-old girl who was diagnosed as “severely mentally retarded” with an IQ of 24. However, since autism doesn’t necessarily reflect the child’s intelligence or learning capacity, standard IQ tests can give misleading results. For example, the article also described a dramatic turnaround when she learned to use a special keyboard to express herself. She’s now a student at a well-known college, has a 3.98 GPA, and scored 1370 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Not surprisingly, she is incredibly sensitive to other people’s feelings.

According to the Cure Autism Now Foundation, the annual per-student, research-funding allocation for those with autism is approximately $35. In contrast, people with multiple sclerosis receive roughly $158, diabetes $424, breast cancer $600, and AIDS $1,000.

Federal law requires public schools to provide “Free Appropriate Education” to children with disabilities; however that begins at age three, and autism can be diagnosed a year earlier. Since toddlers develop at different rates, parents and medical professionals often miss the signs of early-developmental problems.

Sparta residents Donna and Randy McGrady have an autistic child and learned about autism one day at a time. Donna put together an informal Information Support Group to help others who may face a similar future. They can also help direct parents to other learning resources and guide them along the way.

“What we do in a child’s first 12 or 14 years impacts their lives for decades to come,” she reminds.

The nationwide program called “No Child Left Behind” also includes those with autism who need early diagnosis, intervention and special education.