A bit unsettled after hearing this

it's good that it was finally diagnosed and that the family is being proactive about it.

That is very sad. Luckily there is now a lot more known about the disorder. It is good that it has been diagnosed at such a young age.

It is a good thing that he has been diagnosed. There are many kinds of autism, and some can be successfully overcome. Do not lose hope.

Some people told me that I also suffer of autism.

It is a good thing that it was discovered early in life and that he is getting therapy. A lot more is known about Autism these days. There are also various degrees of Autism. Some children are non-verbal while others talk nonsense. A few high functioning children go on to graduate from college or write books. My son goes to a sheltered workshop and lives in a group home. He has done well for his abilities.

I'm so sorry. I've taught autistic children for years. No two are alike, and there is no cure. Early diagnosis is key!

Depending on how severe the autism is in this child some can lead normal lives even going to school but others never seem to be able to learn much of anything. I hope that this child can be helped and lead a fairly normal life.

Sad that god should do that to small children. Hope they find a way out.

I'm sorry. It will be a rough road, but I pray one that will be fulfilling for the whole family.

A lot of children with autism will go on to college and live good lives. There is now help for them.

I wish there was a cure for this. It seems like more and more people are diagnosed with it.

I know there are varying degrees of autism and have taught several high functioning autistic children who were excellent students. I have also known children who tested as autistic at a very young age who then showed no signs by the time they reached third or fourth grade. I will pray for your niece's son's little one.

At age 3, to be so seriously afflicted would be quite a shock, but better to get the diagnosis early so the best ways of dealing with it and working with the child can be arranged. I know people with different afflictions from childhood, one of them is called Dissassociative Personality Disorder, and the other is Elective or Selective Mutism. I have had first hand experience with these two disorders in our family. Sometimes a person will improve with age and learn to cope with whatever form it is manefested. Not all autism is extreme. Some cases are quite mild. Nonetheless it is a condition taken very seriously by professionals in Child Development with autism.

I know this info is devastating, but they are fortunate that he was diagnosed at age three. One of our daughters is a special ed teacher and she used to be an in-home therapist for autistic pre-schoolers. There are now therapies that can make a significant difference in the lives of many of these children. The parents need to learn how to use the techniques in-between therapy sessions, too. With the whole family working together, life could improve dramatically for this child.

There may be no cure for autism but the best treatment is a loving and supportive family. I have an article in progress about autism but I can't seem to get it finished!! My son was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 (he's 10 now). I was not devastated, I was relieved. He's still the same child he was before the diagnosis. It's good that your niece has the support of a therapist already, and that the diagnosis has come now. I'm aware that it can be much harder if it's not discovered until later. With my son, I take certain things into account, I looked out for triggers and now recognise these. I don't use his autism as an excuse for him, he still has discipline. One mistake that some people make is to assume a child can't do/won't understand something because they are autistic. It may be true but it's often just about perseverance, and finding the right way for them. I think the two most difficult things I've found are: not being able to explain things to other people. Sometimes my son just can't handle the world, there are days he is fully alert and can do everything he needs to do without my input yet another day he'd need me to tell him to do everything in the tiniest of detail. The second thing is that, while a common trait of autism is that the child will fit into a routine and learn particular behaviours for particular occasions, there are going to be new territories or similar occasions where something a little (or a lot) different applies While my son was going through diagnosis, I was told that many people feel angry to be told their child has autism. As I said, I was simply relieved. It meant that I wasn't doing anything wrong, and that I had a starting point to get the help he needed. As I said, my son is 10 now. Most of the time, nobody would know that he's autistic. Of course, there are times when I'm reminded that he is or when he can be challenging but, with praise, discipline, perseverance, and a good support network, he's turning out quite well. :) Oh and my other half has autism. Unfortunately, he now suffers with other (unrelated) illnesses which means he's unable to work or do a lot of things he used to do. However, he's done a lot of things. He reached the rank of Captain in the British Army. He has two degrees (would have had a doctorate but his mind deteriorated before he could finish) and several other very good qualifications. He's travelled the world, and spent much of his life living alone (independently).

There are tons of new treatments and educational opportunities for kids with autism today. They need to get him as much treatment, as early in his life as possible for him to have the best chance. I wish them the best!

There are no two autistic children who are alike. I know that there is no cure, but it's a good thing that he was diagnosed so young, at least they can help him.

We have a friend who has 6 sons and two of them have autism.

bless there hearts. i'm glad that they've already gotten some help 's they struggle through.

I hope it will all turn out okay for the family. My great granddaughter is going to be tested for autism when she turns 2.