♪♪ >> CATHY: A REPORT RELEASED EARLIER THIS WEEK BY THE C.D.C.

SHOWS A CONTINUED RISE IN CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM IN THIS COUNTRY.

FEDERAL OFFICIALS DISAGREE ABOUT THE REASONS FOR THE INCREASE.

APRIL IS NATIONAL AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH, AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A LESSER KNOWN PART OF THE STORY, DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM IN ADULTS.

RACHEL GARDNER IS THE DIRECTOR OF FRASER AUTISM CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN MAPLE GROVE.

ALSO JOINING US IS SHELETTA BRUNDIDGE, WHO YOU KNOW AS A REGULAR ESSAYIST HERE ON "ALMANAC."

SHE IS THE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND RECENTLY RECEIVED AN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS HERSELF.

>> CAN OU BELIEVE IT?

>> Eric: I'M SHOCKED.

>> I KNOW.

[ Laughter ] >> Cathy: I WANT TO KNOW, WHAT SPURRED YOU TO EVEN GO IN TO TRY TO FIND -- WHAT LED YOU TO FRAZIER TO GET A DIAGNOSIS?

>> SO I WATCHED THE YAWCT ROCK DOCUMENTARY.

WHICH IS REALLY GOOD WITH MICHAEL MCDONALD.

AND ALL THEM YAWCT ROCK GUYS.

AND SO I HAD BEEN WATCHING IT EVERY NIGHT FOR A MONTH AND DIDN'T REALIZE IT.

SHAWN CAME OVER AND HE WAS LIKE, YOU WATCHING THAT AGAIN?

YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THAT EVERY NIGHT FOR A MONTH.

AND I WAS LIKE, WOW, THAT'S REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR.

AND THAT'S WHAT MY KIDS WITH AUTISM DO.

SO I CALLED MY MOTHER AND TALKED TO HER ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS I USED TO DO.

AND SO I WENT IN TO FRASER AS AN AS A RESULT, AND TOOK A TEST AND TURNS OUT, I AM ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM.

>> Eric: CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IS THE SPECTRUM THAT SHE'S ON?

>> SURE, IT IS JUST THAT.

IT IS A SPECTRUM OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS WHICH REALLY PRESENTS DIFFERENTLY IN EVERY PERSON.

SO IT'S BEST TO ASK THAT INDIVIDUAL, HOW DOES IT LOOK FOR YOU OR FOR YOUR LOVED ONE?

BUT WHAT WE REALLY SEE ARE BEHAVIORS OR DIFFERENCES IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT AREAS, COMMUNICATION, HOW PEOPLE USE COMMUNICATION, OR UNDERSTAND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION AROUND THEM AND THEIR WORLD.

SOCIAL, HOW TO UNDERSTAND SOCIAL SITUATIONS.

AND INITIATING, MAINTAINING, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

AS WELL AS JUST LIKE SHELETTA SAID, HAVING INTENSE INTEREST OR REPETITIVE BEHAVIORS, SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT SEE REPETITIVE MOVEMENTS.

BUT AGAIN IT'S JUST THAT.

IT'S A SPECTRUM.

AND EVERYBODY IS VERY INDIVIDUAL FOR EVERY PERSON.

>> Cathy: NOW THAT YOU KNOW, WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU?

>> I CAN ADVOCATE DIFFERENTLY.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM.

I'VE GOT FOUR CHILDREN'S BOOKS.

I GO INTO SCHOOLS.

I TALK TO TEACHERS.

I GO INTO COLLEGES EVEN TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT FRESHMAN ENTERING, BECAUSE ONE IN 30-SOMETHING KIDS HAS AUTISM, BUT AT SOME POINT, IT'S GOING TO BE ONE IN 30-SOMETHING ADULTS.

AND SO THE WORLD HAS TO GET READY FOR THAT.

BUT NOW I'M ADVOCATING FOR ADULTS LIKE ME.

GO AND GET CHECKED.

GET TESTED.

FIND OUT THAT IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS YOU.

AND IF YOU DO HAVE IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ASHAMED OR EMBARRASSED BY DID.

>> Eric: DOES BEHAVIOR CHANGE WITH THE DIAGNOSIS?

>> IT IS, BUT ALSO, WE TALK WITH EVERY PERSON AND THEIR FAMILY TO FIND OUT, WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO HAVE SUPPORT IN?

AND SOME THINGS CAN GET EASIER OR BETTER.

BUT THAT'S REALLY UP TO THE PERSON AND THE FAMILY TO DECIDE WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO WORK ON.

>> Cathy: LET ME ASK YOU THIS PERSONALLY NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE FRIENDS.

SO NOW THAT YOU KNOW THIS, DO YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF DIFFERENTLY?

>> I FEEL RELIEVED.

>> Cathy: DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOURSELF?

>> I DO.

I FEEL RELIEVED.

I FEEL LIKE I KNOW SOME THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE.

AND THEN I CAN HELP MY FAMILY UNDERSTAND THINGS BETTER TOO.

YOU KNOW, IT REALLY OPENS UP A LOT.

IT DOES A LOT OF CLARITY.

AND THEN AS I TALK OPENLY ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, OTHER ADULTS CAN BEGIN TO TALK OPENLY ABOUT IT.

>> Eric: WHAT IS THE RATE OF INCREASE THAT YOU'VE SEEN, AND I WONDER, IS THERE MORE AUTISM OR JUST BETTER REPORTING OF AUTISM?

>> WHAT THE DATA IS SHOWING US IS THERE'S BETTER ACCESS TO SERVICES AND ASSESSMENT.

MORE PROFESSIONALS KNOW ABOUT AUTISM.

THEY KNOW HOW TO BETTER DIAGNOSE IT.

WE HAVE BETTER SCREENERS FOR OTHER PROFESSIONALS TO SE, LIKE DOCTORS, TO REFER PEOPLE TO US AT A EARLIER THE AGE OR SHELETTA'S STORY IS VERY COMMON, SOMETIMES WE SEE PEOPLE COME TO US FOR THEIR KIDS BUT THEN THEY THINK -- >> THAT'S ME!

I'M SINGING THAT OSCAR MEYER SONG!

AND YOU KNOW WHAT ALSO?

IS THAT PARENTS ARE MORE EDUCATED.

YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE, WELL, YOU JUST BEHAVE.

YOU JUST WON'T LISTEN.

YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN.

WHY YOU KEEP OVING.

WHY YOU CAN'T SIT IN YOUR SEAT?

WHY YOU FLAPPING YOUR HANDS?

AND THEN THE KIDS GET DETENTION WHEN WE REALLY NEED A DIAGNOSIS.

>> Eric: BUT WOULD YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CHILDREN CHANGED IF YOU HAD KNOWN 20 YEARS AGO?

>> YES, YES, BECAUSE AS TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN OF COLOR, WE DON'T GET THE DIAGNOSIS.

WE GET DISCIPLINED.

AND SO IF I HAD KNOWN WHAT I KNOW NOW, I WOULD HAVE BOTTOM ABLE TO EDUCATE THE TEACHERS AND MY CHILDREN, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU.

YOU'RE NOT MISBEHAVING.

YOU HAVE AUTISM.

AND SO LET'S MAKE SOME ACCOMMODATIONS BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS HOW WE GET THE KIDS TO FIT INTO OUR BORN BUT HOW WE JUMP INTO THEIR BOX AND WORK WITH THEM.

>> Cathy: YOU HAVE A HAPPY HOUR.

>> I DO.

I GOT TO TELL EVERYBODY.

I HAVE A HAPPY HOUR FOR ADULTS WITH AUTISM BECAUSE THE ONE THING I REALIZE, THERE ARE A LOT OF SERVICES FOR KIDS WITH AUTISM, BUT NOT A LOT FOR ADULTS.

AND SO I PARTNERED WITH MY FRIENDS FROM FRASER.

HEY, FRASER.

AND WE ARE HAVING A HAPPY HOUR FOR ADULTS WITH AUTISM, WEDNESDAY, FROM 4:00 TO 6:00.

YOU COME, BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE ON THE SPECTRUM TOO.

WEDNESDAY FROM 4:00 TO 6:00 AT THE DEPOT IN MINNEAPOLIS.

IT IS FREE.

I WANT EVERY ADULT WITH AUTISM TO COME OUT AND ENJOY.

THERE'S NO FORMAL PROGRAMS.

NO SPONSORS.

WE JUST WANT TO HAVE A OOD TIME.

>> Eric: HEAVY ORE DERVES?

>> Cathy: HOW HAPPY DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL AS A PERSON WHO'S WORKED IN THIS FIELD?

>> I HAVE SEEN JUST LIKE SHE SAID, SO MUCH FOCUS ON THE YOUNG KIDS.

AND NOW TO HAVE THESE FUN AND EVENTS FOR PEOPLE JUST TO COME AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.

AND MEET OTHERS AND HAVE THAT AND TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO FIND PLACES TO GO AND TO MEET OTHERS.

>> Eric: OUT OF TIME.

>> OUT OF TIME?