Greater Understanding of Autistic Children

I want to thank Frank del Olmo for his Dec. 21 commentary, “Frankie’s Journey Toward Manhood.” As the superintendent of a 50,000-student school district that has seen a 2,000% increase in diagnosed cases of autism in the last seven years, I am trying desperately to understand this condition, what causes it, the optimum practices for educating an autistic child and the levels of support that are critical to autistic children.

Del Olmo put a personal touch on a phenomenon that many of us who are in the business of educating children are trying to cope with as well. His report of the challenges his son Frankie faces now that he is entering puberty was helpful in understanding this unusual condition that afflicts a growing number of young children.

Supt. James A. Fleming

Capistrano Unified

School District