AUTISM SPEAKS…

And so do I!

In December 2007, April 2nd was declared by the United Nations General Assembly as “World Autism Awareness Day” (WAAD).  This UN resolution is one of only three official disease-specific United Nations Days and will bring the world’s attention to autism, a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions. The World Autism Awareness Day resolution encourages all Member States to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. It further expresses deep concern at the prevalence and high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world and the consequent developmental challenges.

AutismSpeaks.Org says that one way to spread awareness about the disorder is to share information. So in honor of  “World Autism Awareness Day,” here goes:

Autism is a brain disorder that is associated with a range of developmental problems, mainly in communication and social interaction. The first signs of this disorder typically appear before age 3. Although treatment has improved greatly in the past few decades, autism cannot be cured. It persists throughout life.

It’s estimated that three to six of every 1,000 children have autism.

The disorder occurs three to four times more often in boys than in girls.

The severity of symptoms is variable. Some children with autism will grow up and be able to live independently, while others may always need supportive living and working environments.

The cause of autism isn’t clear, and there’s no cure. But intensive, early treatment can make a difference.

Signs and Symptoms
In general, children with autism have problems in three crucial areas of development — social skills, language and behavior. The most severe autism is marked by a complete inability to communicate or interact with other people.

Because the symptoms of autism vary widely, two children with the same diagnosis may act quite differently and have strikingly different skills.

You may recognize the following signs in the areas of social skills, language and behavior:
Social skills

Fails to respond to his or her name
Has poor eye contact
Appears not to hear you at times
Resists cuddling and holding
Appears unaware of others’ feelings
Seems to prefer playing alone — retreats into his or her “own world”

Language
Starts talking later than other children
Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences
Does not make eye contact when making requests
Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm — may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
Can’t start a conversation or keep one going
May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn’t understand how to use them

Behavior
Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping
Develops specific routines or rituals
Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals
Moves constantly
May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car
May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch

To learn more about Autism visit: www.autism-society.org

Thanks for reading and learning about Autism on “World Autism Awareness Day”.  Now, go spread the word!