April is Autism Awareness month. Until last year, I knew almost nothing about autism. Now I have a very dear person in my life who has been diagnosed with autism. Chances are that everyone will soon know someone that is affected by some autistic disorder. Here are some things that everyone should be aware of:
- 1 in every 150 children born today has autism.
- Autism is a spectrum disorder meaning children diagnosed with autism will range from mild to severe.
- It is the fastest growing developmental disability.
- Four times as many boys are affected by autism than girls.
- It is more common than twins. It is more common than childhood cancer, cystic fibrosis, and multiple sclerosis combined.
Please check out this wonderful article written by Ellen Notbohn located in this month’s Lists of the Month Newsletter.
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Actually, the CDC says 1 in 166 people have some form of autism, and the 1 in 150 figure is only representative of one portion of the US. The media has misinformed the public on this point.
People wishing for succinct and accurate information on autism might try the Midnight In Chicago Autism Spectrum Podcasts. They are free to the public and can be downloaded at http://www.mic.mypodcast.com