Today is World Autism Awareness Day, a disease striking 1 in 150 children 
making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person’s ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe.
For more information about World Autism Awareness Day and listings of events from around the world, please visit Autism Speaks.
I could go on about this topic…as I have a child..who is slowly emerging…..the needs and cost are monumental….I bet the possibilities for profound emergence are there ..its getting the resources to the parents…parents who are well funded get the best results..and go for it …the rest of the have nots are walking a long hard road to residentail care for their children….it costs approx $150,000 to truly get some progress going and any child can need a multitude of services…as each child processes differently…..public schools cannot supply the needs of these children and the laws are not in their favor…it is better not to acknowledge the possibilities of care or recovery because that would mean having to do something now….. as opposed to not having an answer… and all the fifdoms of the autiism community fighting for donations to send for research and another pharmaceutical wonder cure… while our kids struggle at home…peace
It feels sad to see those kinds of people suffering especially children. They need love, care and attention. I know that it’s difficult deal especially with their behaviors. Hope that there’s a cure for them!
Denise - my heart goes out to you. Every day we hear on the news (it is getting out there) the heart wrenching stories of those living with autism, and it’s still so baffeling. I am a Mother of 2 adult children ages 28 & 30 and it was virtually unheard of when they were growing up. Towards their adolescent years ADD (ADHD) was the diagnosis for rambunctious, inattentive boys and teachers readily pushed Ritalin. What has changed between then and now? Or even before my children’s generation got the ADD brand? Is it environmental, chemicals, or toddlers being exposed to TV? Whatever it is our society needs to focus on this because we are talking about 1 in 150 children now and the numbers will continue to increase until we find the cause. Best of luck to you and your family.
Martin – it is very sad and heart wrenching for the parents.
I have no first hand experience with Autism, but after doing some research about it and and seeing depictions of it on tv and movies I see a little bit of what difficulties families go through.
Thanks for making me aware that today is Autism Awareness day. I will let other know as well.
As a related and rather unbelievable topic, a highly respected blogger was subpoena’d four hours after she wrote this post. Her rebuttal to said subpoena is here. I suggest that everyone here give this a read. There’s too much involved to even sum up and the whole situation is absolutely ludicrous. See for yourself.
Elaine,
Know about this subject from a variety of sources, including a blogging friend, and in times past, from tutoring a student that had it. Some “professionals” said he would never learn to read. His mother and I felt differently, and though his reading skills were elementary, and behind his age group, I did teach him to read. He was thrilled with himself! We were so proud of him… and having parents that were truly his advocates, of hope and potential, made all the difference.
From what I have experienced, and observed, when the children get positive attention, are treated with love, a can do attitude, and allowed to blossom at their own rate, including being encourgaged in areas of which they excel, paying attention to how they learn best, and using that knowledge in challenging them in a positive way, there is great hope.
Parents that are good examples of fighting through adversity, themselves, are the biggest help to their children. Parents that make excuses for their children, don’t require much of them, or guide them by paying attention to their strengths and weaknesses, in the way of learning responsibility for themselves, and blame everyone else for their children’s short comings, have the hardest time of it.
This applies to raising children in general… and not just where serious conditions prevail.