AUTISM AWARENESS

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AUTISM AWARENESS

• DID YOU KNOW?

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QUICK FACTS ABOUT AUTISM

• 1 in 250 births
• 1 to 1.5 million Americans
• Fastest-growing developmental disability
• 10 - 17 annual growth

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QUICK FACTS

• Growth comparison during the 1990s
• U.S. population increase 13
• Disabilities increase 16
• Autism increase 172

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QUICK FACTS

• 90 billion annual cost
• 90 of costs are in adult services
• Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with
  early diagnosis and intervention
• In 10 years, the annual cost will be 200-400
  billion

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What is Autism?

• Autism is a complex, life-long biological
  disorder of development that results in social
  interaction problems, communication difficulties,
  and restrictive or repetitive interests and
  behaviors.
• The prevalence of autism estimates run from
  approximately one-in-500 children, to one-in-1000
  children, who might be affected by some form of
  the disorder.

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What is Autism?

• Autism can be reliably diagnosed by or before age
  three.
• Parents and expert clinicians can usually detect
  symptoms during infancy, although a formal
  diagnosis is generally not made until the child
  fails to develop functional language by age two.
• Approximately 20 percent of children with autism
  reportedly experience a "regression" that is,
  they have apparently normal development followed
  by a loss of communication and social skills.

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What is Autism?

• Boys are three-to-four times more likely to be
  affected by autism than girls.
• Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social
  groups.

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What is Autism?

• Although there is currently no known cure for
  autism, autism is treatable.
• Persons with autism can make progress if they
  receive appropriate, individual intervention.
• Pre-school children who receive intensive,
  individualized, behavioral interventions show
  remarkable progress.
• In addition, limited pharmacological
  interventions are available to treat specific
  symptoms of autism.

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What Causes Autism?

• In the majority of cases, no specific underlying
  cause can be identified.
• However, a variety of factors are being
  investigated
• infectious, metabolic, genetic, and
  environmental factors.

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What Causes Autism?

• A working group convened by the NIH (National
  Institute of Health) in 1995 reached a consensus
  that autism probably results from a genetic
  susceptibility that involves multiple genes.

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What Causes Autism?

• To date, genetic causes for one disorder commonly
  accompanied by autism and one autism-spectrum
  disorder have been identified, Fragile X and Rett
  syndrome, respectively and genetic "hotspots" for
  more classic autism have been indicated.
• Fragile X is the most common, genetically
  inherited form of mental retardation currently
  known and produces many of the same behaviors and
  symptoms as autism.
• Rett syndrome, which affects only girls, is a
  progressive brain disease that produces a loss of
  language/social skills that is similar to autism
  and is classified as an autism spectrum disorder.

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What Causes Autism?

• NIH research on possible genetic, infectious,
  immunological, and environmental causes and
  mechanisms of autism is underway.

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What can you do to help??

• Spread the word, the first step is awareness.
• April is National Autism Awareness Month
• The Autism Society of America (ASA) can get you
  started!

http//www.autism-society.org
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GET INVOLVED

• Autism is puzzling doctors and scientists
  everywhere.
• But by making more people aware more resources
  can be organized towards the goal
• ASA offers WRISTBANDS, BUMPER STICKERS, and all
  sorts of merchandise.
• Profits go to research for Autism!

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Submitted by Tyrone Ward, Resident Assistant,
Philadelphia University