Autism Awareness
Scientissts, physicians learning more about devastating childhood disability

Autism is a severe developmental disorder that begins at birth or within the first twoand a-half years of life. Most autistic children are perfectly normal in appearance, but spend their time engaged in puzzling and disturbing behaviors which are markedly different from those of typical children. Less severe cases may be diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or with Asperger's Syndrome. These children typically have normal speech, but they have many "autistic" social and behavioral problems.

It used to be thought that autism is just a fate that you accept.The good news is that there are now a wide variety of treatment options which can be very helpful. Some treatments may lead to great improvement, and others may have little or no effect, but a good starting point would be the parent ratings of biomedical interventions, which presents the responses of over 25,000 parents in showing the effectiveness of various interventions on their own child.

How Common is it? For many years autism was rare - occurring in just five children per 10,000 live births. However, since the early 1990's, the rate of autism has increased exponentially around the world with figures as high as 60 per 10,000. Boys outnumber girls four to one. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with autism.

What is the Outlook? Age at intervention has a direct impact on outcome--typically, the earlier a child is treated, the better the prognosis will be. In recent years there has been a marked increase in the percentage of children who can attend school in a typical classroom and live semi-independently in community settings. However, the majority of autistic persons remain impaired in their ability to communicate and socialize. Myths about autism

• Individuals with autism never make eye contact; they do not look at you.

• Autism is a mental illness.

• Progress means a person doesn't have autism.

• Individuals with autism don't speak.

• Autism can be outgrown.

• Individuals with autism can't learn.

• Underneath all the difficult behaviors is a normal person.

• Individuals with autism cannot show affection and do not respond to physical affection.

• Individuals with autism do not want friends.

• Individuals with autism do not relate to peers/adults.

• Individuals with autism are very manipulative.

• Individuals with autism could talk if they wanted to.

• Individuals with autism can't smile.

• Individuals with autism don't notice others and don't pick up cues from adults.

• When a person with autism does not respond to a question/direction to which he has shown a previous correct response, he is being stubborn, non-compliant or obnoxious. Area autism resources

Autism Resources:

• Families and Friends of Those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, corning. Contact Patty Winningham for more information at 562-2263.

• Support, Education and Accessing Disability Services Support Group - Parent driven and facilitated. Meets the last Wednesday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. at EP Building, 650 Baldwin St., Elmira. Contact Joyce Simons for more information at 734-3640 or muscles4kidsAyahoo.com

• Southern Tier Autism Family Support Group, 733- 8417, third Monday of the month at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Horseheads. Contact Connie LaVere for more information at 733-0500.

•Arc of Schuyler County, Jeanette Frank assistant executive director, 535-6934, ext. 141

• Arc of Steuben, located in Bath. 776-4146

• AIM in corning, 962-8225

• Finger Lakes Prent Network. Bath office: 776-2164

• Institute for Human Services, 6666 couty Route 11, Bath, 776-9467; www.ihsnet.org

• Rochester chapter of Autism Sspeaks, www.autismspeak.org

• Sharon Nagel, New York Autism Network, Golisana Strong Children's Hospital.

• Pathways, family supper services, 937-3200