April is Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness month.  Now the CDC has just recently announced that 1 in 150 children in the United States deals with some form of Autism.

Here is some information about about Autism.  Autism is classified by the World Health Organization and American Psychological Association as a developmental disability that results from a disorder of the human central nervous system. It is diagnosed by impairments to social interaction, communication, interests, imagination and activities. The causes, symptoms, etiology, treatment, and other issues are controversial.

Autism manifests itself "before the age of three years" according to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases Autistic children are marked by delays in their "social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic or imaginative play".

From a physiological standpoint, autism is often less than obvious in that outward appearance may not indicate a disorder. Diagnosis typically comes from a complete physical and neurological evaluation.

Not a "one size fits all" label, autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning it encompasses a very wide range of behaviors and symptoms.

The list below is not all-inclusive, and generally applies to children. Furthermore, while some of these behaviors might be seen in a person with autism, others may be absent.

    * does not respond to his/her name.
    * cannot explain what he/she wants.
    * language skills are slow to develop or speech is delayed.
    * doesn't follow directions.
    * at times, the child seems to be deaf.
    * seems to hear sometimes, but not other times.
    * doesn't point or wave "bye-bye."
    * doesn't understand the concept of pointing;
       will look at the hand pointing rather than the object being pointed at.
    * used to say a few words or babble, but now he/she doesn't.
    * throws intense or violent tantrums.
    * has odd movement patterns.
    * likes to spin around in a circle.
    * is overly active, uncooperative, or resistant.
    * doesn't know how to play with toys.
    * doesn't smile when smiled at.
    * has poor eye contact.
    * gets "stuck" doing the same things over and over and
       can't move on to other things.
    * seems to prefer to play alone.
    * gets things for him/herself only.
    * is very independent for his/her age.
    * does things "early" compared to other children.
    * seems to be in his/her "own world."
    * seems to tune people out.
    * is not interested in other children.
    * dislikes playing pretend.
    * walks on his/her toes.
    * shows unusual attachments to toys, objects, or schedules
       (i.e., always holding a string or having to put socks on before pants).
    * spends a lot of time stacking objects, lining things up or
       putting things in a certain order.
    * unconcerned about - or completely oblivious to -
       dangers around him/her (i.e., standing in the middle of the street
       without worrying about getting hit by a car).

If you feel that your child is demostrating a combination of these behaviors mentioned above, please have your child diagnosed as soon as possible. Early intervention is vital in helping your child deal with Autism.

Our very own child has Autism.  We didn't find out until one day we were watching television and the news program mentioned the behaviors above. Until then our child's doctor was telling us that he was a boy and a late bloomer.  We didn't get him properly diagnosed until the age of 4.  To us we feel as though we lost vital time because we simply didn't know anything about Autism.  We hope that you will not make the same error like us.

And now it's our life mission to promote Autism Awareness as much as possible.  It is vital to inform new parents, get public support for funding and much more.  Every day brings us closer to unlocking the Autism puzzle. Be a part of it! Help to rally the cause by raising awareness and support for the Autism community.

Purchase Autism Awareness products and look forward to a day when no child will face Autism.  For more Autism Awareness merchandise, visit AutismWear.com or here are a few designs to choose from with multiple product options:

For more Autism Awareness merchandise, visit AutismWear.com