{"id":345,"date":"2012-03-11T06:20:47","date_gmt":"2012-03-11T06:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/grafton.local\/?p=345"},"modified":"2014-10-29T12:42:58","modified_gmt":"2014-10-29T16:42:58","slug":"vol-3-issue-2-mar-2012","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grafton.org\/vol-3-issue-2-mar-2012\/","title":{"rendered":"Vol 3 \u2022 Issue 2 \u2022 Mar 2012"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/a>\"Message<\/div>\n

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Autism Awareness: The Importance of Meaningful Work<\/p>\n

Over the last twenty years, the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in the United States has increased more than 600 percent, bringing us to the now familiar statistic 1 in 110 children. Approximately 67 million people worldwide are affected by ASD. With rates of the disorder on the rise, it is more important than ever that people understand what Autism is, how to spot it and what to do to ensure that any person diagnosed with it can lead a meaningful and good life.<\/p>\n

Organizations such as Autism Society and Autism Speaks have worked very hard to advance the dialogue, informing parents, practitioners and lawmakers. There is an urgent demand to address the many needs associated with ASDs. Individuals and families continue to struggle to address unmet needs across the lifespan of individuals with ASD.<\/p>\n

April is Autism Awareness Month. In 2007, April 2 was also declared World Autism Awareness Day by the United Nations General Assembly. There is no better time, therefore, to educate people about this complex neurological disorder that is more prevalent among children than cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined.<\/p>\n

There is no cure for Autism: it is a lifelong condition that impacts how an individual interacts with the world around them. However, research indicates that two years of early behavioral intervention at preschool age can result in significant improvements in IQ and language ability for many children with ASDs. It is important, therefore, for parents to be on the lookout for \u201cred flags\u201d that can act as early indicators of autism. These red flags may indicate a child is at risk for atypical development, and is in need of an immediate evaluation. In clinical terms, there are a few \u201cabsolute indicators,\u201d often referred to as \u201cred flags,\u201d that indicate that a child should be evaluated.<\/p>\n

For a parent, these are the \u201cred flags\u201d that your child should be screened to ensure that he\/she is on the right developmental path.<\/p>\n