Please join me in
World Autism Awareness Day by lighting it up blue!  
Autism now affects 1 in 88 children, 1 in 54 boys. 

More children are diagnosed with Autism than diabetes, AIDS, cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy or Down syndrome – combined.

• Not respond to their name by 12 months
• Not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over) by 14 months
• Not play “pretend” games (pretend to “feed” a doll) by 18 months
• Avoid eye contact and want to be alone
• Have trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about their own feelings
• Have delayed speech and language skills
• Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
• Give unrelated answers to questions
• Get upset by minor changes
• Have obsessive interests
• Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles
• Have unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel 

Though my girls have not been diagnosed with Autism I think it is important to teach them awareness because it is inevitable that they will come into contact with children that have ASDs in the future.  A bloggy friend of mine – Karen, The Mommy Times – has been blessed with a handsome little man who is her 1 in 54 boys. This is Karen’s son and her face of Autism, her son Brock:

On her blog – The Mommy Times – Karen discusses how her family lives with Autism. You can read about the beginning symptoms to diagnosis  including their denial in the early stages,  to what life is like for some children on the spectrum,  how holiday’s can disrupt everything,  siblings, and how others in society can be unkind. Karen and Brock’s story is no different than millions of others, except it happens to be their lives.  

Together we can ALL make a difference!