National Autism Awareness Month

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NEWSLETTER APRIL 2012 CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE Creating Diversity Awareness in the Workplace April 2012 Newsletter Understanding Autism Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a persons ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause of autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today. The Staff Management | SMX DPIC includes: Kenyatta Draper, Lupe Gonzalez, Katie Smith, Jenny Reints, Roxanne Ramoutar, Avery Yancey, Dayna Corona, Jessica Lewis, Justin Schwartz, Robert Cook, Maurice Proffit and Lloyd Weathers Each individual with autism is unique. Many of those on the autism spectrum have exceptional abilities in visual skills, music and academic skills. About 40 percent have average to above average intellectual abilities. Indeed, many persons on the spectrum take deserved pride in their distinctive abilities and atypicalways of viewing the world. Others with autism have significant disability and are unable to live independently. About 25 percent of individuals with ASD are nonverbal but can learn to communicate using other means. Autism Speaksmission is to improve the lives of all those on the autism spectrum. For some, this means the development and delivery of more effective treatments that can address significant challenges in communication and physical health. For others, it means increasing acceptance, respect and support. Rain Man (1988) Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise Selfish yuppie Charlie Babbitt's father left a fortune to his savant brother Raymond and a pittance to Charlie; they travel cross-country. Raymond has autism, he also has superb recall, albeit usually with little understanding of the subject matter, and extreme skill in mathematics. Whats Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) Stars: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio Gilbert Grape lives in a small town where nothing much happens. The town's most interesting resident is Gilbert's autistic brother Arnie. Mercury Rising (1998) Starring Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Miko Hughes Bruce Willis is an outcast FBI agent who is assigned to protect a 9 year old autistic boy who is the target for assassins after cracking a top secret government code. Adam (2009) Starring Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher Adam, a lonely man with Asperger's Syndrome, develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth. The writer was inspired to write the film after he heard a radio interview with a man who had Asperger's. Joyful Noise (2012) Starring Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer G.G. Sparrow faces off with her choir's newly appointed director, Vi Rose Hill, over the group's direction as they head into a national competition. Vi Rose has a son, Walter (Dexter Darden), who has Asperger syndrome. I Am Sam (1998) Starring: Sean Penn, Dakota Fanning The story of an autistic man living independently and functioning well in the real world until his life changes drastically when he becomes a father and is left to care for his small child. The Other Sister (1999) Starring: Juliette Lewis, Dianne Keaton A girl with many autistic traits proves herself capable of living independently when she moves into an apartment and starts college. Great Movies to Watch As we look at the effects of Autism during the month, check out some movies that feature actors in the business delivering an extraordinary performance. DIVERSITY WORD SEARCH ABILITIES ASPERGER AUTISM AWARENESS CHALLENGE COMPLEX DISORDER GLUTEN-FREE PARENTS PUZZLE STRENGTH UNDERSTANDING

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The Autism Society has been honoring National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. The United States recognizes April as a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community.

Transcript of National Autism Awareness Month

Page 1: National Autism Awareness Month

DIVERSITY PROGRAM INCLUSION COUNCIL APRIL 2012 NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER APRIL 2012 CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE

Creating Diversity Awareness in the Workplace April 2012 Newsletter

Understanding Autism

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause of autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.

The Staff Management | SMX DPIC includes: Kenyatta Draper, Lupe Gonzalez, Katie Smith, Jenny Reints, Roxanne Ramoutar, Avery Yancey, Dayna Corona, Jessica Lewis, Justin Schwartz, Robert Cook, Maurice Proffit and Lloyd Weathers

Each individual with autism is unique. Many of those on the autism spectrum have exceptional abilities in visual skills, music and academic skills. About 40 percent have average to above average intellectual abilities. Indeed, many persons on the spectrum take deserved pride in their distinctive abilities and “atypical” ways of viewing the world. Others with autism have significant disability and are unable to live independently. About 25 percent of individuals with ASD are nonverbal but can learn to communicate using other means. Autism Speaks’ mission is to improve the lives of all those on the autism spectrum. For some, this means the development and delivery of more effective treatments that can address significant challenges in communication and physical health. For others, it means increasing acceptance, respect and support.

Rain Man (1988) Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise Selfish yuppie Charlie Babbitt's father left a fortune to his savant brother Raymond and a pittance to Charlie; they travel cross-country. Raymond has autism, he also has superb recall, albeit usually with little understanding of the subject matter, and extreme skill in mathematics. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) Stars: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio Gilbert Grape lives in a small town where nothing much happens. The town's most interesting resident is Gilbert's autistic brother Arnie. Mercury Rising (1998) Starring Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Miko Hughes Bruce Willis is an outcast FBI agent who is assigned to protect a 9 year old autistic boy who is the target for assassins after cracking a top secret government code. Adam (2009) Starring Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher Adam, a lonely man with Asperger's Syndrome, develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth. The writer was inspired to write the film after he heard a radio interview with a man who had Asperger's. Joyful Noise (2012) Starring Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer G.G. Sparrow faces off with her choir's newly appointed director, Vi Rose Hill, over the group's direction as they head into a national competition. Vi Rose has a son, Walter (Dexter Darden), who has Asperger syndrome. I Am Sam (1998) Starring: Sean Penn, Dakota Fanning The story of an autistic man living independently and functioning well in the real world until his life changes drastically when he becomes a father and is left to care for his small child. The Other Sister (1999) Starring: Juliette Lewis, Dianne Keaton A girl with many autistic traits proves herself capable of living independently when she moves into an apartment and starts college.

Great Movies to Watch As we look at the effects of Autism during the month, check out some movies that feature actors in the business delivering an extraordinary performance.

DIVERSITY WORD SEARCH

ABILITIES ASPERGER AUTISM AWARENESS CHALLENGE COMPLEX DISORDER GLUTEN-FREE PARENTS PUZZLE STRENGTH UNDERSTANDING

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DIVERSITY PROGRAM INCLUSION COUNCIL APRIL 2012 NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER APRIL 2012 CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE DIVERSITY PROGRAM INCLUSION COUNCIL APRIL 2012 NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER APRIL 2012 CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE

1. Autism Is a 'Spectrum' Disorder People with autism can be a little autistic or very autistic. Thus, it is possible to be bright, verbal, and autistic as well as mentally retarded, non-verbal and autistic. The most significant shared symptom is difficulty with social communication (eye contact, conversation, taking another's perspective, etc.). 2. Asperger Syndrome is a High Functioning Form of Autism Asperger Syndrome (AS) is considered to be a part of the autism spectrum. The only significant difference between AS and High Functioning Autism is that people with AS usually develop speech right on time while people with autism usually have speech delays. People with AS are generally very bright and verbal, but have significant social deficits (which is why AS has earned the nickname "Geek Syndrome"). 3. People With Autism Are Different from One Another If you've seen Rainman or a TV show about autism, you may think you know what autism "looks like." In fact, though, when you've met one person with with autism you've met ONE person with autism. Some people with autism are chatty; others are silent. Many have sensory issues, gastrointestinal problems, sleep difficulties and other medical problems. Others may have social-communication delays - and that's it. 4. There Are Dozens of Treatments for Autism - But No 'Cure' So far as medical science is aware, there is at present no cure for autism. That's not to say that people with autism don't improve, because many improve radically. 5. There Are Many Theories on the Cause of Autism, But No Consensus You may have seen or heard news stories about possible causes of autism. Theories range from mercury in infant vaccines to genetics to the age of the parents to almost everything else. 6. Children Rarely "Outgrow" Autism Autism is ausually lifelong diagnosis. For some people, often (but not always) those who receive intensive early intervention, symptoms may decrease radically. People with autism can also learn coping skills to help them manage their difficulties and even build on their unique strengths. But a person with autism will probably be autistic throughout their lives. 7. Families Coping with Autism Need Help and Support Even "high functioning" autism is challenging for parents. "Low functioning" autism can be overwhelming to the entire family. Respite care (someone else taking care of the person with autism while other family members take a break) can be a marriage and/or family-saver! 8. There's No 'Best School' for a Child with Autism You may have heard of a wonderful "autism school," or read of a child doing amazingly well in a particular type of classroom setting. While any given setting may be perfect for any given child, every child with autism has unique needs. 9. There Are Many Unfounded Myths About Autism The media is full of stories about autism, and many of those stories are less than accurate. Since every person with autism is different, however, such "always" and "never" statements simply don't hold water. To understand a person with autism, it's a good idea to spend some time getting to know him or her - personally! 10. Autistic People Have Many Strengths and Abilities It may seem that autism is a wholly negative diagnosis. But almost everyone on the autism spectrum has a great to deal to offer the world. People with autism are among the most forthright, non-judgemental, passionate people you'll ever meet.

Actress and Playboy model Jenny McCarthy‘s son Evan was diagnosed with autism; McCarthy is an outspoken activist against vaccines, believing that vaccines are responsible for giving her son autism. R&B singer Toni Braxton‘s son Diesel was diagnosed with autism; Ms. Braxton is now an advocate for parents of children with autism. Sylvester Stallone’s son Seargeoh was diagnosed with autism after his father noticed that he was having speech delays. Stallone organised the National Society for Children and Adults with Autism, a foundation for research on autism. Actress Holly Robinson Peete’s son RJ (Rodney Jackson) was diagnosed with autism; she and husband NFL quarterback Rodney Peete have set up HollyRod, a non-profit organization which helps parents of autistic children. Millionaire Bill Gates was diagnosed with Asperger’s as a child; many sufferers of Asperger’s experience social awkwardness but find comfort in focused hobbies such as math and computer science. Actor Dan Aykroyd, famous for Ghostbusters and his Saturday Night Live skits was diagnosed with Tourette and Asperger’s syndrome. He has spoken openly about the struggles he faced as a child because of his neurological impairments. Actress Darryl Hannah, best known for her shy, yet demure demeanor in films such as Splash and Blade Runner, was diagnosed as borderline autistic as a small child. Albert Einstein, renowned genius and world-famous winner of the Nobel Prize in physics, would undoubtedly been diagnosed as a sufferer of Asperger’s had he been born today.

Autism now affects 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys.

One percent of the population of children in the U.S. ages 3-17 have an autism spectrum disorder. Only 56% of students with autism

finish high school.

More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes and

cancer combined Autism costs the nation over $35 billion per

year, a figure expected to significantly increase in the next decade

1 to 1.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum

disorder. Autism receives less than 5% of the

research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases

The cost of autism over the lifespan is 3.2 million dollars

per person. There is no medical detection

or cure for autism.

Celebrities Living With Autism Bare Bones Facts About Autism

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Proloquo2Go. Highly recommended for kids and adults with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, developmental disabilities, apraxia, ALS, stroke or traumatic brain injury, this app-turned-AAC device utilizes colorful stick-figure illustrations and features an up-to-date vocabulary, text-to-speech voices and automatic conjugations. Grace. This innovative app allows special-needs children to communicate through complete sentences by linking together colorful images and symbols in this fully customizable application. iCommunicate. Create pictures, flashcards, storyboards, routines, visual schedules and record custom audio in any language with this versatile program; incorporates pictures from your camera or Google images. Helps to teach social skills for children with autism. iConverse. An inexpensive program designed for iPhone and iPod touch, this app functions as a picture exchange communication system (PECS) for autistic children and autistic adults alike, as well as others with communicative disabilities. iComm. Children who have cerebral palsy or autism will appreciate this fundamental communication system; iComm is an affordable alternative to many of the pricier communication devices. First Then Visual Schedule. Ease transitioning for children with developmental delays such as Autism Spectrum Disorders by introducing this easy-to-customize scheduler into your special-needs curriculum. Stories2Learn. Illustrate your own social stories for children with autism, using pictures, text and audio with this customizable program geared towards enriching the curricula of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). AutismExpress. This free app displays basic facial expressions in a way which is comical and instructional; excellent for children who have difficulty understanding emotions. TapToTalk. Make your own AAC albums with this app, currently including a library of 2,000 pictures. Children can tap on each image to hear fun audio. MyTalk Mobile. The MyTalk Mobile is an AAC device for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch; it also boasts the “My Talk Workspace,” which saves all info on a backup file in case of device crashing.

What is Light It Up Blue? Join Autism Speaks in celebrating World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and Light It Up Blue to help shine a light on autism. Whether it's your front porch or your local city hall, an office party or a banquet, the whole world is going blue to increase awareness about autism. Light It Up Blue, in its third year, is a unique global initiative to help raise awareness about the growing public health concern that is autism. Iconic landmarks around the world will Light It Up Blue to show their support.

Here are 10 popular iTunes apps which are marketed towards parents and educators of children with autism:

Learn the Signs of Autism Research now suggests that children as young as 1 year old can show signs of autism. The most important thing you can do as a parent or caregiver is to learn the early signs of autism and understand the typical developmental milestones your child should be reaching at different ages. Please look over the following list. If you have any concerns about your child's development, don't wait. Speak to your doctor about screening your child for autism. While validated screening for autism starts only as young as 16 months, the best bet for younger children is to have their development screened at every well visit with a highly validated developmental screening tool. If your child does have autism, early intervention may be his or her best hope. (The following 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 "absolute indicators," often referred to as "red flags," that indicate that a child should be evaluated. For a parent, these are the "red flags" that your child should be screened to ensure that he/she is on the right developmental path. If your baby shows any of these signs, please ask your pediatrician or family practitioner for an immediate evaluation: •  No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter •  No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by nine months or thereafter •  No babbling by 12 months •  No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving by 12 months •  No words by 16 months •  No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months •  Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age For more information about recognizing the early signs of developmental and behavioral disorders, please visit http://www.firstsigns.org or the Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/actearly.

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NOTHING IS HOLDING THEM BACK Autism has always existed, says neurologist Oliver Sacks. But the condition wasn't named until 1943, so it's difficult to know much about autism's place in society before then. And more than 60 years after Leo Kanner described the developmental disorder, scientists still understand relatively little about it. Awareness about autism, however, has come a long way, thanks to researchers and a growing advocacy movement.

Meet some fantastic people living with autism everyday:

Temple Grandin, Professor, Aauthor, and Consultant Grandin is a philosophical leader of both the animal welfare and autism advocacy movements. As a person with high-functioning autism, Grandin is also noted for her work in autism advocacy and is the inventor of the squeeze machine designed to calm hypersensitive people. She knows the anxiety of feeling threatened by everything in her surroundings, and of being dismissed and feared, which motivates her work in humane livestock handling processes. Grandin is listed in the 2010 Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world in the category "Heroes".

Donna Wiiliams, Best Selling Author Donna Williams is an author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and sculptor diagnosed with autism after being assessed as a psychotic infant in 1965 at age two, tested multiple times for deafness and labeled disturbed throughout childhood, before treatment for gut, immune and sensory perceptual disorders in adulthood. Williams' first book was the autobiographical Nobody Nowhere: The Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic Girl, an international bestseller with 15 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Satoshi Tajiri, Creator of the Pokémon franchise Satoshi Tajiri is a Japanese video game designer best known as the creator of Pokémon and the founder of development company Game Freak, Inc. An avid fan of arcade games, Tajiri wrote for and edited his own video gaming fanzine Game Freak with Ken Sugimori, before evolving it into a development company of the same name. The game, which became Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green (Pokémon Blue outside of Japan), took six years to complete and went on to spark a multi-billion dollar franchise which reinvigorated Nintendo's handheld gaming. Tajiri has also been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.

Laurence Kim Peek, Inspiration for Rain Man Laurence Kim Peek (1951 – 2009) was an American savant. Known as a "megasavant", he had an eidetic memory, but also experienced social difficulties, possibly resulting from a developmental disability related to congenital brain abnormalities. He was the inspiration for the character of Raymond Babbitt, played by Dustin Hoffman, in the movie Rain Man. Unlike Babbitt, In 2008, a study concluded that Peek probably had FG syndrome, a rare genetic syndrome linked to the X chromosome which causes physical anomalies such as hypotonia (low muscle tone) and macrocephaly (abnormally large head). Peek died of a heart attack on December 19, 2009.

Heather Kuzmich, America's Next Top Model Finalist Heather Kuzmich is an American fashion model, living in Chicago, where she is studying video game design. Kuzmich was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was fifteen years old around the time her father died. Kuzmich was one of the final five contestants on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 9. Living with Asperger syndrome, Kuzmich has stated that she struggles with approaching people and communication skills.

Matt Savage, Autistic Savant Musician Matthew "Matt" Savage is an American autistic savant musician. Matt was a precocious infant who walked early and learned to read by age 18 months. He was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder, a form of autism, at age three. Matt did not like any noises or music during his early childhood. At age six, Matt taught himself to read piano music. He studied classical piano for less than a year before discovering jazz, which became his main focus. Despite his young age of 19 and his autism, and even without formal instruction in musical composition, Matt is an accomplished musician and composer. Matt has received many awards, including being signed in 2003 to Bösendorfer pianos. He is the only child to be so recognized in the company's 175-year history.

Tony DeBois, Autistic Savant Musician Tony DeBlois was born blind and began to play piano at the age of two. At first, DeBlois studied in the Perkins School for the Blind but in 1989 was awarded a summer scholarship at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Later he was admitted as a full-time student and graduated magna cum laude in 1996. DeBlois specializes in jazz and can play just about any other type of music as well. A blind US autistic savant, he plays 20 musical instruments and has held concerts worldwide. He can play about 8,000 pieces from memory.