COVER STORY
National Autism Awareness Month
When I was growing up, most of us didn’t know very much about autism, and there was a painful lack of available resources for people living with autism and their families.
Since then, we’ve made so much progress, both in understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and in developing new services and support systems for people living with autism.
This April, as we mark National Autism Awareness Month (or, as many advocates now call it, Autism Acceptance Month), I want to commend the National Autism Society for the great work that they do to raise awareness of the disorder and to promote funding for research and support services.
It’s estimated that there are about 5.5 million American adults living with ASD. For many of them, the disorder can create serious difficulties in communication, social interaction, and the basic activities of daily life. Research has found that early diagnosis and intervention can help people with ASD live their best, most productive lives, so Autism Awareness Month plays an important role in helping families recognize the signs of autism and find treatment.
Here in DuPage County, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley currently offers comprehensive pediatric outpatient rehabilitation services to more than 1,000 children each week, along with support for their families. They also offer evaluations and free screenings, and they work closely with the state’s Early Intervention program to help make sure children with ASD get timely treatment. You can learn more about Easterseals and their services here.
For additional resources for people with autism in this area, take a look at the Rush University Medical Center Autism Resource Directory here.