April 1 is the beginning of Autism Awareness Month which is the time when organizations such as the Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, the Pennsylvania Department of Autism Services, and Philadelphia’s ASCEND Group would like people who may not be affected by Autism to develop more concern and awareness for the disorder.
To get the month started off right, the CDC issued their latest findings that 1 in 50 children have Autism. Although they are reporting that there has been an increase of 2.00% in 2011 -2012, if you look at the numbers in a broader sense it seems to be a little larger. In 2000 the CDC reported that 1 child in 150 had Autism, in 2006 it was 1 in 110, and in 2008 it was 1 in 88.
This report could be good news for parents who are concerned that their child may have developmental complications. The newest report indicates that the medical community is getting better at diagnosing Autism; that the testing process has become more comprehensive. There are also more doctors and hospitals who are performing the necessary testing.
For example, in 2000 the only hospital in Philadelphia that performed the battery of tests that was required to make an accurate diagnosis was Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and they often had a waiting list of up to one year. Now there are three hospitals that offer it as well as The Center for Autism.
Parents of Autistic children are still reeling from Governor Tom Corbett’s cuts in funding to the very services that their children are dependent on. Every parent has experienced budget cuts by the wraparound agencies that provide support and these cuts have had a negative impact on an Autistic child’s ability to flourish. The CDC’s report certainly isn't providing these parents with any ray of hope because the agency hasn't released any research that points to the concrete cause of Autism or a real cure for it. It’s just more bad news.
As Philadelphia agencies that serve the Autistic community prepares to host several activities to promote this month’s need for awareness such as sensory friendly movies; the 2013 Puzzle Ribbon Campaign; Autism Awareness Night at the Please Touch Museum and at the Adventure Aquarium as well as Variety Club’s Autism Day at Sesame Place, there’s more that needs to be done.
It’s time that people stand up and defend those in the community that are most vulnerable. A great way to take a stand is to start a letter writing campaign. All it will cost you is some time, paper, an envelope, and a stamp.
Write a letter to Governor Tom Corbett and your local senators to make them aware of the importance of funding for Autistic services. Corbett’s address is Room 225, Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg, Pa. 17120. His fax number is 717-772-8284 and the telephone number is 717-787-2500.
To get the contact information of your senator, please go to: www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/contact.cfm?b.... Many of them can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Remember that it takes a village to raise a child especially if that child is Autistic.
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