~Autism Conference~ Phoenix Az~

Imagine a world where no one understood you. A world of silence and constant confusion. A world where your simple wants and needs are right before you, but you have no way of letting anyone know what you want, if you feel bad, are scared or lonely. I took a job this year in Developmental Preschool, and it has been incredibly rewarding! I work with a variety of Kiddo's and they have all found a SPECIAL place in my HEART. Today I was able to attend a Conference at SARRC in downtown Phoenix about "Autism". Dr. McGee came from Atlanta Ga to speak on Autism, not only was it informative but very moving. Dr. McGee was one of the leads on the National Research Council's 2001 report "Educating Children with Autism" (Lord & McGee, 2001), and is currently the Director of the Emory Autism Center/Walden Early Childhood Program in Georgia. Walden is a nationally recognized and highly regarded model of inclusive preschool educational programming for children with autism.

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. the result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, autism and its associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in as many as 1 in 500 individuals. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1997). Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle, and educational levels do not affect the chance of autism's occurrence.

Autism Impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Children and adults with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. The disorder makes it hard for them to communicate with others and relate to the outside world. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may exhibit repeated body movements (hand flapping, rocking), unusual responses to people or attachments to objects and resistance to changes in routines. Individuals may also experience sensitivities in the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.

Over on half million people in the U.S. today have autism or some form of pervasive developmental disorder. Its prevalence rate makes autism one of the most common developmental disabilities. Yet most of the public, including many professionals in the medical, educational, and vocational fields, are still unaware of how autism affects people and how they can effectively work with individuals with autism