Autism Pathfinder

What is Autism?
Autism is one of a group of serious developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that appear in early childhood usually before age 3. Though symptoms and severity vary, all autism spectrum disorders affect a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. While there is no cure for autism, intensive, early treatment can make a big difference in the lives of many children with the disorder. ~Mayo Clinic

Michael Lang
AUTISM ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS Autism Now: The National Autism Resource & Information Center, is a dynamic, interactive, highly visible & effective central point of quality resources & information for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders & their families. www.autismnow.org Autism Speaks: The world's leading autism science & advocacy organization. www.autismspeaks.org

Did you know ...

Autism now affects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys Autism prevalence figures are growing More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. Autism costs the nation $1 37 billion per year Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism There is no medical detection or cure for autism
~Autismspeaks.org

Autism Society: The nations leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism. www.autism-society.org

A debate continues over the possible link between childhood vaccines and ASD. Some advocacy organizations claim that vaccination schedules and/or contents are the underlying cause of ASD in some children. Scientific research into these claims is ongoing.
O n l i n e G o v e rn m e n t H e a l t h R e s o u rc e s
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention ASDs Homepage: Includes ASD factsheet, research, statistics, articles

& more. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html

Medline Plus: A service of the US National Library of Medicine & National Institutes of Health, includes

directories, statistics, and quizzes. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/autism.html

National Istitute of Mental Health: A Parents Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder A free dowloadable guide

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/a-parents-guide-to-autism-spectrum-disorder/index.shtml for a number of Autism organizations. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm current NICHD research and clinical trials. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/asd.cfm

National Institue of Neurological Disorders & Stroke: Includes a fact sheet, symptom list and contact information National Insititute of Child Health and Human Dvelopment: Information about ASD in Enlish & Spanish, including

General Non-Fiction Books

978-0399530470

Additional Resources

Autism Spectrum Disorders: the Complete Guide to Understanding Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and Other ASDs: Chantal Sicile-Kira & Temple Grandin; Perigee Books, 2004 ISBN-1 3: The Science and Fiction ofAutism: Laura Schreibman; Drawing from her own long clinical experience with autistic

children and their parents, the author arms her readers with information and arguments to deal with the onslaught of good, bad, deficient, and irrelevant ideas about autism. Harvard University Press, 2007 ISBN-1 3: 9780674025691

Journals/Magazines
challenge of autism.

Autism Asberger's Digest: created to meet the needs of teachers, therapists, and family members who face the The Journal ofAutism and Developmental Disorders: The leading peer-reviewed, scholarly periodical focusing on

all aspects of autism spectrum disorders and related developmental disabilities.

Molecular Autism: A peer-reviewed, online journal that publishes high-quality basic, translational and clinical

research that has relevance to the etiology, pathobiology, or treatment of autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions.

Databases

Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context: This database presents pro-con viewpoints of various social issues and

controversial topics.

Health and Wellness Resource Center: Access to magazines, journals, newspapers, definitions, directories, and

information on a wide variety of health issues. Included are links to diet, cancer, and health assessment sites as well as government databases.
PsychINFO: Published by the American Psychological Associations and provides comprehensive indexing and

abstracts of the international psychological literature from the 1 800s to the present.

Videos

The Vaccine War:A PBS Frontline Examination of the emotionally charged debate over medical risks vs. benefits

and a parent's right to make choices about her child vs. a community's common good. Available on DVD or at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/vaccines/ mind, her daily world and her life with autism.

Autism is a World: A documentary about Sue Rubin, who is autistic, that takes the viewer on a journey into her

The puzzle pattern reflects the mystery and complexity of the autism spectrum. The different colors and shapes represent the diversity of the people and families living with the condition. The brightness of the ribbon signals hopehope that through increased awareness of autism, and through early intervention and appropriate treatments, people with autism will lead fuller, more complete lives.

The Autism Awareness Ribbon

April is National Autism Awareness Month