April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day
VILLANOVA, Pa. and 15 Centers Nationwide, April 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Everyday, 67 children are diagnosed with autism, in boys, the likelihood of an autism diagnosis is four times that of girls. More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined, yet startlingly, many parents don't know how to spot the early warning signs of autism in their children or where to turn for help when those signs are identified.
Devereux, the nation's largest non-profit providing behavioral healthcare for children, adolescents and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, behavioral disorders and mental illness, has been a leader in diagnosing, and caring for those with autism through quality educational, training and support services since the 1940s.
"So much is being learned about the complex and confusing world of autism," says Bob Kreider, president and CEO of Devereux, "but from the practical perspective, for parents who are concerned about the warning signs and how to properly identify issues they are seeing with their children, little is available. And once those signs are properly identified, it's even more difficult to find the correct course of treatment and care to help children live fulfilling lives. Parents are a child's primary advocate and most important support system. No one - no doctor or expert knows a child like their parents. Empowering parents with information so they can access the resources and services that their children need is critical for the most successful outcomes."
Ten Tips for Parents
To that end, the experts at Devereux, through decades of work - and some of the earliest and most storied treatment of autism in the disorder's history - have developed a list of early indicators for parents to watch for in their young children. These signs are not meant
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