Published: April 8, 2019
Join Western Health Advantage in observing April as National Autism Awareness Month, which promotes autism awareness, autism acceptance and draws attention to the tens of thousands facing an autism diagnosis each year.
Did you know?
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Studies have proven that there is no link between vaccines and autism. Visit the Center for Disease Control and prevention’s website for information on this.
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Every 20 minutes someone is diagnosed with autism.
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Autistic individuals use a variety of unique ways to communicate.
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Many individuals with autism stay in school until they are 21.
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There is no known single cause of autism, but increased awareness and early diagnosis/intervention and access to appropriate services/supports lead to significantly improved outcomes.
Signs of Autism
The signs of autism appear early in childhood and are defined by a certain set of behaviors. Some of the behaviors associated with autism include:
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delayed learning of language
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difficulty making eye contact or holding a conversation
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difficulty with executive functioning, which relates to reasoning and planning
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narrow, intense interests
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poor motor skills’ and sensory sensitivities
Autism is treatable. Children do not “outgrow” autism, but early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes. For more information on developmental milestones, visit the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” site.
The NIH also has more info on autism.