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APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH
Autism Awareness Month, celebrated every April, is sponsored by the Autism Society of America to raise awareness about the disorder. Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of developmental disabilities caused by unusual brain development that begin during childhood and last throughout a person's life. As many as 6 in every 1,000 children have at least one ASD. People with ASDs tend to have problems with social and communication skills, and have unusual ways of learning and reacting to different sensations.
To supplement autism awareness efforts, the AAP is a partner in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiative, "Learn the Signs. Act Early," to educate health care professionals and parents about childhood development, including early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders. For information about recent results of this campaign, visit: http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/health/Autism%20downloads/AAPparentspedsarticle.doc.
Additional information about the campaign is available at www.cdc.gov/actearly.
In addition, this April for Autism Awareness Month, Autism Speaks, in partnership with the Academy and others, is releasing a series of public service announcements (PSA) about autism, including information about how common autism is as well as the importance of early detection. These ads will bring an increased focus on autism and may increase the number of parents asking questions about child development.
For more information and resources on ASDs visit: http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/health/autism.html.
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