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News › Autism: learn and educate yourself
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Autism Statistics: Autism: learn and educate yourself
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Posted by Sylvia on Thursday, April 22, 2004 (11:46:38)
KUAM News 11/04/2004
By Fredalynn Mortera Hecita
With autism growing at a rate of 10-17% per year, the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade. Autism is a national health crisis, which was first identified in 1943. It's a brain disorder that affects an individual's ability to communicate, to reason, and to interact with others.
One out of every 250 babies born today will develop some form of autism affecting five boys to every girl. It is the third most common developmental disability following mental retardation and cerebral palsy. Autism is more common than multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis or childhood cancer.
Autistics have been described as being in their own world. Although each case is different, a person with autism may display some of the following symptoms such as the appearances of being deaf, unable to speak or speaking with difficulty, engaging in repetitious behavior, becoming upset for no apparent reason, oversensitive to pain, and engaging in self-stimulating behaviors to include rocking and hand flapping.
Autism knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries this is consistent with growing numbers of children identified with autism here on Guam.
Certified autism consultant with the Department of Education's Special Education Division Jennifer Cruz Reyes says the agency is working at meeting the needs of these children. "Because our population has grown currently we have about 90-100 children identified now with autism. And what we offer, we don't necessarily offer specific programs for children with Autism," she explained.
"All these services and programs are for children with disabilities. But what's unique to children is we support them and address them in the mainstream educational environment. And in some cases we provide home support in their home environment. But what's important is these services and support are based on the child's unique needs."
The numbers of children diagnosed with autism on Guam is rising. In the year 2000 there were only 30-40 children on island identified as having autism. With those numbers doubling the department of education is making efforts to add more intensive instructional programs for children.
"Also, we implemented more training to teachers, aides, and parents and all educational staffs like custodians. Support staff, anything, school aides for our children we train on is the research base technique," Reyes added.
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Posted by Sylvia on Thursday, April 22, 2004 (11:46:38) (20964 reads)
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