Trevor's Autism Awareness Month Tip of the Week

Here are 10 things Trevor thinks you should know about Autism:

10 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain.

9 The disorder is referred to as a "spectrum" because the severity of the symptoms differs by individual.

8 The core symptoms of ASD are: impaired social interaction and communication skills, and obsessive or repetitive routines and interests.

7 It is estimated that 1 in every 150 children in the United States has ASD with a 4:1 male prevalence.

6 Approximately 1.5 million American today are believed to have some from of ASD. With a growth rate of 10-17% per year, that number could rise to 4 million in the next decade.

5 ASD can be reliably diagnosed by age three, although some children are diagnosed earlier.

4 There is currently no cure for ADS, but there is treatment.

3 Multi-disciplinary interventions, (including occupational therapy, speech therapy, music therapy a feeding therapy), are able to address all areas impacted by ASD.

2 Mental health and family support services are often instrumental in helping families cope wit the struggles and triumphs of raising a child with ASD.

1 Early intervention has proved highly successful in lessening the impact of ASD on life and learning.