The Importance of Autism Awareness
Autism Awareness: We understand that raising a child with autism can present some unique challenges and can be overwhelming at times. Therefore, the Children’s Health Defense California Chapter would like to highlight the importance of raising awareness for autism and how this knowledge can benefit your children and society as a whole. In 2000, The CDC introduced the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM). The ADDM Network has been tracking the number and characteristics of 8-year-old children with ASD. In March 2023, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the autism prevalence is 1 in 36 U.S. children diagnosed with autism; this number significantly increased by 22% in just two years and a 317% increase since the tracking system was created. Currently, the rate of autism in California is 1 in 22. This is an epidemic!
Understanding Autism: What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? Early identification (collection or gathering of information) and screening can help identify the signs and symptoms of ASD. Recognition and developmental monitoring is an ongoing process of observing a child’s growth and fostering discussions between parents and providers regarding a child’s ability and skills. As we move to create empathy and understanding for these individuals, we can establish a more comprehensive and welcoming environment for those with ASD and their families.
Promoting Early Diagnosis and Intervention: Early intervention for these children is “key,” and raising awareness for autism by educating parents and healthcare professionals on the signs and symptoms of autism can make a huge impact on their ability to function in the future. Scientists have long recognized that the brain develops rapidly between the ages of zero and seven, indicating that early intervention would be an effective strategy for treating any childhood disorder. The sooner these children are diagnosed, the sooner they can begin receiving the required treatments and therapies to enhance their outcomes and quality of life.
Access to Resources and Support: Giving parents knowledge of the resources and services available for individuals with autism and their families is important to ensure they have the necessary backup to face everyday challenges. Many families, particularly those whose children are newly diagnosed with autism, may struggle to navigate the complicated world of autism resources and how to determine which organization to trust. Discovering that your child has ASD can be terrifying, but there is hope. Many organizations, like Children’s Health Defense, are stepping out to educate parents on how to address the new childhood epidemics and establish safeguards to avoid future harm from environmental toxins. CHD’s website is a wealth of information, and each chapter has its own community events to educate parents on the various ways to approach autism from a biomedical perspective.
Parent Conferences: CHD National hosts an annual 3-day conference to educate the community on addressing childhood epidemics and creating a healthy and safe future for our children. This year’s event will be held at the Savannah Convention Center on November 3-5, 2023 in Savannah, GA. You will learn the latest information from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Brian Hooker, Ph.D., Pierre Kory, M.D., and many others! For more information, go to www.ChildrensHealthDefense.org/chd-conference; the event information will be updated soon to reflect the 2023 conference.
Autism Health Summit (AHS) is another great conference for parents and caregivers of children and individuals with special needs. AHS is a parent-driven two-day conference committed to addressing all aspects of autism, with presentations covering a wide range of topics related to healing the underlying conditions associated with autism and other neurological disorders. AHS assists parents who seek answers to concerns about their child’s diagnosis, including options for alternative medicine, nutrition, schooling, therapies, and more. This conference will be held on February 2-3, 2024 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. For more information on how to purchase tickets for this event, go to www.AutismHealth.com.
Resource Guide: Many books cover how to address the underlying conditions associated with autism and other related neurological disorders, but one book stands out among the rest… Warrior Mom: A Mother’s Journey to Healing Her Son with Autism is an inspiring story of hope and an indispensable guidebook for any parent desperate to hear the truth that autism is not an incurable disease and that many underlying conditions associated with autism are treatable. For more information, go to www.WarriorMom.org. For a limited time only, you can purchase a signed author copy of Warrior Mom for only $15 with the discount code CHD23.
Become a Volunteer: Children’s Health Defense – CA Chapter is working hand-in-hand with CHD National and our global sister chapters, as well as working side-by-side with, and in support of, other freedom-fighting organizations in California and around the globe. With your help, we can unite to keep our children safe, protect our communities, and persevere over the changes coming upon us. As we look to expand our efforts and advocacy in California further, our need for volunteers will continue to grow. For more information on the CHD CA Chapter and ways to get involved, go to www.ca.childrenshealthdefense.org.
