The alarming rate of increase in autism is something that has been in the back of my mind ever since I found out I was pregnant. I've always been an advocate for children with autism. Most of you probably don't know that while in college, I was an Applied Behavioral therapist who used Lovas behavioral therapy to work with children who have autism. My experiences introduced me to the wide spectrum of the disorder and witness first hand how it impacts the entire family. I will never forget the two young boys I worked with and how each of them were vastly different, the only similarities was their label of "autistic."
The CDC recently announced that 1 out of every 166 children born in America develop autism. At the current rate of increase in autistic cases, in 7 years, 1 out of every 7 families will be affected by autism. I don't know about you, but those statistics scare the bejeezus out of me! Especially since this disorder affects boys more often than girls.
There is a wealth of information out there about possible links of autism to mercury in vaccines, environmental toxins and genetics. I should be sleeping right now, but my mind is focused on all of the children who have lost their "voice" and on all of the parents who are wondering what to do next. As parents, we make so many decisions for the benefit of our children. It scares me that a seemingly harmless, unknowing decision could contribute to my child being led to the world of autism. A beautiful quote from the mom of an autistic little girl is, Autism is the not the end of the world. Its a doorway to a new one.
Who knows what the answer is. But, I do hope that we find a cure/treatment in our lifetime. I just wanted to share my thoughts with you on this and bring some awareness to an epidemic that is sweeping across America's children.
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