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We are in the midst of an epidemic of developmental disorders that includes autism, Asperger's Syndrome, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), pervasive development disorder (PDD), and nonverbal learning disorder (NLD). Our local, regional, and national communities are in all ways under-equipped to diagnose, treat, or educate these children.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) interfere with normal development of the brain in the areas that influence reasoning, social interaction, motor skills, communication skills, and attention. Children with ASDs are typically deficient in verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction, and play activities. These disorders make it difficult for them to communicate with others, leading to frustrated social isolation. Developmental disorders occur across a spectrum, affecting individuals differently; some children lose the ability to speak, some might have motor impairment, and many lack social and emotional awareness. Behaviors range from hyperactivity to serious self-injury. Left untreated, children do not develop the skills they need to function in society. Appropriate intervention is mandatory if the course of the child's life is to be redirected.
Autism, ADD, ADHD, PDD, NLD, and Asperger's Syndrome were once either unknown or very rare. In 1980, autism diagnoses alone were 1 in 5,000;
today the CDC says it's 1 in 150 children. This makes it the most
common developmental disability--more common than Down syndrome,
cerebral palsy, and mental retardation combined. The problem is in
fact much larger than these numbers reflect. By 2002, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 7%-15% of all US
school children were affected by a developmental disorder. In the larger picture, ASDs have multiple effects on society, beginning with strains on the
families of those affected; the divorce rate in these families is over
80% in the United States, and there is no way to measure the
frustrations of being a sibling of an affected child. Unfortunately,
the majority of the public (as well as many professionals in the
medical, educational, and vocational fields) are unaware of how these
disorders affect people and don't know how to work effectively with
individuals with a CDD.
"This problem is going to bankrupt the public health and public school systems in the next fifteen to twenty years if nothing is done." - Dr. Cordero CDC
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