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April is Autism Awareness Month. Whether you’re a parent of an autistic child or know someone with an autistic child, the increase in autism is apparent across society.  Prior to 1990, only 1 child in 2500 was diagnosed autistic. According to a new government study from October 2009, the prevalence of autism diagnosis is now 1 in every 91 children.

Autism is a neurological condition. Looking at the last 20 years, what has changed to give a 27-fold increase in autism spectrum disorders?

In my opinion, autism is a multi-level problem with complicated origins. Here are six of the most commonly cited potential causes of autism’s rise: (continue reading…)

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We are all aware of charitable walks, but have you ever heard of a bounce? Well, the Autism Society and Pump It Up have collaborated to host Bounce for Autism, a fundraising event to support families with autism. The event raises awareness and funds that provide care, support, treatment, and research. Pump It Up is America’s #1 Inflatable Party Zone. Each location has bounce houses, slides, obstacle courses, and more. The event is a great way to get the entire family engaged and to have fun while supporting a good cause. There is no age requirement, but bouncers must be at least 34 inches tall. Bouncers can form a team, join an existing team, or register individually. Each participant has the ability to create a personal fundraising page on the event’s website that allows the person to send emails and track donations. The event is approximately two hours, and participants bounce for about 30-45 minutes. For those who unable to attend the event, it is possible to be a virtual participant. (continue reading…)

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from nurspractitionerschools.org

Autism and its lesser-known relatives in the autism spectrum of disorders has found itself on the receiving end of a generous amount of attention lately. Affecting around 3.4 out of every 1,000 children between the ages of 3 and 10 every year, the controversies surrounding autism usually involve the mysteries behind the staggering rise of diagnoses over the past five years as well as its heavily disputed origins. Not surprisingly, a number of myths and misconceptions drown out the realities of individuals and families who confront autism on a daily basis. A proper understanding of what constitutes and how to work with and against autism and autism spectrum disorders allows patients to seek the necessary treatment and move on to live happy, productive, and stable existences.

1. Autism is a form of mental retardation.

Individuals with autism and autism spectrum disorders actually harbor average to above average intelligence. The conditions are considered neurodevelopmental in origin, and diagnostic criteria include communication issues, difficulty in social situations, and repetitive behavior patterns. At no point does mental retardation ever factor into an autism diagnosis – any possible cases where both conditions are present have nothing to do with one another. Some patients with autism perform excellently in some academic areas and very poorly in others, which some mistake as full mental retardation. (continue reading…)

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On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Maternal & Child Health Bureau of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a new report on the prevalence of autism and autism-spectrum disorders in the United States. The results of the HRSA phone poll indicates that autism and ASD are more widespread than previously thought. The last estimates put the autism rate at roughly 1 in 150, but the new study indicates that the rate is 1 in 91 children. In boys, autism was even more common, with a parental-reported rate of 1 in 58 boys. Autism was slightly more prevalent in older children than in those born around the turn of the millennium.

This new study shows a drastic jump in the officially recognized rate of autism in the U.S.; however, it brings the estimate of American autism cases in line with the prevalence of autism seen worldwide. Other countries that have rigorously studied their own autism rates have all converged at a rate of about 1% of children with autism or ASD. (continue reading…)

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The Open University has a free online course, The Autistic Spectrum, From Theory to Practice, which provides an overview of psychological research into Autism Spectrum Disorders. The course is written at a college undergraduate level.  Units focus on:

• Identifying autism and autism spectrum disorders
• Mapping the spectrum (continue reading…)
  

Green Diva Mom founder Eleni Prokopeas was recently featured on NaturalNews.com. In an interview podcast and profile article. Eleni discusses her efforts to cure her son’s autism, including the 10-step protocol she used. Read all about the protocol in Healing Autism Naturally.

Click here to read the profile of Eleni on NaturalNews.com.

Listen to the NaturalNews.com podcast with GreenDivaMom founder Eleni Prokopeas here. The DRM-free podcast can be loaded onto any mp3 player or listened to on your computer.

©iStockphoto.com - Valerie Loiseleux

Hey Green Diva Moms!  This week’s featured article isn’t even from our own website, but is such a great read, that we had to share.  Earlier this month, the federal “Vaccine Court”  in Washington gave a rulings to three families stating that they had failed to prove their cases that their children’s autism spectrum disorders were caused by vaccines.  These rulings were widely covered in the media as confirming that vaccines do not cause autism  However, another ruling in February, receiving much less media coverage, found in favor of the family. In that ruling, the Vaccine Court admitted that the child’s autism spectrum disorder would not have developed if it had not been for an injury caused by the MMR vaccine. The Vaccine Court is still reluctant to pin the cause of autism directly on vaccines, but this under-reported decision is a step forward.  Noted environmental advocate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and journalist David Kirby, author of Evidence of Harm, penned an editorial in the Huffington Post discussing what this win means for families dealing with autism.  Please check out the link below for the full story.  It is a long read, but positive news for families dealing with vaccine-induced autism.

ANOTHER AUTISM CASE WINS IN VACCINE COURT
By Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (Huffington Post)