ICAA's Night Out

International Coalition
for Autism and All Abilities Logo

Autism Spectrum Disorders-- the phrase alone is enough to make any parent break into a cold sweat. The CDC estimates that 1 in 110 children are somewhere on the spectrum. That means it’s likely a person you know is touched by this. You may know a parent or grandparent of someone with an ASD. Or maybe you know a child or adult identified as being on the spectrum.

And it is an incredibly wide spectrum of behaviors, cognitive difficulties, and physical difficulties that fall under the heading of ASD. Maybe the person affected is very high functioning, just a shade off of “normal.” Or maybe the person is severely affected, unable to communicate and isolated by the difficulties of understanding human social interactions.

Early diagnosis is key, and you can read more about that here:
www.nichcy.org/babies/overview/Pages/default.aspx

and here:
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html

But after identifying that a child and family is dealing with an ASD, what next? There are therapies, and teaching tools, and doctor visits and the list goes on and on and on. It can be incredibly daunting for the parents to find the resources they need. In response to that need, there are many local, national, and international groups working to serve the families and communities impacted by autism. One of these is the International Coalition for Autism and All Abilities. Their mission is “To advocate for, encourage acceptance of, and support people on the Autism spectrum and with other disabilities and their families throughout our global society. “

A worthwhile goal, wouldn’t you say? So if you’re looking for something to do Saturday, Sept. 11th, come out to a fundraising event they’re hosting at Fenton’s Stratford Bar & Grill in the Gazebo Room. The fun starts at 7pm, rain or shine.

A few of the members of the Happy Up Crew will be attending, too. They’ll have a table set up with toys and therapeutic items helpful to children and adults with special needs and different abilities. So stop by and say hello!
For more information about the International Coalition for Autism and All Abilities or Saturday’s event, visit their website:
www.internationalautismcoalition.org/index.php