Autism Awareness Month Ends with Talk at Highview School

April is Autism Awareness Month, which brings attention to a disease that this year will be diagnosed in more children than AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined. On Thursday night, the Nanuet Schools and Austism Speaks of the Greater Hudson Valley hosted a presentation from an industry expert that provided valuable information to parents and educators.

Virginia Connell, Regional Events Manager for Autism Speaks in the Greater Hudson Valley outlined the many aspects of this affliction and the tools that are now available to address it. Autism Speaks is the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy group.

“I love knowing that I make a difference and am able to help the families that are affected with autism disorders," said Connell. "It is a personal mission and extremely rewarding. This evening is why we do what we do.”

A highlight of the evening was the presentation to Connell of a check for $550 from the students and staff of four district schools as a result of fund raising efforts during this month.  An additional $150 had already been forwarded to the organization.

“A lot of activities for awareness and fund-raising throughout the district culminated in this visit from Ginny Connell," said Donna Lennane, director of student support services for the Nanuet school district. "I am proud of how our staff embraced Autism Awareness Month. They did a great job for the many kids on the autism spectrum.”

Autism is defined as a complex brain disorder that often inhibits a person's ability to communicate, respond to surroundings and form relationships with others.  Most sufferers are diagnosed by the age of two or three and the disease affects people of all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The program was sponsored by the Nanuet School district through P. S. We Can! (Parents and Staff Working Together on Educational Challenges and Needs). 

“The presentation was very worthwhile specifically the information on the web site," said Ann Mitlof, special education facilitator and special education teacher at Highview Elementary. "I felt that I will share this with my students.  There are five or six students that I deal with on a regular basis who are autistic and I have friends who have children on the spectrum.”

Connell pointed to her organization’s major fund raising event Walk Now For Autism Speaks scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15 at Rockland Community College in Suffern.  Another initiative in New York state is to get private insurance companies or other employee benefit plans to cover autism therapies. Autism Votes is seeking to change current laws and require these groups to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism disorders.

Services to the families of those suffering from autism are a key element of the Autism Speaks mission.  These include:

• 100 Day Kit which outlines the necessary steps that should be taken for newly diagnosed families.  The information can be downloaded from the group’s web site or is available on request in hard copy. 

• School Community Tool Kit that provides information and resources for general education and administrative school staff.

• Talking to Parents about Autism Action Kit helps to initiate the critical conversation with parents whose children exhibit the signs of autism.

• Transition Tool Kit is a guide to assist families as an afflicted child moves from adolescence to adulthood.

• Autism Safety Project is geared to first responders who might need to assist autistic children in emergency situations

The kits can be downloaded from the group’s web site: www.autismspeaks.org.  They are also available by contacting the Autism Response Team by E-mail at familyservices@autismspeaks.org or 888-288-4762. If a person calls there is the added advantage of receiving a complete list of the local services that are available in their specific area 

“It is rewarding when the school gives the community an opportunity to participate and to learn more about the autism spectrum disorders and which enables them to understand more about the autistic children in the community,” said Tracy Shannon, a parent on the Walk Committee and who has a child with autism.