Park Central Square Fountain Going Blue for Autism Awareness
By: KOLR10 Newsroom
Updated: April 3, 2012
(Springfield, MO) -- In honor of Autism Awareness Month, the fountain at Park Central Square is lit with blue lights this week.
Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique fundraising and awareness-raising events.
In Springfield, the fountain at Park Central Square will be lit with blue lights, starting Monday night through Saturday, to promote autism awareness. The display was organized by students at Missouri State University.
The World Autism Awareness Day resolution encourages all Member States to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. It further expresses deep concern at the prevalence and high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world and the consequent developmental challenges.
World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism.
(Information provided by autismspeaks.org)
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report, raising prevalance of children with Autism spectrum disorders in the U.S. at 1 in 88 children. Read the report.
10 Early Warning Signs of Autism
"Could my child have autism?" With one in 88 children being diagnosed with autism, according to the CDC's latest estimate, that's what many new parents want to know. Autism is generally not diagnosed until age three, but signs of developmental delay can begin to appear as early as six months of age.
ccording to Dr. Rebecca Landa, director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md., parents have the power to spot red flags of autism in its earliest form.
What are the signs of autism in infants 6 months to 1 year old?
1. Rarely smiles when approached by caregivers
Infants typically smile when smiled at, but babies with developmental delays often don't respond to smiles from caregivers.
2. Rarely imitates expressions
Infant does not try to imitate sounds and movements others make, such as smiling and laughing, during simple social exchanges.
3. Delayed or infrequent babbling
By six months of age, most babies start babbling or produce repetitive syllables.
4. Does not respond to his or her name
An infant should generally respond to his or her name with increasing consistency from 6 to 12 months of age. Lack of responsiveness to one's name is a sign of developmental delay.
5. Does not gesture to communicate
By 10 months of age, an infant should begin to communicate through gestures.
6. Poor eye contact
Most children with autism shy away from eye contact. Lack of eye contact is therefore a common warning sign parents should look out for.
7. Seeks your attention infrequently
Infants exhibiting this developmental delay express less reliance on parents' care and attention.
8. Unusual body movements
Infants who may later be diagnosed with autism may repeatedly stiffen their arms, hands, or legs. They may also display unusual body movements, such as rotating the hands on the wrists, uncommon postures, or other repetitive behaviors.
9. Does not reach up when parents try to pick him or her up
When parents reach for their children to pick them up or to hold them, infants generally respond by reaching back up toward the parents.
10. Delays in motor development
These delays include slowed rolling over, pushing up, and crawling.
"If parents suspect something is wrong with their child's development, or that their child is losing skills, they should talk to their pediatrician or another developmental expert," Dr. Landa said in a statement. "Don't adopt a 'wait and see' perspective. We want to identify delays early in development so that intervention can begin when children's brains are more malleable and still developing their circuitry."
Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique fundraising and awareness-raising events.
In Springfield, the fountain at Park Central Square will be lit with blue lights, starting Monday night through Saturday, to promote autism awareness. The display was organized by students at Missouri State University.
The World Autism Awareness Day resolution encourages all Member States to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. It further expresses deep concern at the prevalence and high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world and the consequent developmental challenges.
World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism.
(Information provided by autismspeaks.org)
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report, raising prevalance of children with Autism spectrum disorders in the U.S. at 1 in 88 children. Read the report.
10 Early Warning Signs of Autism
"Could my child have autism?" With one in 88 children being diagnosed with autism, according to the CDC's latest estimate, that's what many new parents want to know. Autism is generally not diagnosed until age three, but signs of developmental delay can begin to appear as early as six months of age.
ccording to Dr. Rebecca Landa, director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md., parents have the power to spot red flags of autism in its earliest form.
What are the signs of autism in infants 6 months to 1 year old?
1. Rarely smiles when approached by caregivers
Infants typically smile when smiled at, but babies with developmental delays often don't respond to smiles from caregivers.
2. Rarely imitates expressions
Infant does not try to imitate sounds and movements others make, such as smiling and laughing, during simple social exchanges.
3. Delayed or infrequent babbling
By six months of age, most babies start babbling or produce repetitive syllables.
4. Does not respond to his or her name
An infant should generally respond to his or her name with increasing consistency from 6 to 12 months of age. Lack of responsiveness to one's name is a sign of developmental delay.
5. Does not gesture to communicate
By 10 months of age, an infant should begin to communicate through gestures.
6. Poor eye contact
Most children with autism shy away from eye contact. Lack of eye contact is therefore a common warning sign parents should look out for.
7. Seeks your attention infrequently
Infants exhibiting this developmental delay express less reliance on parents' care and attention.
8. Unusual body movements
Infants who may later be diagnosed with autism may repeatedly stiffen their arms, hands, or legs. They may also display unusual body movements, such as rotating the hands on the wrists, uncommon postures, or other repetitive behaviors.
9. Does not reach up when parents try to pick him or her up
When parents reach for their children to pick them up or to hold them, infants generally respond by reaching back up toward the parents.
10. Delays in motor development
These delays include slowed rolling over, pushing up, and crawling.
"If parents suspect something is wrong with their child's development, or that their child is losing skills, they should talk to their pediatrician or another developmental expert," Dr. Landa said in a statement. "Don't adopt a 'wait and see' perspective. We want to identify delays early in development so that intervention can begin when children's brains are more malleable and still developing their circuitry."
