A public health crisis is affecting children in our country.
It changes children sometimes when they are around 2 years old. Many affected by this crisis can’t speak. Some can speak but have a difficult time in social settings. This public health crisis affects these children’s entire lives, and there is no cure. Despite it all, this health crisis still struggles to find money for research.
The crisis is autism, and its numbers are growing every year. No cause for autism has been found, and no cure has been found.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 110 American children have been diagnosed with autism. Of that number, one in 70 are boys. These findings represent a 57 percent increase from 2002 to 2006 and a 600 percent increase in the past 20 years.
More research is needed. More children, who struggle just to understand life, need help. Considering that there is no cure is one thing. But one should also consider that there is no known cause.
Finding a cure for something takes time and money, and without a cause, there will be no cure.
Doctors and psychologists have come a long way in diagnosing children with autism early. If diagnosed early enough, children can have the physical therapy needed and access to the speech pathologists needed to help them overcome the challenges they face.
Most children with autism can come out of their shells a little, but they will always be autistic.
The time to do something for our children is now. Autism Speaks sponsors the Walk for Autism every year to raise money for research. The Web site www.autismspeaks.org has more information on how to sign up and dates of events. Last November, the group raised $441,205 for autism research in Dallas alone.
Even though we are on our way to raising awareness and funding for autism, more needs to be done. We are the biggest advocates for our children, and, through us, they have a voice.
Exploring ways to help and find a cure for this disease can be the best thing we can do in our struggle for answers.
