Ice Follies—II

The Joy of Skating

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 ~ Last week, when my daughter and I went ice-skating, I meant to include in the post a picture of this piece of her art:

It is a self-portrait of course.

This picture, along with several others, have been made into greeting/Christmas cards. As the text ("About the artist") on the back reads in part:

[She] is a young adult with autism whose

drawings have been described as primitive, imaginative, and whimsical

with an amazing eye to proportion and detail.

The cards are available at finer stores. However, we have altogether too many big box monstrosities and not nearly enough finer stores, so contact me if you want to get some.

World Autism Awareness Day

An Epidemic

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 ~ Because I have a daughter with autism, I am aware of this every day. Over the years, too, I have also met many others, their families and the many professionals working to solve the puzzle which is autism.

Autism is widespread:

One in 88 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder, a developmental disability that more children will be diagnosed with this year than with childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes or pediatric AIDS combined, according to the United Nations.

What is nonetheless amazing to me, however, is how many other people I have learned about who also have autism, well beyond those that have shared with my daughter classrooms, therapists, sports teams or other groups. The sister of a high school classmate. The daughter of a tennis partner of my wife's. The uncle of a financial planner. That autism has touched the lives of others I know is frequently something learned only by accident, in passing.

How many others in my day-to-day circles have family members or close friends with autism? Doubtless many more than I know.

The same is probably true of you too.

Autism has become all-too-common, despite being only poorly understood by too many people. It is time we all became more aware, and did more about it.

Learn more.

Autism Awareness

~ How Many People with Autism Do You Know?

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~ My daughter has autism.

I know firsthand the challenges, joys, and sometimes conflicting emotions that come with loving someone who is "on the spectrum" with this most enigmatic attribute.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and today is Autism Awareness Day. Chances are you know more people with autism than you realize. You certainly know more than your parents or grandparents did. 1 child in every 110 born today is diagnosed with autism. The incidence amongst boys is 1 in 70.

Autism is common. It is more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined.