Autism Awareness
Wednesday, April 21 2010
by Frank Stasio and Susan Davis
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in every 110 children in the United States is on the autism spectrum, and that number is on the rise. Because symptoms can be multiple and complicated, autism can be difficult and expensive for public institutions like schools to address. And because not everyone agrees on its origins and causes, it can be difficult for health insurance and healthcare providers to address as well. April is Autism Awareness month and we've invited a panel of experts to talk about the evolution of autism from diagnosis to treatment. They include: Lee M. Marcus, clinical professor in the TEACCH program at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine; Dan Coulter, owner of Coulter Video, which makes educational films about Autism and Asperger syndromes; David Laxton, director of communications for the Autism Society of North Carolina; and Chantal Sicilie-Kira, the author of many books on autism including, “Autism Life Skills” (Penguin/2008), and a clinical director at the TEACCH program.
