April Brings Attention To Autism
April is National Autism Awareness Month. Awareness months are helpful because they help bring public attention to issues facing many of our friends and families. Autism is no different. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the medical term for Autism is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is described as a group of developmental disabilities which can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.
The National Institute of Mental Health further characterizes ASD as:
• Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts;
• Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities;
• Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (typically recognized in the first two years of life); and
• Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
It is important to note that individuals diagnosed with ASD differ greatly in their learning, thinking and problem-solving abilities. Those abilities can range from gifted to significantly disabling. Since the 1960’s, the number of children diagnosed with ASD has increased. However, it’s unknown for certain whether this is due to an increased number of cases or to the increased awareness of ASD among the medical community and the general public as a whole.
There are a variety of organizations that provide helpful resources and information regarding ASD. One such organization is the Autism Society which was founded in 1965 by Bernard Rimland, Ph. D, whose own son was diagnosed with ASD. Since its formation the Autism Society has grown from a handful of parents to more than 100,000 members and supporters of whom are connected through a working network of affiliates nationwide. The Autism Society is dedicated to its role of increasing public awareness about ASD, which includes the day to day challenges faced by individuals, families and professionals affected by ASD. To learn more about visit the Autism Society. Another organization that serves as a resource for ASD is Autism Now. Other additional resources include the Centers for Disease Control Prevention and the National Institute of Mental Health.
If you would like to follow the Texas House and learn more information on news, committees or other aspects of the legislative body, you can access its website at Texas House of Representatives. The site features live streaming from the House floor, committee hearings as well as access to a number of other resources. You can also follow the the Texas Senate. The Texas Governor’s official website can be found at Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. For important information regarding transportation in the state, feel free to visit Texas Department of Transportation. Also you can visit The Texas General Land Office, and the Texas Railroad Commission.
As a reminder, the 84th Texas Legislative session began on January 13th and is currently underway. As always, I want to hear your ideas and suggestion. Your ideas and information are important forms of feedback and I hope that you will not hesitate to contact my office.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part) County. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
