April is Autism Awareness Month

For many, today is April Fool's Day,
a day of practical jokes.
Many do not know that today
also marks the beginning of
Autism Awareness Month.

The fact that autism is on the rise,
affecting 1 in 150 children,
has actually led to the
United Nations designating April 2
as the First
World Autism Awareness Day.

So many people have made donations
and others plan to walk on April 19th to show our support
for Ella and her family,
but there may be many of you who
still don't know what affects autism can have
on a family. I have something for you today
that will hopefully give you a little bit of an idea.
Keep in mind, every child that has autism is different.
There is a saying in the autism community,

"If you have seen one child with autism,
you have seen one child with autism."

That is so true because every autistic child
is different and their degree of the disorder
can vary from mild to severe.
Every child responds differently to different therapies,
so there is never any guarantees of success,
but hope is there.
Autism Speaks is a large organization that
received both praise and criticism when it
aired the movie
"Autism Everyday"
The movie documented the lives of
several autistic children and their families.
This is a 7 minute clip from the movie.
This clip is just a glimpse into the lives of
a few families dealing with this disorder.
One mother has several children with autism,
and the affect that it has had on the families
in the video is very obvious.
The movie was actually criticized by
some families of autism because
of the negative tone of the movie.
I know that there are many hard days for these families,
but I have witnessed first hand the joy that is shared
when there is a breakthrough.
I have seen such a difference in Ella ,
she has thrived in school,
and though days get tough for Dan and Angie,
they need to be reminded that
God,
not the doctors,
is in control!
My goal with the walk in a few weeks is to remind Dan, Angie, & Ella,
that their situation is NOT hopeless,
because they have God & us on their side.
God decides where this road leads for them,
and though it is a tough one,
He will give them the
strength and the courage to persevere.

And now for a glimpse into what is life for some families of autistic children
Not every situation is true for Ella and her family, but some are.
Regardless of the severity,
each and every child,
each and every family,
needs our support,
needs our prayers,
and needs us to be aware.

and now a look at
"Autism Everyday"