April is Autism Awareness Month

SPARTA-April 2005 has been proclaimed Autism Awareness Month by Sparta Mayor Scott Seelagy. Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder affecting social, learning, and behavioral skills. Autism was once though to be relatively rare, affecting only one in ten thousand people. However, as more health professionals become proficient in diagnosing autism, more children are being diagnosed with disorders on the autism spectrum, resulting in rates as high as six in one thousand children. Although there is no known cure for autism, significant improvement is possible with early treatment. The Kiwanis International is spearheading an awareness effort in order to educate parents, professionals, and the general public about autism and its effects.