 Overview
Autism is often a misunderstood developmental disability
whose diagnosis is either missed or misdiagnosed. Symptoms
are now recognized in early childhood, but in the past, diagnosis
was often delayed until school age. In recent years, this
condition has been identified as a spectrum of disorders.
It is not known how many people in the U.S. have an autism
spectrum disorder (ASD), but the number of new diagnoses
is rising. Is this a result of previous misclassification,
an increased awareness of ASD, recent funding opportunities
for those diagnosed with ASD, or is there another cause?
Our program will examine the answers to these questions.
We will also present community strategies for increasing
ASD awareness, discuss the importance of early detection,
and demonstrate how community support is necessary to ensure
the highest level of social and cognitive development for
these children. Miami, Florida is a community that has made
great strides in this effort by fostering partnerships among
public health professionals, researchers, local service agencies
and educators. Join us as we share their strategies for ensuring
that all children with ASD are identified and supported with
the necessary resources.
Goal
This program will seek to increase awareness of autism spectrum
disorders (ASD) and the importance of early identification,
developmental support, and community partnerships in responding
to the rising concerns surrounding this developmental disability.
Objectives
- Identify four key behaviors that may suggest a child
has an autism spectrum disorder.
- Identify the role of healthcare professionals in identifying
ASD and other developmental disabilities.
- Identify three possible reasons for the rise in autism
diagnoses over the past couple of decades.
- Describe at least two community strategies for supporting
children with ASD.
Audience
Public health leaders, managers, and professionals from
local and state government agencies, boards of health, school
systems, community organizations, academic institutions,
federal agencies, and others who seek to learn more about
autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the community's response
in identifying and supporting children with ASD.
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