April is National Autism Awareness Month. And today is World Autism Awareness Day. Below is some general information about autism, including a definition, some poignant facts, and links to resources for art therapy and autism. You can read about how kids with autism become “Kids With Cameras” and how an artist with autism can draw entire cities from memory. You can also read a great article about how art therapy helps people with autism.
From the Autism Society of America (ASA), a definition of autism:
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.
Autism Video
Autism Facts
- Autism affects approximately 1 out of every 150 children and 1 out of every 94 boys.
- It is estimated that between 1 and 1.5 million Americans have some form of autism with a 10-17% annual growth.
- Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the world.
- Growth comparison in the 90’s: a) U.S. population increased by 13%, b) Diabetes increased by 16%, and c) autism increased by 172%.
- More children will be diagnosed with autism in 2008 than with diabetes, cancer, & AIDS combined.
- Autism is 4 times more prevalent with boys than girls.
- There is currently no way to medically detect or cure autism, but early diagnosis and intervention can improve the outcome and reduce the cost of lifelong care by approximately two-thirds.
- Anyone from any background, ethnicity, or geographic location, can have autism.
Autism Resources
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks YouTube channel
World Autism Awareness Day
Autism Organizations
World Autism Awareness Day events schedule
Art therapy and autism
www.arttherapyandautism.com
Thanks for linking to my site! I update the News/Events and Resources pages regularly. Great blog-
No problem Nicole…Your site is a great resource. Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🙂
This site along with Nicole Martin’s has helped me greatly in my 4000 word research paper I completed, my topic being the positive effects art therapy has on autistic children. Thank you!
I have worked alongside some children with Autism spectrum disorder over the years. It is amazing how colour and form can be so soothing to the eye, third eye. I noticed calm and passion being expressed from a darling four year old girl, who was struggling to remain seated on a chair for any longer than 2 minutes. Watching this child in close proximity, and playing with a dexteritory game that was colourful helped to bring about recognition, cognition, and dexteritory.I would like to be able to explore this area in Art Therapy, and devise a model to teach, whereby a particular child would benefit, from colour techniques, line drawings, or symbols, using different tactile mediums, for sensory awareness.I think the Artistic talents in these children can enable much Self discovery and awareness of the environment.I would like to be able to help children with Autism develop a sense of Self and encourage Creative Play.
Sorry, this doesn’t have to do with autism, but I couldn’t find another way to post it. I’d like to share a fantastic video that was recently forwarded to me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=vOhf3OvRXKg
“This video shows the winner of “Ukraine’s Got Talent,” Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.”