Understanding and Supporting Autism

Online, June 4, 2010 (Newswire.com) - June 4th, 2010 | California | US: Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. People with autism have difficulties with everyday social interaction. The world, to them, is a mass of people, places and events which they struggle to make sense of, and which can cause considerable anxiety.

The three main areas of difficulty which all people with autism share are sometimes known as the 'triad of impairments'. They are:
· difficulty with social communication
· difficulty with social interaction
· Difficulty with social imagination
The world can seem a very unpredictable and confusing place to people with autism, who often prefer to have a fixed daily routine so that they know what is going to happen every day. Autism is much more common than most people think. Experts estimate that two to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females. There are over half a million kids under the age of 21 with autism.

The US House of Representatives declared the month of April as the 'Autism Awareness Month'. Individuals with autism can benefit from a timely diagnosis and access to appropriate services and support. ALR urges you to reach out and support your local autism organization this month to make a difference.

About ALR
Association for Lifestyle Reform (ALR) is a member-based association that provides educational information to its members and access for its members to a number of lifestyle and discount benefits For as little as $15 per month, ALR members receive discounts on pre-paid legal services, car rentals, vacation packages (including medical tourism), vision products, and much more. To find out more information about ALR visit http://www.alrassociation.org.