Autism Support Network and Beijing Stars and Rain join to heighten autism awareness in China

(May 24, 2010) FAIRFIELD, USA / BEIJING, CHINA – Autism Support Network and Beijing Stars and Rain today announced a cooperative effort to spread autism awareness across China and elevate Beijing Stars and Rain’s efforts to those outside of China.

Beijing Stars and Rain is China's first non-governmental educational organization dedicated to serving children with autism. Founded in 1993 by Tian Huiping, a mother of an autistic boy, the school is a grassroots educational institute providing special education for families of autistic children. It annually conducts four 11-week education and training programs for both children and parents from throughout China. The school has helped more than 6,000 autistic children and their families across the country and has won support from an army of volunteers from around the world. Stars and Rain has also recently opened a small group home for teens.

“Beijing Stars and Rain is undertaking work – a few families at a time – to help slowly turn the tide of autism ignorance in China and provides parental training and hope for those children and their families that would otherwise be hopeless,” said Brian Field, co-founder of Autism Support Network. “As the first NGO in China undertaking such critical efforts, they are undertaking a leadership position that demands support not only within China but from organizations supporting autism internationally.”

“We thank the Autism Support Network for their efforts to increase awareness of our programs and autism overall within China and across other counties,” said Sun Zhong Kai, development officer for Stars and Rain. “By providing Autism Support Network materials in Chinese, we hope that many others within China will begin to understand more clearly what autism is and how therapy can be approached.”

For those families that have children with autism in China, the combined lack of community awareness and available services can be devastating. Schools will often refuse to accept those with more severe autism, and parents are left with the daunting prospects of how to care for their child and – more specifically – face the prospects of what might become of their child when grown to adulthood after they are gone. Some families go so far as to commit family suicide rather than to face that future burden.
Today 1 in 110 children is diagnosed with autism, with a new case diagnosed every 20 minutes and is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States today. Current estimates put the number of children in China with autism at roughly 2 million, although official reporting may be dramatically under-counting this statistic. More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined. Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests.

About Autism Support Network
Autism Support Network (www.AutismSupportNetwork.com) is a free global online community – with members from over 210 countries – connecting families and individuals touched by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with each other, providing support and insight, and serving as a resource guide for treatments, strategies and therapies.

About Beijing Stars and Rain
As the first autism-focused NGO in China, the mission of Beijing Stars and Rain (www.guduzh.org.cn) is to help people with autism within China reach their full potential, improve their quality of life, and enjoy equal opportunities. The program strives to be a bridge between society and children with autism.

Autism Support Network and Autism South Africa Together Engage to Heighten Autism Awareness, Support

JOHANNESBURG and FAIRFIELD, Conn., April 5, 2010 — Autism Support Network and Autism South Africa today announced a partnership to foster autism education and support across South Africa and internationally. Autism Support Network will promote Autism South Africa’s ongoing informational programs across the nine South African provinces and highlight its resources.

In a nation of over 50 million people, autism in South Africa is only marginally acknowledged with little support or awareness. Those with autism are frequently institutionalized and not provided the therapeutic support that can integrate them meaningfully into society. Furthermore, due to the significant lack of understanding regarding autism in the country, outside of urban areas those with autism and other developmental delays are often regarded as “bewitched” or “possessed” and some forced to undergo dangerous and cruel measures, such as being tied to trees and force-fed hydrochloric acid to “vomit the demon” out.

“Autism South Africa is a prime example of a few individuals undertaking the herculean challenge of developing national awareness, understanding and acceptance of those with autism,” said Brian Field, co-founder of the Autism Support Network. “Their grass-roots efforts, community outreach and identification of local service providers demonstrate how - through persistent efforts - positive incremental change can be realized despite overwhelming obstacles. We support their efforts and will promote their programs to our South African members and assist in elevating their needs to those outside of the country.”

“We are grateful to the Autism Support Network for its efforts in expanding autism awareness and support of our national programs,” stated Jill Stacey, National Director of Autism South Africa. “Our challenges in building awareness for autism in South Africa continue to be significant. Through cooperative partners like ASN, our hope is that our goals can be realized more quickly and that our efforts can be increased as the global community sees and understands our needs.”

About Autism Support Network

Autism Support Network (http://www.AutismSupportNetwork.com) is a free global online community - with members from over 180 countries - connecting families and individuals touched by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with each other, providing support and insight, and serving as a resource guide for treatments, strategies and therapies.

About Autism South Africa

Autism South Africa (http://www.AutismSouthAfrica.org) is a non-profit agency whose mission is to initiate and support the provision of affordable and sustainable autism-specific services across South Africa.

Autism Support Network and Hagar International Partner for Autism Awareness in Cambodia

FAIRFIELD, Conn., Nov. 9, 2009 — Autism Support Network and Hagar International today announced a partnership to help elevate awareness and provide services to children with autism in Cambodia. As part of this effort, Autism Support Network will promote Hagar’s educational programs to its global members and other emerging markets.

Typically, children with disabilities are one of the most at-risk groups in Cambodia. They are also one of the most marginalized. In many cases, children with disabilities are hidden away in their homes, without education, therapy, or friends. Hagar began serving this population in 2000, in “House of Smiles” facilities. Along with educational support, physical and occupational therapies, cooperative programs also provide for mainstreaming opportunities of these children.

“Hagar’s efforts to help children with special needs such as autism in Cambodia - and their programs across the world helping those disenfranchised and ‘at risk’ in developing nations - are a remarkable tribute to the power of humanitarianism,” said Brian Field, co-founder of Autism Support Network. “Their devotion in helping identify, support and work to mainstream children in these communities, aspiring to have them become self-sufficient and realizing their full potential, is not only laudable, but demonstrates how positive change can be brought to any community - large or small, rich or poor.”

“We are grateful to the Autism Support Network for their enthusiastic help in raising the profile of Hagar’s efforts in Cambodia and abroad,” stated Jane Tafel, Executive Director, Hagar USA. “We constantly seek organizations and individuals who recognize the need to support children with special needs across the world. Autism Support Network’s global reach will help direct those seeking help to us locally, and also foster awareness that programs such as ours can take root, grow and flourish.”

About Autism Support Network

Autism Support Network (http://www.AutismSupportNetwork.com) is a free global online community - with members from over 180 countries - connecting families and individuals touched by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with each other, providing support and insight, and serving as a resource guide for treatments, strategies and therapies.

About Hagar International

The mission of Hagar International (http://www.hagarinternational.org) is to restore abused, exploited, and abandoned women and children to life in all its fullness, through holistic healing, community reintegration, and social entrepreneurship. Hagar USA is a 501(c)(3) organization that exists to support the work of Hagar International, in Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.

Autism - Toddlers Brains are Different by Age 2

by Bethany Sanders, Parent Dish

(May 11, 2009) -- Here's a little Brain 101: The amygdala is the part of your brain helps you identify and "read" faces, something known as joint attention. "When you see a face, you scan it, identify if it's friend or foe and make a decision about whether to move forward or avoid it," neurologist Dr. Barry Kosofsky recently told CNN.

That small part of the brain might help researchers make big gains in autism intervention. Joint attention is an important characteristic of autism, and a recent study found that by age two, the amygdala is up to 13 percent larger in children with autism.

"Many studies have observed the brain grows too big in kids with autism, but this study finds that by age 2, the amygdala is already bigger and stops growing," says Kosofsky. "So it tells us the critical difference has already developed. It now poses the question: Are children born with autism or does it develop in the first two years of life?"

It's an exciting time, says Autism Support Network co-founder Brian Field. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability, but researchers haven't been able to determine the exactly when and how autism starts. "Being able to assess infant and toddler brain development through MRI scans could one day become and expected diagnostic test for all children, and could help parents jump-start therapeutic services at an even earlier age," says Field. Early intervention services are crucial to children with autism.

Neurologist Dr. Robert Melillo, author of the book "Disconnected Kids," says that it's unlikely autism is related to just one area of the brain. But he thinks this study makes an important point. "What this does show is that the brain is not damaged or degenerated in any way, but certain areas are not maturing in the proper way. The amygdala seems to be an important area that is not maturing properly."

While this finding doesn't solve the mystery of autism, researchers feel like they've found an important piece of the puzzle.