Wildfire Advertising Campaign

A few years ago, Smokey the Bear turned 50. Since the life expectancy of your average bear is only 22 ½ years, we can be pretty sure that’s he’s alive only in the continuing series of public service ads (PSAs) that have featured him since the 1950s.

A significant increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has been observed over the past decade. Specifically, the prevalence has increased from 1 in 110 children to 1 in 88. The 2011 Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) described the increase in prevalence of ASDs as a national medical emergency. To address this emergency, the IACC developed a strategic plan. Successful implementation of the plan could improve the quality of life of children with ASDs and their families. Evaluation of cost-effectiveness of evidence-based services is one of the long-term objectives in the IACC strategic plan, and this proposal addresses it. According to PA-10-159 entitled Research on Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (R03),

Offit, Paul A. Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. New York: Columbia UP, 2008.

The author of “Autism Is a Serious Public Health Crisis”, Anne Dachel, is among other things a former school teacher and an established advocate for autism awareness. She is also the parent of a child who was diagnosed with autism in the early 90’s. This article focuses primarily on what Dachel has titled “the really big lie” and the economical results that an aging population of autistic children will have on the nation. According to Dachel the “big lie” being told is that the increased number of children being diagnosed with autism is as a result of better diagnosing abilities and higher awareness. Dachel expresses her belief that the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is actually making these false claims as to why numbers are increasing in order to cover up the truth behind why autism numbers are on the rise and the CDC involvement in the cause.

The feelings a parent faces when diagnosed with an autistic child can only be described as guilt, pain, panic and disbelief. Where the dreams of their child surviving all the years of educational schooling and therapy and becoming an independent adult start fading; yet there are success stories of those who did. The Internet has made it possible for parents to have access to a great deal of information about treatment for ASD. Unfortunately, much of the information is not based on solid scientific evidence that demonstrates

since the year 2006 were 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism every year, autism is much

Working with children with autism and their families is an important issue. According to the U.S. Department of Education, identification of children with autism increased 79% from 1993-1997. This increase is not proportional to other disabilities, since the increase in identification of all disabilities from the same period was only 9.5% (National Center for Education Statistics, 1998). Over 500,000 people in the U.S. have some form of autism or pervasive developmental disorder, making it one of the most common developmental disabilities (Autism Society of America, 1999). Yet many professionals in healthcare and education do not have the knowledge or preparation to work with this growing population (Autism Society of America, 1999; Hart, 1993; Jordan & Powell, 1995; Muskat & Redefer, 1994).

People in today’s society hear more about autism and its prevalence in school systems than they did ten years ago. A study was done between 2002 and 2006 in the state of New Jersey to determine whether or not autism was becoming more and more prevalent. “For 2006, a total of 533 children with autism spectrum disorder were identified, consistent with prevalence of 17.4 per 1000, indicating a significant increase in the disorder from 2002 where the prevalence was

Every parent wants to do the best they can, and when things don't go as planned, they question if their parenting skills are good enough. When Heather found out her children both had Autism, she would compare them to others, knowing they would never be normal; always questioning why, and how they acquired this disorder. When her daughter reached the age of eight she stopped showing signs of Autism. Autism affects all autistic children in different ways. In this essay, I plan to research and find out more about Autism, the signs and symptoms and different spectrums of it, and if vaccinations cause Autism. This relates to my senior project, because I will be hosting a fundraiser for Autism and raising money to donate to the Rich

Autism is a rare disease that can be characterized by a “neurodevelopmental disorder categorized by the inability to relate to and perceive the environment in the realistic manner.” (Anthes, 1997) The signs of autism are mainly found in infants to young children usually between the ages of newborn to two years. The main symptoms that are discussed are “impairment in social interaction fixation of inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, and resistance to changes in their daily routine.” (Anthes, 1997) Autism is a very understood disease but one thing most people do not know is that autism not only effects a child’s life mentally and physically, it also effects their social ability to have friends, play normally and even grow up

With the prevalence of autism at an all-time high, there are many benefits to identifying a child as early as possible. Identification and intervention can dramatically improve outcomes for children with ASD. Children have increased neural plasticity at a very early age, making it easier for children to learn new skills such as communication, play, and overall skill development. Early intervention will improve children’s behaviors and remediate areas of weaknesses. Also, according to the New Jersey Early Intervention System program, early intervention makes the transition into preschool easier for children diagnosed with autism. In addition, parent-implemented intervention usually leads to better parent-child interaction, improved communication, behavior, and better maternal knowledge of autism.

Tens of millions of people have been diagnosed with Autism worldwide, effecting both genders, all races, ethnicities and people from all socioeconomic classes. In 2010 a Surveillance Summary was conducted in the United States, where it identified that one in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). It has been recognised

In 2011, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that on average, 1 in 10 children each year are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (Hunt & Marshall, 2012, p. 304). However, the number of children diagnosed with autism in recent years is

One the biggest psychological disorders in our society is childhood autism. Childhood autism is defined as “A pervasive developmental disorder defined by the presence of abnormal and/or impaired development that is manifest before the age of 3 years, and by the characteristic type of abnormal functioning in all three areas of social interaction, communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviour.” (MHresource.org). Furthermore, boys are three to four more times likely to develop childhood autism than girls (MHresources.org). Statistics also show that the prevalence of childhood autism in births is one in fifty-nine and has grown 119.4 percent from 2000 to 2010 (CDC). Now, researchers are looking into what causes childhood autism. They are

While observing my 3-year-old son at the park, I started to notice he wasn’t playing like the other children. Children were playing and having conversations among themselves. During my observation my son was withdrawn refusing to socially interact with other children and seemed as if he was in his own little world. At that moment, I soon began to recollect in my mind other strange behavior’s and actions he has been displaying. Fast forward to our visit to the pediatrician and that’s when I heard it. The words that changed my life from that exact moment on. Your son has “Autism”. “Autism” what is that? I did what any mother would do grabbed my phone and turned to internet for answers. As I began my journey to educated myself, my goal is to raise awareness in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and be an advocate for my child and other individuals with Autism. Raising awareness in Autism increases understanding of the condition and change the perspective of the negative stigma of individuals that lack empathy, provide essential information for families and helping medical researchers crack the code to the discovery of causes and advance treatments. Just like building a puzzle, each piece has its own unique shape and design, alone the pieces have no meaning but when you start connecting the pieces together that is when you discover the whole