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I made this video for Autism Awareness. This video has a Native American twist to it. Landon loves powwow music so I played two of his favorite songs by Black Lodge Singers.Layout made by <3~Christy<3~_________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____I am a person forced to belong in a world I do not understand.♥ I respond to the world with behaviors,which you do not understand.♥Here is my plea.♥Approach me gently and quietly.♥ Present your world with compassion and kindness.♥ Be patient with my rejection,respect my world.♥ And at least initally ,allow me to find solace in that world.♥Never give up on me.♥ Never give into my autism.♥ But believe in me as a fellow human being.♥ Take time for me,be kind to me,entrust your compassion.♥ And we both shall gain.♥ You too, will find your world more joyous.♥ For together we will be challenged to confront life.♥With Strength of character and determination of spirit, You will find new meaning to your world as I challenge you to teach me, it is worth entering.♥ Your mission will not be an easy one The rewards along the way will be small and few. But together we shall walk hand in hand Facing your world with delight.♥Your life will be enriched because you have touched mine. I promise you..♥ I don't know who wrote that but whoever the person was I would love to shake their hand. ____________________________________________________________ __________________________________ This myspace is dedicated to my son Landon and all children on the Autism Spectrum. I am doing this because I want Autism Awareness to be spread through the world. We are better off throwing it out there so our children can live without being looked down upon. Like the saying goes Autism isn't Contagious, Ignorance is! ____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________ He is 4 years old. He is Autistic. He is finally saying words, he hasn't put them together completely but hey it's a start :). He is also learning sign language and pictures to communicate better. He is going to a special needs school now to help him learn a good routine and to learn to be around other children that are not his family. When he was 6 months old and up he didn't crawl, sit up, make eye contact and hardly responded, finally getting fed up with our old pediatrician called him lazy my husband and I took him to a neurologist to see if they could tell us what was wrong and he was diagnosed with Motor Apraxia and Cognitive Impairment.We have been through a lot with this beautiful little boy and he has changed our lives for the better. That is why this site is dedicated to him and the milestones that he has accomplished. He still has a long way to go but no matter what we will always be proud of him.________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________This is a video of landon being silly!Facts about AutismDid you know… 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with autism 1 in 94 boys is on the autism spectrum 67 children are diagnosed per day A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. Autism costs the nation over $90 billion per year, a figure expected to double in the next decade Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism There is no medical detection or cure for autismIncidence vs. Private Funding Leukemia: Affects 1 in 25,000 / Funding: $310 million Muscular Dystrophy: Affects 1 in 20,000 / Funding: $175 million Pediatric AIDS: Affects 1 in 8,000 / Funding: $394 million Juvenile Diabetes: Affects 1 in 500 / Funding: $130 million Autism: Affects 1 in 150 / Funding: $15 millionNational Institutes of Health Funds Allocation Total 2005 NIH budget: $29 billion Of this, only $100 million goes towards autism research. This represents 0.3% of total NIH funding.http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/facts.phpWhat is autism? Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder of development that lasts throughout a person's lifetime. Because persons with autism exhibit different symptoms or behaviors, ranging from mild to serious, autism is a "spectrum" disorder, or a group of disorders with a range of similar features. Children with autism have difficulty communicating and interacting with others. Many individuals with autism seem to retreat into isolation , or fixate on a word, an object, or an activity.Sometimes symptoms are seen in infancy, while other children develop normally for a year or more before they begin to slip into their own private world. At best, a high functioning person with autism may simply seem eccentric, a loner. At worst, a person with more profound autism may never learn to speak or care for themselves.You are never prepared for a child with autism. You will gradually come to believe it, but never fully accept it, get used to it, or get over it. You put away the hopes and dreams you had for that child - the high school graduation, the June wedding. Small victories are cause for celebration - a word mastered, a dry bed, a hug given freely.How common is autism? Autism is a national crisis. It is the fastest growing disability in the United States. A child is diagnosed with autism every 20 minutes and it now affects one in every 150 children.More than a disorder, autism is a national crisis affecting more than 1.5 million Americans and costing the country more than $90 billion annual. As the rate of autism accelerates, so do our efforts.What are common signs of autism? Children affected by autism do not always experience the same symptoms. The symptoms depend on the severity of the disorder. The impact or manifestation of these behaviors can range from mild to disabling. Early signs of autism are:Loss or lack of speech around 18 months of age. Little or no eye contact. Loss or lack of gestures, such as pointing or waving. Repetitive speech or actions. Unusual reactions to the way things look, feel, smell, taste or sound. How do I know if my child has autism? A qualified professional, such as a developmental pediatrician or pediatric neurologist, makes an autism diagnosis.A professional may use a screening questionnaire to gather observations from the child’s parents. If the screening indicates the possibility of autism, a more comprehensive evaluation is often conducted by a medical team that includes a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist and other specialists.How is autism treated? Early Intervention: programs include educational programs and behavior training programs that emphasize developing language and social skills.Special Education: specialized education programs geared to maximize the potential of each individual, taking into consideration their social needs.Family Support: counseling for parents and siblings of children with autism is encouraged and often helpful to cope with the challenges of living with an autistic family member.Medication: pharmaceutical interventions are prescribed to help children develop social and language skills.Alternative Therapies: there also are a number of alternative therapies available for children with autism. However, few have been supported by scientific studies. Parents should research the providers and the treatment before beginning a course of non-traditional therapy.What causes autism? At this time, scientists do not know exactly what causes autism. Because no two people with autism are alike, autism is likely to be the result of many causes.A number of research studies indicate a genetic link as the underlying cause. Researchers are also examining possible neurological, infectious, metabolic, environmental and immunologic factors.Is autism genetic? There is strong evidence of a genetic component in autism. In identical twins, the chance of a twin developing autism if the other twin is autistic is as high as 60%. The chance of a sibling or a fraternal twin developing autism is 10-20% higher than in the general population.Cure Autism Now created the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE). AGRE is a DNA bank of more than 647 families who have more than one child with autism.I have heard about a new therapy. How do I know if it is safe for my child? As the number of children with autism has increased, so have the types of therapies being offered. There are both medical treatments and alternative therapies to consider. For example, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), focuses on the behavioral aspects of autism disorders. Others deal with physiological aspects, like diet and sensory issues.In terms of safety, it is best to seek the counsel of a medical professional before attempting any type of treatment program, and to learn as much as you can before committing to a course of treatment.What services will my child need? Because the characteristics and severity of autism vary from person to person, there is no single guideline for treating or helping individual with autism.Some will be highly functional and need assistance finding a job or attending college. Others may simply need help finding a roommate or apartment. Individuals with more severe autism will likely require a group home setting.What is the prognosis for people with autism? Our hope at CAN is that by finding the causes and effective biological treatments for autism, we will improve the quality of life for all people afflicted with this disorder. For years, parents were told there was no effective treatment for children with autism. They were told to let go of dreams for their children and invest only in the hope that future generations might benefit from researching the causes and a cure for autism. Cure Autism Now has demonstrated that science can indeed be hurried , through hard work, more funding and innovation. A cure is closer than we thought - in time for this generation.In terms of life span, barring additional health complications, people with autism live as long as the average person. Quality of life depends on the individual. Some people with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome do marry, attend college, have successful careers and participate in their communities. Other individuals with autism will require lifelong care and guidance.How can scientific research, like the studies funded by CAN, make a difference in our lives? In 1995, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) devoted only $5 million of its annual budget to biological research in autism. More recently, NIH reported spending $100 million annually on autism research. Cure Autism Now parents drafted the legislation that became the Children’s Health Act of 2000, and we led the way to its successful passage. Cure Autism Now continues this fight by driving passage of the Combating Autism Act, designed to commit an unprecedented $860 million in federal funds to research, screening, intervention and education efforts.The scientific exploration, field building and increased awareness of Cure Autism Now's first 10 years have laid the foundation for exciting developments over the next decade. We are pleased by this, but we are not satisfied. We are inspired to push harder and work faster to bring a better future to those who are burdened with the challenges of autism today.