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CHECK OUT THE PICTURES
I think most of us sometimes get too involved with ourselves and our own lives that we sometimes overlook things and people around us. In our drive to better our lives or even just to get by, we tend to be tunnel-visioned on what we consider important to us at that very moment. A fellow Guevarian helped me reopen my eyes and readjust my perspective. Being a parent of a young little boy, who is my pride and joy as well as THE CENTER OF MY UNIVERSE, the fellow Guevarian made me appreciate how lucky I and most of us are. There, however, are countless others, families of Guevarians included, who are not as lucky. They are often misunderstood and sometimes even forgotten or even alienated. These are kids afflicted with the disability called autism. I'd like to think that our community of Guevarians is one full of compassion and understanding. Please read the information below. And if you can, please help disseminate it by telling your friends and family. Public awareness is key to understanding the disorder. It is also key to helping not only those who are afflicted by this disorder but also their family members who may be struggling to cope with it.
What is Autism? AUTISM is developmental disability that severely hinders the way information is gathered and processed by the brain, causing problems in communication, learning and social behaviors. It typically appears during the child’s first three years, occurs in roughly 15 to 20 of every 10,000 births and is four times more common in males than females. People with autism live normal life spans and some of the behaviors associated with it may change or disappear over time. Autism has been found through the world in families of all racial, ethnic and social backgrounds.WHAT CAUSES AUTISM? Although no one specific cause of autism is known, current researches link autism to biological or neurological differences in the brain. The severely incapacitating symptoms are caused by physical disorders of the brain. In some families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities which suggests there may be a genetic basis to the disorder, although at this time no one gene has been directly linked to autism. No known factors in the psychological environment of a child have been shown to cause autism. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? The following areas are among those which may be affected by autism: Communication: Language develops slowly or not at all; use of words without attaching the usual meaning to them, gestures use instead of words; short attention span. Social Interaction: The person with autism may spend time alone rather than with others; show little interest in making friends; less responsive to social cues such as eye contact or smiles. Sensory impairment: Usual reactions to physical sensations such as being overly sensitive to touch or under responsive to pain; sight, hearing, touch, pain, smell, taste may be affected to a lesser or greater degree. Play: Lack of spontaneous or imaginative play; does not imitate others’ action; does not initiate pretend games. Behaviors: May be overactive or very passive; throw frequent tantrums for no apparent reason; may persevere on one single item, idea or person; apparent lack of common sense; may show aggressive or violent behavior or injure self. For more information, please call (O49) 536-53-29 or write to: AUTISM CENTER OF CAHBRIBA |
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