What’s in a word?

   In 1966, “autism” was just a word I’d memorized for a multiple choice test. Because I was a special education major, I was at least aware of the word. Math and history majors never even had the word introduced into their vocabularies.

   In 2006, April has been designated as Autism Awareness Month. Of course with one out of every 166 people exhibiting some degree of autism, one might think we’d already be quite aware of it. Why is it that only in the last decade that “autism” has become a household word?

   Sheila Wagner, Assistant Director of the Autism Center at Emory University helped to enlighten me as to why the numbers on autism are on the rise. The Snellville resident, who authored two books about autism, said, “Years ago, autistic children were either institutionalized or kept at home, but it is now known that they can learn to maneuver and survive in the community. Secondly, since 1994 we’ve been including children with Asperger’s Syndrome in the counting, which raises the numbers. And thirdly, we now have better instruments in the professional field good at diagnosing autism.”

   Wagner also noted that because of all the media attention in recent years, lay people are more aware of the condition and people in the medical field are more aware and able to make better referrals for treatment, which results in more programs, thus more visibility for autistic children.

   If autism awareness is the focus for April, then Gwinnett Library’s timing couldn’t be better. The newest addition, the Dacula Branch, will open next Saturday. Along with all the traditional ribbon cutting and refreshments will come one of the largest resource collections of materials for parenting special needs children in the state. The 300 available items include 40 titles devoted to autism. And with the Dacula Cluster being recognized as one of Georgia’s best service providers for special needs children, what better place for this awareness to begin? Library Board Chairman, Dan English, a big proponent of autism awareness said, “There are so many people I know who have children on the autism spectrum. But with autism, the quality of life can be dramatically improved by intensive early intervention.”

   Intensive therapy can cost up to $100,000 a year, but purposeful attention at home can make a big difference both in the child’s life and the family’s budget.

   “The overall purpose of the collection is to get materials into the hands of people who can’t afford therapy and to give parents resources to help them work with special needs children.”

   And the awareness campaign goes beyond book learning. Wagner, who is Honorary Chair of the Cure Autism Walk and Resource Fair at Turner Field on May 6, invites everyone to come out and become more aware of everything going on around them. Whatever it takes to spread the word! ( www.walknow.org )

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