The March 21st introduction of the Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act of 2007 by Senators Clinton and Allard is being praised by the Autism Society of America. This legislation, if passed, would provide approximately $350 million to improve access to comprehensive treatments, interventions, and services for individuals with autism and their families.
The proposed legislation aims to:
- for the first time, convene a task force to evaluate and report on evidence-based biomedical and behavioral treatments and services
- establish State-based demonstration grant programs to provide evidence-based autism treatments, interventions, and services for children and adults
- support protection and advocacy systems to address the needs of individuals with autism and other emerging populations of individuals with disabilities.
- fund expanded access to coordinated multi-agency treatments, interventions, and services to children
- provide supplemental grants for training and technical assistance to service providers and educators and to establish a national center on autism information.
In a recent press release, Easter Seals has announced their plans for National Autism Awareness Month (April). Over the last 20 years, Easter Seals has seen a dramatic increase in the number of children and adults with autism the organization serves. With current autism rates sitting at 1 in 150 children (including 1 in 94 boys); autism is now more prevalent than Down Syndrome, childhood diabetes, and childhood cancers combined.
“Autism Awareness Month provides us with an opportunity to help raise awareness about autism services and treatments available to families –today,” says James E. Williams, Jr., president and chief executive officer,Easter Seals. “Easter Seals is unique as one of the nation’s leading providers of services and support for children and adults living with autism. And, we’re working internationally to deliver personalized treatments for people with autism.”
For more information about Easter Seals, please visit their website.
My son saw the psychologist again this morning for an IQ test. The test du jour was the WPPSI-III also known as the Weschler Preschool Primary Scale of Intelligence; this is the same test my daughter took. Evidently the age range on the test is from 2-6. The psychologist had me wait in the waiting room while she and Alexander went through the test items. This waiting was oh so annoying as there was another patient there who had her cd player on very loudly; even though she had headphones on I could hear every note and every word of every song. I was hoping for a nice quiet morning and instead I got distorted music blaring through the headphones of a person sitting a good ten feet from me.
In addition to the test I dropped off all of the paperwork for the psychologist to score. We were originally going to do a follow-up on Wednesday, March 28th but the psychologist would like to see Alexander on Monday the 26th where she will administer one more test and then go over the results of the tests and her ultimate findings with me. On Monday she’ll be administering the ADOS - Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. This test was also administered to my daughter. I know my son will score much differently than my daughter did as he doesn’t have the communication delays. It will be interesting to see what the result of all the testing is. Being the impatient person that I am, I’m glad that we are being seen a full two days earlier than I originally expected.
