APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH

The puzzle piece ribbon that symbolizes the puzzling disorder that is Autism.

And today, April 2, is Autism Awareness Day, or more specifically, World Autism Day.

I took my son Clayton down to the lake yesterday for a little Sunday afternoon fishing, and he caught this bluegill.  We also saw turtles, ducks, coots, geese and seagulls.  It was a beautiful Palm Sunday we enjoyed together....  I can only imagine what it would be like to spend a day with my son, should he one day be "cured"....

If you are able to do so, please contribute to any of the fine organizations that help fight this disorder.

Clayton smiling for the camera (for once!).  Unfortunately, the bluegill spun around so all you see is its belly.  We  let him go, and laughed as he swam off, back to its bed.  It was a beautiful day.

Some of the organizations that help fight autism, or help those that suffer from the Autism Spectrum Disorder are:  Autism Society of America; Autism Speaks:  Defeat Autism Now; National Autism Association; and there are numerous others, and there are even special schools for those afflicted -- perhaps even locally in your area.

In case you didn't hear last week, according to the CDC, the incidence of autism among boys is now 1 in 54!  ONE IN FIFTY-FOUR!    And overall, among children, it is now 1 in 88.  We must do something to stop this disorder.  Please contribute time, money, whatever you are able, to help these special people.  The children struggling with ASD today, are tomorrow's adults; and we MUST find a way to help cure this epidemic!  We certainly want to help them learn to be contributing members of society.  Early intervention is the key, because there is no cure!  And we still don't even know what causes it!

Every parent worries about what will happen to their child one day when they are gone.  What will they do?  Will they be okay?  Our society is simply not capable of handling all these children once they become adults -- and certainly if these statistics continue to worsen, they will just create a large burden on our society.

Please research whichever organization may be in your area, and be generous in your gift.  And let's help those people and those families that live with this everyday.  My prayer is that one day there is a solution to this problem -- a cure for all these kids, and of course, Clayton.

Thank you.

And until next time,

Fish on!

Dan