Autism

When a hurricane hits, families that have a member with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have even more hurdles to clear than other families do.

The Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida unveiled a new sensory-friendly ambulance and introduced a groundbreaking program dedicated to families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder, called SEA STAR.

Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida offers a free, monthly autism spectrum disorder screening. Medical consultants say that an early autism diagnosis can make a vast difference for toddlers and their families.

According to the latest available data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate at which kids in the U.S. are being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder has risen to one in 36 children. That’s up from 1 in 44 in 2018, and 1 in 101 in 2015. The increasing rate has driven a growing demand for education, therapy and other services for neurodivergent kids and their families — and for their entire support networks.

Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, offers a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for toddlers 18 months to five years of age.

According to the latest available data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate at which kids in the U.S. are being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder has risen to one in 36 children. That’s up from 1 in 44 in 2018, and 1 in 101 in 2015. The increasing rate has driven a growing demand for education, therapy and other services for neurodivergent kids and their families — and for their entire support networks.

Dr. Temple Grandin grew up with autism in the 1950s when the disorder was not well-understood. She did not talk until she was three and a half years old and back then many children with speech delays were institutionalized. Dr. Grandin is now a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, and her insights on animal behavior have revolutionized the livestock industry. Over her career she has written scores of scientific papers, and numerous books. She was even the focus of a semi-biographical HBO film called Temple Grandin. She joins us in advance of her talk on Saturday at the Christ Community Church in Fort Myers as part of the nonprofit Family Initiative’s ‘Redefining Autism’ speaker series.

A conversation with Southwest Florida Music Education Center Executive Director Jennifer Clark and the organization’s mission to provide comprehensive post-secondary music certificate programs for neurodivergent students, with a goal of preparing students for careers in the music industry.

One in every 44 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with some form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). And while screening techniques have improved, diagnosis and cause are still far from straightforward.

As April marks Autism Acceptance Month, we talk with the founders of the Southwest Florida-based nonprofit Family Initiative about the broad scope of services they provide to empower ASD kids and their families.