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Punjab Foundation is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism spectrum disorder. We not just support the children affected with autism, but also work for empowerment of the parents dealing with autism.

We are involved in valuable work like assessment, education that meets the individual needs; provide them social education so that they can become part of society.

Our focus on activities like Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in which children with autism are taught to learn of their daily living skills so that they can able to live an independent life.

It is not just a school it is the mid path between normal and special schools that provides not only the special education but academics too. We believe that every child has a right to get the education according to his or her needs. Our motive is to prepare them for the mainstream schools. We believe that every child has potential to learn and we provide it to them in a better way so that they can become an active part of society and live with dignity.

Punjab Foundation also provides the counselling services to the affected families. It works like a parents support group that focus on raising awareness about autism specially in villages and backward area.

What is Autism?

 
 
 

Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3. Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities

Individuals with autism often suffer from numerous co-morbid medical conditions which may include: allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, feeding disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, and more

Autism is diagnosed four times more often in boys than girls. Its prevalence is not affected by race, region, or socio-economic status. Since autism was first diagnosed in the U.S. the incidence has climbed to an alarming one in 68 children in the U.S.

Autism itself does not affect life expectancy, however research has shown that the mortality risk among individuals with autism is twice as high as the general population, in large part due to drowning and other accidents.

Currently there is no cure for autism, though with early intervention and treatment, the diverse symptoms related to autism can be greatly improved and in some cases completely overcome.

Autism Facts & Stats

 
 
 

  • Autism now affects 1 in 68 children in USA
  • Boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls
  • About 40% of children with autism do not speak. About 25%–30% of children with autism have some words at 12 to 18 months of age and then lose them. Others might speak, but not until later in childhood.
  • Autism greatly varies from person to person (no two people with autism are alike).
  • The rate of autism has steadily grown over the last twenty years.
  • Comorbid conditions often associated with autism include Fragile X, allergies, asthma, epilepsy, bowel disease, gastrointestinal/digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, PANDAS, feeding disorders, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, OCD, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, immune disorders, autoimmune disorders, and neuroinflammation.
  •  Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder, yet most underfunded.

A 2008 Danish Study found that the mortality risk among those with autism was nearly twice that of the general population

  •     Children with autism do progress – early intervention is key
  • Autism is treatable, not a hopeless condition

Early Intervention

  • If your child is young and you suspect there might be something wrong, immediately seek early intervention services for your child.
  • Ask your child’s pediatrician to put you in touch with the early intervention system in your community or region
  • Contact the Pediatrics branch in a local hospital and ask where you should call to find out about early intervention services in your area.

Other key findings-

  • Almost three-quarters of those surveyed agreed that children with autism are more likely than other children to be bullied.
  • Misconceptions exist in some communities about whether people with autism commit crimes at a higher rate than the general population. In fact, research dispels that notion and shows that those with autism are more likely than average to be the victims of crime.
  • There is still a lack of understanding among some people about autism’s effect on daily life, including driving, relationships and humor.

Autistic Kids

 
 
 

Signs of Autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by:

  • social impairments
  • cognitive impairments
  • communication difficulties
  • repetitive behaviors

Because Autism is a spectrum disorder, it can range from very mild to very severe and occur in all ethnic, socioeconomic and age groups. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females. Some children with autism appear normal before age 1 or 2 and then suddenly “regress” and lose language or social skills they had previously gained. This is called the regressive type of autism.

Early Signs : A person with ASD might

 
 
 

  • Not respond to their name (the child may appear deaf)
  • Not point at objects or things of interest, or demonstrate interest
  • Not play “pretend” games
  • Avoid eye contact
  • Want to be alone
  • Have difficulty understanding, or showing understanding, or other people’s feelings or their own
  • Have no speech or delayed speech
  • Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
  • Give unrelated answers to questions

  • Get upset by minor changes
  • Have obsessive interests
  • Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles
  • Have unusual reactions (over or under-sensitivity) to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
  • Have low to no social skills
  • Avoid or resist physical contact
  • Demonstrate little safety or danger awareness
  • Reverse pronouns (e.g., says “you” instead of “I”)

People with autism may also:

 
 
 

  • Have unusual interests and behaviors
  • Have extreme anxiety and phobias, as well as unusual phobias
  • Line up toys or other objects
  • Play with toys the same way every time
  • Like parts of objects (e.g., wheels)
  • Become upset by minor changes
  • Have obsessive interests

Other Symptoms:

 
 
 

  • Hyperactivity (very active)
  • Impulsivity (acting without thinking)
  • Short attention span
  • Aggression
  • Causing self injury
  • Meltdowns
  • Unusual eating and sleeping habits
  • Unusual mood or emotional reactions
  • Lack of fear or more fear than expected
  • Have unusual sleeping habits

Autism Facts

 
 
 

  • Autism prevalence figures are growing
  • More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined
  • An estimated 1 out of 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.
  • ASD is estimated to affect more than 2 million individuals in the U.S.
  • Approximately 100 individuals are diagnosed every day with autism in the U.S.
  • Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
  • Autism costs the nation over $137 billion per year, a figure expected to significantly increase in the next decade
  • Autism receives approximately 5% of the government research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases.

  • Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism
  • While there is no medical detection or known cure for autism, thousands of children have shown significant improvement resulting from early diagnosis and use of effective interventions
  • The increase in prevalence rate cannot be explained by better diagnosis alone. Some have suggested that autism is just being better diagnosed today versus years ago and that many cases of intellectual disability are now being coded as autism. This would also assume that the experts diagnosing autism before did not know what they were doing. This is NOT TRUE. Autism is the only disorder dramatically on the rise while mental retardation or intellectual disability, Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis remain relatively the same.
  • While the cause of autism remains unclear, current studies show genetics and environment both play a role in the autism prevalence increase.