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Friday, March 29, 2024

Little Friends celebrates National Autism Awareness Month

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April is National Autism Awareness Month, an initiative set forth to help increase society’s understanding and acceptance of those affected by autism and other developmental disabilities. At Little Friends, we like to think of every month as Autism Awareness Month. We see the challenges faced and overcome by our clients every single day, and we serve over 800 of our friends, families and neighbors every single year.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and autism are general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized in varying degrees by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.

More than likely, unless your life has been touched by autism, your knowledge of this disorder probably just encompasses the basics: studies show that autism is 4.5 times more common among boys than girls; an estimated one out of 42 boys and one out of 189 girls are diagnosed with autism every year, with symptoms typically appearing before the age of three; ASD is estimated to affect more than two million (2,000,000) individuals in the U.S. and tens of millions nationwide.

While this data illustrates the sheer magnitude of impact on a national level, Little Friends is making a difference right here, in our own back yard, working with clients and families on all levels of the autism spectrum. We provide cutting-edge comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for those as young as 18 months at our nationally-recognized Center for Autism; serve as a primary referral source to over 50 school districts across Illinois for students ages 5 to 21; offer a wide range of training and vocational opportunities at Spectrum, our dynamic adult day services program; provide integrated living for clients up to age 90 in our Community Living Services program, and so much more.

While Little Friends is proud to be a part of Autism Awareness Month, our work won’t stop at the end of April. In fact, after 52 years of changing lives in our community, we feel our work is just beginning.

Please feel free to contact us at (630) 355-6533, visit www.littlefriendsinc.org or follow us on social media to learn more about Little Friends and how you can help those with autism and other developmental disabilities lead fulfilling lives – regardless of challenge – every single month of the year.

—Mike Briggs

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Mike Briggs
Mike Briggshttp://littlefriendsinc.org
Mike Briggs is the President and CEO of Little Friends. Little Friends empowers clients with autism and other developmental disabilities to thrive in our community. Their groundbreaking programs and nationally-renowned staff provide lifelong opportunities for growth, so their clients can work, learn, play and experience the joy of life’s everyday moments.

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