Above / In early 2007, PN received this vintage photo (circa mid-1970s) for this paper’s monthly “Naper Nostalgia” feature. The faded photo shows community leaders, including then-North Central College President Gael D. Swing and then-Mayor Chet Rybicki, coming together for Little Friends before many residents knew much about autism.
Back in the 1960s, dedicated teacher and community contributor Dottee Krejci imagined establishing a new organization that would bring the community together in support of giving youngsters with special needs a head start. Founded in 1965, Little Friends, Inc., is now a multi-faceted human services agency operating three schools, vocational training programs, community-based residential opportunities; and the Little Friends Center for Autism, a valued resource for diagnosis, comprehensive evaluations, therapies, and training for parents and professionals.
Dear PN Readers,
We’re going to wrap up April the way we began it with thoughts about Autism Awareness Month 2019. We’ve appreciated the feedback we’ve received this month about our focus on the common issues and challenges facing children and adults on the Autism Spectrum.
—Stephanie Penick and Tim Penick
Thoughts about World Autism Month by Mike Briggs, President/CEO of Little Friends
Every April, World Autism Month begins with the United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Day on April 2. On this day and for many the entire month, hundreds of thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities around the world will shine in light blue to recognize people living with autism. Our front driveway will appropriately have light blue light bulbs for the entire month.
The first National Autism Awareness month actually started in 1970. The purpose of this declaration was to educate the public about Autism. With diagnoses soaring to where some organizations have reported that as many as one in 40 children could be on the Autism Spectrum, the increase in the number of children being diagnosed is growing far too rapidly.
Because it is Autism Awareness Month and the diagnoses of Autism is growing at a frightening pace, it only seemed appropriate to use this month’s column as an opportunity to provide some education on something many know a little about unless it has directly touched their lives.
Important things to know that I found researching Autism include:
⋆ The term Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are often used interchangeably. A wide spectrum disorder, people with Autism have a set of symptoms unique to themselves: no two people are the same.
⋆ While no two people are the same, there are common characteristics with this complex disability.
Briefly, characteristics include:
Social Skills – people with Autism have problems interacting with others; autistic children do not have adequate playing and talking skills. Symptoms range from clumsy behavior, being out of sync with those around them, and not being interested in others.
Empathy – not having the ability to recognize and understand the feelings of another person
Physical Contact – in some cases, not liking physical contact such hugs, tickling, or physical play with others
Sudden Changes to their Environment – a sudden change which affect an individual’s senses. Anything from a loud noise, a change in lighting, or even a change in smell
Speech – a type of speech where the person repeats words and phrases, or uses a monotone way of communicating
Changes to Behavior and Routine – people with Autism often display repetitive behavior which they repeat the same action many times over, which could be interpreted as an obsession
In sharing the information above, the intent is to help create a better informed public. In doing so, we all become more empathetic and can be more supportive for those dealing with these challenges.
I hope you find this of value. We appreciate the support the community provides to Little Friends in our efforts to help those children, adults, and their families dealing with this challenge.
—Mike Briggs
For more information about Little Friends, Inc., visit www.littlefriendsinc.org.
RELATED PN POSTS / Jack’s Mom – Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, April 2019
Editor’s Note / Thanks to an email from Brand Bobosky (front right corner), we’re able to identify seven of the 10 individuals in the vintage Little Friends photo at the top of this post. Gayle Swing & Mayor Chet Rybicki are holding document next to Bobosky. Jack Ryan, Al Rubin, Kathy Kelly & Dennis Flynn are in the back row. We could use assistance to ID the three top to bottom left. Thanks for reading.