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Inside The World Of Autism

Oct 30, 2006

Autism is a mysterious disorder. It's something parents are aware of, and I think it's fair to say, many of us are afraid of it. Afraid of what autism really is, and afraid of what it means for kids who are autistic. That's why Monday in the news at 10, we are spending time with an "average" autistic child. If there really is any such thing.

Max Lewis is a charming little boy. And his parents were kind enough to let us hang out with them for a day. Chastity and Mike Lewis have three kids: Max, Zoe and Avery. So while they attend to Max's special needs, they try to balance it with the needs of the other two kids!

Here's the statistical headline: one in 166 children are diagnosed with some type of autism. The Centers for Disease Control has called this situation a "crisis." They have a lot of information on their Web site. That number is staggering, and has huge implications for our future as a country.

It was heartbreaking when Chastity told me of the first time Max said, "I love you, Mommy." She remembered the exact date and time, because he just doesn't share feelings like that. Autistic children have a hard time making an emotional connection. Max has a hard time making eye contact.

I've pooled some of the resources I found during my research here:

Autism Speaks is an advocacy group with a great deal of information on the disorder.

The state of Minnesota has educational resources on autism online.

This summer, Time Magazine did an amazing cover story called "New Insights into the Hidden World of Autism."

Autism Society of America
7910 Woodmont Avenue
Suite 300
Bethesda MD 20814-3067
1-800-3AUTISM (1-800-328-8476)

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