Key to Understanding Autism    

Imagine you were in a foreign, noisy and crowded city at night, not understanding the language spoken, recognizing only a few words but not really comprehending situations taking place around you, wanting to express a need for help but not being able.  This experience may begin to help you relate to what a child with autism feels every day.

Key to Understanding

Mitochondria

Disfunction 

Imagine a major city with half its power plants shut down. At least, such conditions would produce a “brown out” with large sections of the city working far below optimum efficiency. Now imagine your body working with one-half of its energy-producing facilities shut down.  The brain may be impaired, vision may be dim, muscles may twitch or may be too weak to allow your body to walk or write, your immune system may be weakened, and you may not be able to eat or digest your food. This is precisely the situation people with mitochondrial disease find themselves.

Key to Understanding

Cerebral Palsy

Imagine…. your brain is telling your muscles what to do but your muscles aren’t listening to the message.  Imagine…. not being able to speak, so people don’t listen because they think you have nothing to say.

             1 in 278 Children have Cerebral Palsy,

             10,000 babies a year.

            One in nine people with Cerebral Palsy                                      have features of autism.                                                                          

             One in four people with Cerebral Palsy have                              epileptic seizures.

             One in three children with Cerebral Palsy                                   cannot walk.

              One in four cannot feed themselves .