Autism Information

April is Autism Awareness Month!
Welcome to the American Academy of Pediatrics' home for the latest information and resources on autism for health care professionals and families. Many new autism resources are now available and are being featured in April--Autism Awareness Month.

Sound Advice on Autism is a series of audio interviews with medical experts and parents of children with autism. Listen as Dr. James Perrin, president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics, discusses the latest in autism research, diagnosis, and treatment.

Autism: Caring For Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Resource Toolkit For Clinicians is now available as a Digital Download or CD-ROM and includes tested screening tools, clinician fact sheets, and family handouts in both English and Spanish.

During this month only, see below for free samples from the toolkit!

Autism Spectrum Disorders: What Every Parent Needs to Know. This new book helps parents understand how autism is defined and diagnosed and provides information on behavioral and developmental therapies.

During this month only, see below to preview chapters from the parent book!

Sound Advice on Autism
Parents who receive a diagnosis of autism in their child face a daunting set of questions.To answer parents' questions about autism spectrum disorders, Sound Advice on Autism is a collection of interviews with pediatricians, researchers, and parents of children with autism who answer frequently asked questions. The latest addition to the collection is an interview with Dr. James Perrin, AAP president-elect, who discusses the latest in autism research, diagnosis, and treatment.

Autism: Caring for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders A Resource Toolkit for Clinicians, 2nd Edition
The newly updated, extensively revised toolkit has been developed to assist clinicians in the recognition, diagnosis, and management of children and youth with ASDs. This toolkit is now available as a NEW Digital Download or a CD-ROM. Look to the toolkit for current AAP clinical guidance on autism, interactive algorithms, expert ASD screening, surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment tools, tracking aids, coding tips, and much more. In addition to clinician resources, dozens of ready-to-print family handouts on popular autism topics, in both English and Spanish, are included.

During Autism Awareness Month--access the clinician fact sheet titled, "Behavioral Principles" and the family handout titled, "Nutrition and Eating"--with our compliments!

Autism Spectrum Disorders: What Every Parent Needs to Know

This book is an invaluable resource for parents and caregivers of children who have been diagnosed with an ASD. Prepared under the editorial direction of 2 distinguished pediatricians who are autism experts—one of whom is also the parent of a son with autism—this book helps parents understand how ASDs are defined and diagnosed and provides information on the most current types of behavioral and developmental therapies. It also helps parents understand what they can do to help promote a smooth transition from adolescence through the teen years and into adulthood.

During Autism Awareness Month--read the first 3 chapters of the book--with our compliments!

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)
This 44-page booklet provides critical information about ASDs and answers all the most common questions asked by parents. This resource will help also identify symptoms so that an intervention program can be started as soon as possible. An excerpt from the "Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders" booklet is available on www.healthychildren.org

Is Your Toddler Communicating With You?
This brochure encourages parents to share any concerns they have about their baby's language development with their pediatrician as early as possible. It also provides early language and social milestones in a checklist format.

Autism A.L.A.R.M.
A.L.A.R.M. was designed to raise physician awareness, promote surveillance and screening, and ensure that all children receive appropriate and timely interventions. It also includes the algorithm developed as part of the AAP clinical report, “Identification and Evaluation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders.”

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Prevlence of Autism Spectrum Disorders-Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) published data on March 30, 2012, showing that 1 in 88 children--or 1.13% of US children--has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This represents a 23% increase since 2010. Speaking Points on Prevalence (for AAP Members). Speaking Points on Diagnosis and Management (for AAP Members)

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Identification and Evaluation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Pediatrics, November 2007, Reaffirmed September 2010 (Clinical Report)
Chris Plauché Johnson, MD, MEd, Scott M. Myers, MD and the COCWD

Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Pediatrics, November 2007, Reaffirmed September 2010 (Clinical Report)
Scott M. Myers, MD, Chris Plauché Johnson, MD, MEd and the COCWD

Identifying Infants and Young Children With Developmental Disorders in the Medical Home: An Algorithm for Developmental Surveillance and Screening
Pediatrics, July 2006, Reaffirmed December 2009 (Policy Statement)
COCWD, Section on Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Bright Futures Steering Committee and Medical Home Initiatives for Children With Special Needs Project Advisory Committee

Supplement Discusses the Care of Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders
A Pediatrics supplement issue (November 2012) presents a variety of articles that highlight the work of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to fund autism research, training programs, and related projects. The articles aim to “provide a broad look at issues that families face as they interact with the health care community and seek the best treatments available for their children with autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders.

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Autism Case Training: Free Online CME, CNE, CEU
The CDC's Autism Case Training is an AAP-endorsed curriculum designed to educate future pediatricians on identifying, diagnosing, and managing ASDs through case-based scenarios. Based on the curriculum, the Web-based Continuing Education course includes 3 modules, which can be taken separately or together, are based on real-life scenarios and include up-to-date information, illustrative videos, and pertinent references and resources. Free continuing education credits (CME, CNE, and CEU) are available for each of the modules.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs): What We Know and How Pediatric Health Care Professionals Can Help Patients and Families
This webinar, presented by national autism experts, was designed to provide pediatric health care professionals with the latest information on autism prevalence, discuss identification and management of children with ASDs within a practice, and highlight resources available to help children with ASDs and their families. The video of this webinar; webinar presentation; and webinar Q&A are available.

Pediatric Care Online (PCO) Webinar—Autism Spectrum Disorders
This webinar focused on: screening and diagnosis recommendations; an overview of treatment approaches, including medication; and a review of current controversies.. To access an archived recording of this event and the PowerPoint presentation, click here.

Autism Identification & Management Webinar
This webinar provided child health professionals with information and practical strategies for providing a medical home to children with ASDs. The webinar was led by nationally recognized experts with the goal of describing the recommendations put forth in the 2 AAP clinical reports regarding identification and management of ASDs, providing insights on how to utilize the algorithm in practice, and recommendations for implementing pieces of toolkit.

Combating Autism Act Initiative (CAAI) Webinar Series – Research to Practice
This 5-part webinar series, "Research to Practice," was designed to showcase successes of CAAI grantees, connect attendees to CAAI grantees, and highlight CAAI activities. Webinars include:

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The AAP Council on Children with Disabilities (COCWD) Autism Subcommittee (ASC) serves as the main point of contact for the Academy on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) issues. The ASC is dedicated to helping the Academy ensure that accurate, comprehensive information about ASDs is available and communicated to pediatricians, parents, and the public.

Please see current and past COCWD e-Newsletters for ASC updates.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) —Autism Web site
The features of the CDC Autism Web site include: updated and easy-to-read information on facts, screening, diagnosis, and treatments; pages dedicated to data & statistics, research, and publications; individualized pages for different visitors—people with ASD, families, healthcare providers, educators, and partners.

Learn The Signs. Act Early.
The CDC, in partnership with many organizations, including the AAP, launched an early identification awareness campaign to educate parents about childhood development, including early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders. The earlier a child with a developmental delay receives appropriate assessment and intervention, the better the developmental outcome can be.

Association of Maternal and Child Health Program (AMCHP) State Public Health Autism Resource Center (SPHARC)
SPHARC is a comprehensive resource center for state Title V agencies and others interested in improving systems for children, youth and families with autism spectrum disorders. In addition, SPHARC offers technical assistance calls on subjects such as financing of care, care coordination, cultural competency, family-centered care, medical home, health information technology, and transition.

Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT)
The ASAT is a not-for-profit organization of parents and professionals committed to improving the education, treatment, and care of people with autism. Their mission is to share accurate, scientifically sound information about autism and treatments for autism.

Autism Science Foundation
The Autism Science Foundation supports autism research by providing funding and other assistance to scientists and organizations conducting, facilitating, publicizing, and disseminating autism research. The organization also provides information about autism to the general public and serves to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders and the needs of individuals and families affected by autism.

Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Resources include: 100 Day Kit & Asberger Syndrome with High Functioning Autism Toolkit; ASD Video Glossary; and the Transition Tool Kit for Individuals With Autism.

Autism Speaks—Autism Treatment Network (ATN)
The Autism Speaks ATN is a collaboration of medical centers dedicated to providing families with state of the art, multidisciplinary care. The ATN was established to provide a place for families to go for high quality, coordinated medical care for children and adolescents with autism and associated conditions.

The Autism Society
The Autism Society is a leading voice and resource of the entire autism community in education, advocacy, services, research, and support. It is committed to meaningful participation and self-determination in all aspects of life for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families.

Easter Seals Autism Services
Easter Seals programs across the country provide a wide variety of interventions that help individuals of all abilities, including those with ASDs. Easter Seals currently has a combination of services specifically targeting individuals with the diagnosis of ASDs as well as other services that include individuals with ASD among their service recipients.

Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
The IACC is a Federal advisory committee that coordinates all efforts within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concerning ASD.

Interactive Autism Network (IAN)
The IAN—a project of Kennedy Krieger Institute—is an innovative online project bringing together nationalwide affected by ASDs as well as researchers.

MCH Library Knowledge Path: Autism Spectrum Disorders
The knowledge path is intended for use by health professionals, educators, researchers, policymakers, and families. A selection of current, high-quality resources about ASD identification and intervention. A selection of current, high-quality resources about ASD identification and intervention are available.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
The NIMH is part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIMH site contains autism information including: identification, treatment, clinical trials, statistics, and free publications.

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* AAP is not responsible for the content of resources/sites that are external to the AAP. Linking to a Web site does not constitute an endorsement by AAP of the sponsors of the site or the information presented on the site.