CDC Finds More Preschoolers Have Autism
Disability Scoop
New federal figures indicate that autism prevalence among young children is on the rise.
The number of 4-year-olds with the developmental disorder increased from 1 in 75 children in 2010 to 1 in 59 kids in 2014, according to data published late last week in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The findings are the latest to emerge from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. Traditionally, the network tracks prevalence among 8-year-olds using a review of health and educational records in certain geographic areas across the country. More recently, the agency has expanded its surveillance work to look at 4-year-olds and 16-year-olds.
SeaWorld Becoming More Autism-Friendly
ORLANDO, Fla. — Joining its sister parks, SeaWorld Orlando is now a certified autism center, a move that’s meant to make the theme park more accessible to people with disabilities, the company said this month. SeaWorld’s new certification follows behind Aquatica Orlando and Discovery Cove, the company’s other two parks in Orlando that also recently said they were more autism-friendly. “We are incredibly proud to be the first family of Orlando theme parks to achieve these certifications,” said Mark Pauls, SeaWorld Orlando park president, in a news release.
Faculty and Students Unite in Disability Rights Protest On Stony Brook Campus
Stoney Brook Independent
The Peer Mental Health Alliance held a Disability Rights protest and march on campus, Wednesday April 10th during campus lifetime, to ensure that many of the swept-under-the-rug issues related to disability services provided by Stony Brook University, is finally heard loud and clear.
The protest march started from the SAC Plaza with chants of “Disability rights are humans rights,” and ended with demands to the university administration, to follow the American Disability Act without cutting corners and sliding by.
“The campus is not inclusive and they don’t respect or value people with disabilities.” Allilsa Fernandez, The Undergraduate Representative for the President’s ADA Committee, said.
Hiring Those With Disabilities Isn’t Charity, It’s Good Business
Greater Baton Rouge Business Report
Any time Bet-R Neighborhood Market owner Cliff Boulden has a job opening, he tries to hire a person with an intellectual or developmental disability—not as a sign of sympathy, but because he sees them as an untapped workforce that’s eager to stock shelves and read labels.
Boulden already knows many of them through his involvement with the Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy, the alma mater of his 25-year-old daughter, Molly, who is developmentally delayed. After Molly aged out of the school a few years ago, Boulden hired her part-time as a way to keep her busy and focused. But since then, he’s also brought on at least a half-dozen of her friends with special needs, who now comprise roughly 15% of his payroll.