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The disorders cannot be diagnosed with blood or other diagnostic
tests and their exact cause has not been pinpointed,
although studies suggest genetic and environmental factors are
contributors.
Autism Speaks, founded in 2005 by Bob and Suzanne
Wright, grandparents of a child with autism, is a national organization
that raises funds to support research and to
heighten the awareness of ASDs. The Wrights’ longtime
friend, Bernie Marcus, donated $25 million to launch the organization.
The charity will hold its eighth annual 5k walk — San
Diego Walk Now for Autism Speaks — at Liberty Station on
Oct. 6.
Twenty-five hundred people walked the streets of San
Diego during last year’s walk and raised nearly $130,000. This
year’s event also promises to involve between 200 and 300
teams, totaling up to about 2,000 to 3,000 attendees, according
to one of the charity’s co-chairs, Steven Gorup.
Although Autism Speaks does not have a San Diego storefront,
resources and money raised by the organization flow
into the city. Earlier this year, the charity held a free symposium
in San Diego for teachers to educate them on the basics
of ASDs and the needs of children affected by disorders in the
spectrum.
“It’s more than a walk to us,” said Gorup, who lives in
Downtown’s East Village. “It’s giving back our knowledge and
resources to the community.”
Making use of available resources can lighten the load of
families affected by these developmental disorders.
“Some people aren’t able to get what they need — maybe
because they don’t know what to ask for,” said Selbe, who re-
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ceived much of the services she needed from the school district
and the San Diego Regional Center.
Regional Centers are nonprofit organizations, contracted
through the state, to provide a wide array of supportive services
to the developmentally disabled, ranging from early intervention
therapies to transportation and nutritional support.
There are 21 Regional Centers in the state.
While ASDs are among the most common developmental
disabilities, we know very little about them.
“When people hear autism, they think ‘Rain Man’ and have
a very narrow vision of what autisms is,” said Krystal Langford,
an East County mother of a 7-year-old diagnosed with severe
classic autism. “It’s important to me that my son is part of this
community. I want the community to understand my son.”
In addition to increasing cognitive, linguistic, social, and
self-help skills, early intervention helps to minimize the potential
for secondary behavioral and emotional problems (e.g.,
anxiety, depression). Organizations like Autism Speaks,
through its research funding, available resources and education,
could assist in making early detection of ASDs more
likely. It is estimated that the U.S. is facing $90 billion annually
in costs related to autism. Research suggests that costs can
be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and treatment/intervention.
Walk Now for Autism Speaks starts at 2640 Historic Decatur
Road, San Diego at 10 a.m. Registration is available at
the event, beginning at 8 a.m. The event features vendors that
provide ASD resources. For more information or to register
online,visit walknowforautismspeaks.org/sandiego or call
(323)297-4771.
San Diego Autism Walk committee members. Brian Han (co-chair) addresses SD Autism Walk kickoff event.