 |
Walk for Autism with Clearly Speaking! Clearly Speaking sponsors local family for 2009 Walk Now For Autism New Hampshire Hampton Falls - Clearly Speaking, the pediatric speech and language clinic in Hampton Falls, is sponsoring Tyler Lafond of Hampton, NH for the 2009 Walk Now for Autism New Hampshire. The LaFond family has created "Ty's Team", a team that will walk in the event. The 2009 Walk Now for Autism event is being held Sunday, October 4th at Greely Park in Nashua, NH. "Our son Tyler was diagnosed with autism when he was eighteen months old. Since then, we have made every effort to get him the best care possible. With the help of Lisa Mitchell from Clearly Speaking, Tyler has made real progress over the past year. We are very happy with all the support we get from Lisa; she has gone out of her way to help our son. This walk is very important to our family. A lot needs to be done so that children with autism can have normal and productive lives. It’s our hope that Ty’s team will have support from the community…every little bit helps." Tyler’s Mother, Nicole Lafond said. "We've taught Tyler to use an alternative/augmentative system to communicate. In combination with his verbalizations, Tyler uses the Picture Exchange Communication System or "PECS" to communicate with others. This system has provided a way for Tyler to initiate communication with others using picture symbols. He's made fantastic progress! We've grown very fond of Tyler and his family, and we felt it was important to help draw attention to this cause. We strongly support Autism Speaks!" according to Lisa Mitchell, clinical director of Clearly Speaking. "It is our hope that Clearly Speaking can make a contribution to the community by helping families of children with autism." Tyler is just one of the estimated 500,000 children in the United States who have autism. Today, 1 in 150 people are diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe. If your child is diagnosed with autism, early intervention is critical to gain maximum benefit from existing therapies. Although parents may have concerns about labeling a toddler as "autistic," the earlier the diagnosis is made, the more readily applicable services are available to the child. Currently, there are no effective means to prevent autism, no fully effective treatments, and no cure. As soon as autism is diagnosed, early intervention instruction should begin. Research indicates, however, that early intervention in an appropriate educational setting for at least two years during the preschool years can result in significant improvements for many young children with autism spectrum disorders. Effective programs focus on developing communication, social, and cognitive skills. Walk Now for Autism is the nation's largest grassroots autism walk program, and is Autism Speaks' signature fundraising and awareness event. Powered by volunteers and families with loved ones on the autism spectrum, this successful grassroots fundraising effort not only generates vital funds for autism research but also raises awareness about the increasing prevalence of autism and the need for increased research funding to combat this complex disorder. To join and donate to Ty's Team for the 2009 Walk Now for Autism, visit Clearly Speaking at http://www.clearlyspeakingNH.com/ and click on Tyler's picture. ### About Clearly Speaking
|
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Public Relations Clearly Speaking, LLC Phone: 603-926-3277 Fax: 603-926-3271 pr@clearlyspeakingNH.com |
|