Some of the latest news on AUTISM:

April is always Autism Awareness Month. A special thanks to the following businesses for hosting events to benefit PAR 4 Kids' Sake in April 2008. They were all very successful!

The Blue Agave

Acc'sentials

The Warehouse

GourMade Cookery

Check out The Vast Foundation (Valley Autism Spectrum Treatments) at http://www.vastfoundation.org/, a local non-profit that was established to assist in the funding of cutting-edge medical treatment for ASDs for families in San Francisco’s East Bay area.

Visit this site for interesting news on Autism

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6844737/

** Here are some articles on past PAR For Kids' events: 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060613/ai_n16478260

www.pleasantonweekly.com/morgue/2003/2003_03_28.autism28.html

 ***Read about this family who are working with the UC Davis MIND Inst:

http://www.sacmag.com/media/Sacramento-Magazine/April-2008/In-Good-Hands/

 ****Family of an autistic girl wins court case linking vaccinations to Autism:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1721109,00.html

*****FACTS AND STATISTICS***

• 1 in 150 births
• 1 to 1.5 million Americans
• Fastest-growing developmental disability
• 10 - 17 % annual growth
• Growth comparison during the 1990s:
  • U.S. population increase: 13%
  • Disabilities increase: 16%
  • Autism increase: 172%
• $90 billion annual cost
• 90% of costs are in adult services
• Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention
• In 10 years, the annual cost will be $200-400 billion