Autism Awareness Festival Day

This past Saturday - August 8th, Zoe and I participated in the Autism Awareness Festival in town. This event was sponsored by HCRS (Health Care and Rehabilitation Services). HCRS is on the front lines in the global effort to manage and understand Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autism occurs in about 1 out of every 150 children born today and those numbers are increasing.

John Sullivan, case manager at HCRS, was organizer and emcee of the event. He also has his own band-- The John Sullivan Band - which played at the end of the festival.

There were lots of prizes raffled off-- a gorgeous quilt made by community members along with many other smaller items to be won, such as hair cuts and guitar strings for a year !

Dream On Curls Riding Center donated a gift certificate for one free riding lesson-- one young man in particular had his eye (and heart) set on that prize. He bought quite a few raffle tickets and when the time came to pick the winners out of the hat... guess what ? He won the lesson. He was SO excited and can't wait ... telling us it was his dream to ride.

John Sullivan put together a band of individuals on the spectrum... and they performed about midway through the festival. HCRS staff work with clients in the community to assist them in reaching their full potential and in becoming as independent as possible. And being in a band and playing music is just one way to achieve this !!

Plenty of guests having fun all day as there were 5 different bands playing and lots of food to be had.

Dancing to an AC/DC tune...

It was a great day for all involved and a big success. Kudo's to John Sullivan and HCRS for organizing this great event within our community !

At the end of the day- John Sullivan performed the music and lyrics of his self written song about Autism. Lovely song .

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls.

Autism spectrum disorders can usually be reliably diagnosed by age 3, although new research is pushing back the age of diagnosis to as early as 6 months. Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child or their child's failure to reach appropriate developmental milestones. Some parents describe a child that seemed different from birth, while others describe a child who was developing normally and then lost skills. Pediatricians may initially dismiss signs of autism, thinking a child will “catch up,” and may advise parents to “wait and see.” New research shows that when parents suspect something is wrong with their child, they are usually correct. If you have concerns about your child's development, don't wait: speak to your pediatrician about getting your child screened for autism.

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 earlier interventions can begin. Currently, there are no effective means to prevent autism, no fully effective treatments, and no cure. 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. As soon as autism is diagnosed, early intervention instruction should begin. Effective programs focus on developing communication, social, and cognitive skills.


Dream On Curls Riding Center offers a program specially designed for children, adults, and young adults on the spectrum. Some of the goals in this program are- to learn to engage in a co-operative teamwork, encourage physical activity, strengthening the ability to read social cues and some problem solving, along with learning to multi-task. Bonding with the therapy horses has great value to Autistic people and those with a tactile sensitivity experience opportunities to work through that through the process of grooming.