Connect With Other Autism Parents

Have you been over to the AutismLearningFelt Forum? I've made a couple of changes. I moved the Giveaways Around The Blogosphere into the forum. This is so that I don't have to keep up with the ones that have expired and delete them.

I am trying to pull in new members, and to get the current ones more active. Getting a new forum off the ground takes time, I know. I really want it to be a place where we can discuss anything and everything. Connecting with other parents of autistic children can be a big help. You can discuss things that they understand, because they have been there or are still going through that.

Any autism parent will tell you that, unless the other person is raising an autistic child, they can not truly understand what you are going through. Because of that, advice and support is best when they come from someone in a similar position as you.

If you are in need of support or just feel like chatting, come on over to the forum. I'd love to get to know all of my readers better. Feel free to ask me any questions, too.

Supporting Mothers Everywhere

Today, I joined Bloggers Against Hunger. This program was set up by the World Food Programme organization. They are asking bloggers to use their words to help raise awareness and funds “for the one billion people worldwide that go to bed hungry.” This is a cause that I feel strongly about. This weekend, Mother’s Day will be celebrated. Mom’s will be honored and pampered by their families.

Yesterday, my husband told me we couldn’t go camping at the beach, because we couldn’t afford it. I understood, but was sulking over it. Then I saw an email from World Food Programme, and I realized how petty and selfish I was being. I should be thankful for what I have and remember that there are those that have far less.

There have been times that I have had to go to bed hungry, in order to assure that my kids did not. It’s a horrible position to be in. It’s also one of the easiest actions a mother can make. Putting our child ahead of us is natural. There are mother’s that have to make that decision every night. That is a horrible thing to realize.

For this Mother’s Day, you can donate to the World Food Programme, help another mother, and share a personal message of encouragement and strength. It’s easy to get caught up in our own lives and think that we should only be supporting those in our own country. In most cases, I believe this. When it comes to helping other mothers, we should not be limited by boundaries. In the end, we are all mothers and we should support each other.

For more information about this program, or to make a donation, you can visit the World Food Programme website.

Government Officials Need to Respond to Rising Autism Rates

I continued my email campaign to government officials requesting a response to the new CDC report of the rising autism rates in America. Their previous report stated 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with autism. That shocked us, but the newest rates, 1 in 110 not only shocked us but also scared us. We want answers, not only to how they feel about it, but also what they intend to do about it.

Last time I sent out emails, it was to Governors and Senators. This time, I only emailed Senators. I will get back to Governors when I have emailed all of the U.S. Senators. I also intend to email Congressmen and all other government officials until I am satisfied that they are listening and reacting.

If you want to see a copy of the email I am sending, you can read it on my original post. You can also see who I sent my first round of emails to. Here is a list of the Senators I just emailed and am awaiting responses:

Baucus, Max - (D - MT)
Bayh, Evan - (D - IN)
Begich, Mark - (D - AK)
Bennet, Michael F. - (D - CO)
Bennett, Robert F. - (R - UT)
Bingaman, Jeff - (D - NM)
Bond, Christopher S. - (R - MO)
Brown, Sherrod - (D - OH)
Brownback, Sam - (R - KS)
Bunning, Jim - (R - KY)
Burris, Roland W. - (D - IL)

Jon Gilbert, with Same Child, Different Day, has requested to join me in my cause and I will report on his progress as he updates me. If you would like to use my email letter to request information from your government representatives, feel free to do so. I would appreciate it if you would keep me updated on any responses you receive so that I can write about them on my site.

This is an extremely important issue. It deserves a response from our elected officials. We may not be big contributors to their campaigns, but we are American citizens and we do elect them to serve us. If they can not respond to our requests for action, then we will find someone to elect in their place next time we are voting. Our children deserve their help now and in the future. The CDC acknowledges the rising autism rates as a major health concern in the U.S. With so many children being diagnosed with autism now, what will happen when they are adults? Will there be a system in place to assure their proper care? Will they be lost in a system that doesn’t understand them?

We also need our children to receive more help now. If they can’t provide the help and support we need for our children now, I don’t see how they can help them when they are adults. Action is needed now. It is time that empty promises are replaced with practical solutions. I will not stop making my voice heard. I will not stop calling for our elected officials to acknowledge the autism community and start helping us. I am a mom and I can roar.