Staff Photo
To celebrate World Autism Awareness Day, FIREFLY is joining Autism Ontario’s campaign “Raise the Flag for Autism”.
Flags have been raised at City Hall in Dryden, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout and Kenora to bring awareness to the triumphs and struggles of those on the Autism Spectrum.
The initiative is to highlight the significant work that is taking place and the work that still needs to be done to support autistic children, youth and families.
FIREFLY is also announcing new services to help ensure that children and youth with autism have a wide-variety of services in our area to achieve quality of life.
The FIREFLY team will begin offering Behaviour Consultation, Fee-for-Service options for families, with plans to continue to expand Fee-for-Service options in coming months.
Behaviour Consultation services are available to help create a program tailored to individual needs and address any issues like routines, toileting or transitioning between activities.
For questions about FIREFLY’s Autism Services, you can contact their Centralized Intake line at 1-833-696-5437.
You can also watch FIREFLY’s social media and website during April, Autism Awareness Month, for further information regarding Autism specific services, events and information.
Background
- It’s estimated worldwide that one in 160 children has ASD (World Health Organization) and in Canada this number is 1 in every 66 children aged 5-17 (NASS – National Autism Spectrum Disorder Surveillance System). Autism affects all ethnic and socioeconomic groups with boys being four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls. The possible causes of autism are still far from understood.
- Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. ASD is a spectrum disorder, which means it not only manifests itself differently in every individual whom it appears, but its characteristics will change over the life of each individual as well. A child with ASD will become an adult with ASD. Early intervention affords the best opportunity to support healthy development and deliver benefits across the lifespan.
- Autism Ontario’s Raise the Flag campaign, through the simple act of raising a flag, unites families, schools, communities, government and professionals in recognizing World Autism Awareness Day, and brings to light to struggles and triumphs of people on the autism spectrum.
