UofL helps children with autism reach their full potential

For children like Sarah, autism locks them in an isolated world. Making eye contact, feeling empathy for others, having friends or even a giving her mom a hug are all difficult for Sarah. These social behaviors don’t come naturally to her.

Autism, a brain disorder that causes significant social and communication problems, is one of the nation’s leading disabilities. Autism and related disorders are believed to occur at a rate of 1 in 144 children.

But there is hope. The University of Louisville recently created the UofL Autism Center. This new center will provide a one-stop resource for children with autism.

The center unites areas at UofL that already focus on autism: the Department of Psychiatry, which conducts research on the causes and treatments of autism; the Department of Pediatrics, which provides STAR, a comprehensive resource center that treats children, trains parents, conducts research and provides advocacy; and the Kentucky Autism Training Center in the College of Education and Human Development, which trains teachers how to understand and teach children with autism.

Hundreds of donors have stepped up to the plate to help children with autism by making tax-deductible gifts to UofL’s autism programs. Here are just a few ways gifts for autism are used:

• Provide scholarships for children whose parents can’t afford treatment at STAR
• Host education conferences for teachers who work with children with autism
• Expand clinical services to children with autism and their families
• Provide free summer camps for children with autism focused on teaching social skills
• Conduct research into the causes of autism

Together, these gifts are bringing help and hope to children with autism and their families.

To make a gift for autism, donate online (type “Autism Center” in the “Other Designation” field) or contact development officer Larissa Reece, 502-852-8910.