AUTISM
Georgia's Story
About Georgia
Georgia is 8 years old and attends Thurgood Marshal Elementary school where she takes classes that are specialized for her and other students needs. Since her mental development is two years behind her growth, she has a harder time communicating and staying still.
Everyday life
Georgia does not, at any point in the day, sit down and stay quiet. She is very high maintenance and talkative. Georgia is always in a good mood unless she feels that she is being treated badly. When she becomes upset, she screams and cries for hours. Georgia goes into her room and goes through the full conversation that she had or repeats what someone yelled or said to her while walking back and forth.
What is Autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.
http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
How Common Is Autism
Autism statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1 in 88 American children as on the autism spectrum–a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years. Careful research shows that this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis and awareness. Studies also show that autism is four to five times more common among boys than girls. An estimated 1 out of 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.
http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
Our proposal is that we make sensitivity training mandatory for students and teachers when an autistic or mentally disabled student is introduced into the learning environment. This would help to cut back on bullying and build awareness around autism.