April is Autism Awareness Month

Chances are you know someone who has autism. It is the fastest growing developmental disability in the U.S., affecting one in 110 children nationally — one in 98 in Georgia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  calls autism a national public health crisis. It does not have a known cause or cure.

Decatur resident Dr. Gregory D. Abowd is using his vast knowledge in computer science to bring better awareness and understanding to autism in our area.

Dr. Abowd, a professor at Georgia Tech, is a computer scientist with expertise in the development of applications. He is also the father of two boys with autism, Aidan, 13 and Blaise, 10. His personal experience with autism has driven him to apply computer technology to questions relating to health and home, with a focus on autism.  

Dr. Abowd also founded the Atlanta Autism Consortium to encourage the research community in Atlanta to focus more on autism and to connect researchers with other stakeholders.

He wants the community to focus on the positive things autism brings to society and to “embrace neurodiversity.” He says younger people are better than their elders at doing that.

“The current generation of children have more exposure to and appreciation of diversity of a person’s cognitive abilities,” he said. He also encourages establishments in Decatur to understand how they can be more sensitive to, and better provide for, the needs of people with autism and other developmental disabilities.

There are many ways that you personally can participate in bringing awareness to autism. One way is simply by walking. You can join Dr. Abowd and his family during the Walk Now for Autism Speaks on May 22 at 11 a.m. Registration is free and available at www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/georgia.