IMPACT AUTISM
ABOUT
IMPACT Autism is a nonprofit organization under the University of Florida's Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD). IMPACT Autism's activities consist of monthly meetings, service opportunities, and fundraisers for the annual Stomp the Swamp for Autism benefiting individuals with autism and their families through training and assistance.
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Our student organization is dedicated to giving back to the autistic community, through quality volunteer opportunities. We seek to accomplish this mission through events, such as Kid's Day Out, MyFriends, and MyTeenFriends. There are over 500 students at the University of Florida who have made their impact through these special activities, and our membership continues to grow.
"If you've met one person with Autism, you've met one person with Autism."
Dr. Stephen Shore
WHAT IS AUTISM?
First and foremost, autism is a complex neuro-developmental disability with different presentations in everyone who is autistic. Some people with autism may be nonverbal while others may experience what is called echolalia, the repetition of certain words, phrases, or sounds. People with autism may experience several challenges in social communication and behavior as well as having different stimulation processing than non-autistic people, which can cause distress and anxiety when stimulation reaches past someones threshold.
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With a prevalence of 1-2% people, autism is the fastest-rising developmental disorder being diagnosed in the United States. These rising rates are due to the rapid research and information about autism being widely available. This availability and rising diagnoses mean the world is coming to understand the ways in which people with autism need to be treated. It is the view of IMPACT Autism that people with autism deserve to be treated equally in society and given the resources they need to thrive.