| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing April 2005 as "National Autism |
| 3 | Awareness Month" in Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, autism is a complex and puzzling neurobiological |
| 6 | disorder that severely impairs the ability of individuals to |
| 7 | process and integrate ordinary information from their |
| 8 | environment, and |
| 9 | WHEREAS, autism severely affects the way individuals with |
| 10 | autism relate to others socially and in their ability to |
| 11 | communicate and learn, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, autism strikes 1 in every 150 children and is now |
| 13 | considered the most common developmental disability, and |
| 14 | WHEREAS, autism affects the functioning of all five senses, |
| 15 | with symptoms ranging from very acute to sometimes nonexistent, |
| 16 | without consistency or integration, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, autism is unidentifiable until 12-24 months of age |
| 18 | and often does not manifest itself until well into the second or |
| 19 | third year of life, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, with proper treatment and intensive therapy it is |
| 21 | possible for many children with autism to progress to a point at |
| 22 | which they are indistinguishable from their peers, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, neither a cause nor a cure has been discovered and |
| 24 | increased research is vital in the quest for a broader |
| 25 | understanding of this debilitating and complex affliction, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, organizations such as the Autism Society of Florida |
| 27 | and the Centers for Autism and Related Disabilities have |
| 28 | dedicated years of service in their ongoing efforts to advocate |
| 29 | for persons with autism and their families, and |
| 30 | WHEREAS, the Legislature and the Governor of the State of |
| 31 | Florida encourage us all to educate ourselves with respect to the |
| 32 | effects of autism and available therapeutic and educational |
| 33 | interventions for those individuals with autism, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 34 |
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| 35 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 36 | Florida: |
| 37 |
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| 38 | That the House of Representatives recognizes April 2005 as |
| 39 | "National Autism Awareness Month" in Florida, urges the residents |
| 40 | of the state to better acquaint themselves with the nature and |
| 41 | symptoms of this heartbreaking disability, and commends the |
| 42 | dedicated groups and individuals who are working on behalf of |
| 43 | persons with autism to provide information, increase awareness, |
| 44 | and adequately fund services. |