Jenny McCarthy Quotes

I'm hoping that autism is going to get to that same point, where it becomes quite ordinary to say, 'I have autism,' or 'I have Asperger's syndrome,' and that there will be many more resources available to make life easier for people on the autistic spectrum.

Families in the autism community have shared with me their fears as their children transition to adulthood. Many people lose access to crucial services and face tremendous uncertainty if their parents can no longer care for them.

The government is slowly waking up to the scale of the personal tragedy of delayed autism diagnosis.

We can either continue to collectively stand on the sidelines and debate what is causing autism and if it is an epidemic or we can get on the field and start addressing the real problem - a generation of children with autism. We are not focusing enough on prevention, treatments and support services.

I treasure my meetings with individuals affected by autism - parents, children, teachers and friends. Their strength is inspiring. They deserve all possible opportunities for education, employment and integration.

One big question that's come up is: Has autism increased on the mild side of things? I don't think so - they've always been here. Some of this is increased detection.

A lady emailed me that her child had been diagnosed with autism and that hearing my material on the subject had helped her. To me, it just means that I'm making the right decision in talking about this.

Often autism is portrayed in the media as a very negative condition, as something that prevents somebody from communicating or from socializing or from being able to have any kind of normal, happy life.

A friend of mine works for Autism Speaks. It's an amazing cause that is making a real difference in the lives of so many people.

Without intervention today, the cost of care for adults with autism will be significantly greater and the burden will no longer lie with the parents, but on our entire society.

I have a long-standing relationship with Autism Speaks. I've been supporting them for many, many years now.

Autism currently affects one in 88 children in the U.S., and its prevalence continues to rise. That's why it's important to help organizations like Autism Speaks raise awareness and funds to support families and individuals impacted by it.

People think about autism as something with kids. Well, those kids grow up.

It seems you can ask any friend, any relative, and they'll be able to tell you about someone they know with autism.

I have a son, and my son has autism. There's certain things that I deal with that a lot of people don't deal with.

We wear 'Autism' on our shorts to raise awareness and show support for other families dealing with autism.

The more anxious, isolated and time-deprived we are, the more likely we are to turn to paid personal services. To finance these extra services, we work longer hours. This leaves less time to spend with family, friends and neighbors; we become less likely to call on them for help, and they on us.

I've spent a great deal of time over the past decade as a caregiver for various family members. It gives me a perspective on the struggles that many New Yorkers face with illness, disability, health care, insurance difficulties, and trying to work with and also take care of family members.

I've worked with tons of people that I know who are on the spectrum - but now I think severe autism has really increased.

I look at autism like a bus accident, and you don't become cured from a bus accident, but you can recover.

Disabled people need more invested in their education, housing, job training, transportation, assistive technology, and independent-living facilities. Governments earn back this investment - and more - by making people with disabilities economically productive citizens.

Unless children have strong education and strong families and strong communities and decent housing, it's not enough to go sit in at a lunch counter.

As a mom, you worry about protecting your kid. But there are extra added layers of fears when you're talking about a kid with autism or who has some special needs issue.

My mother watched her loving husband look at her with blankness or contempt and sometimes hatred. And yet dementia is classed as a social condition, so that the state is not required to pay for long-term residential care. Calling it what it is - brain damage - is too expensive.

The most important thing is to bring people with Parkinson's into our world and for the public to have a real understanding of it, as they're beginning to have with autism.