Her little four-year-old body radiates energy and life, purity and love to those who
are near her. Yet beyond the sparkling blue eyes and her angelic face is a mind
that is struggling and frustrated; unable to express itself and put into words what
she is feeling or thinking.
Little Noelle Gordon was two years old when her parents discovered she had
Autism; a neurological disorder that affects a person's social interaction and
communication skills.
Compared to other two-year-old children Noelle didn't seem far behind.
So when her daycare teacher said she suspected Noelle had Autism and those
suspicions were confirmed by doctors, Noelle's parents were crushed.
"It was a really hard time for our family," her mother Wendi says. "We really didn't
know anything about Autism."
And Wendi is not alone.
There are now about 1.5 million cases of Autism in America and the numbers have
skyrocketed over the years. The US Department of Education reports a growth of
10 to 17 percent a year.
This growth is making scientists believe there may be more to this disease than
just genetics. One theory is that harmful chemicals in the environment or in
children's vaccines can trigger Autism if they already have it in their genes.
But Autism is still such a mystery, and many people who have Autistic children in
their families are desperately searching for help. . . Continued |
