San Antonio Autism Providers Collaborate for World Autism Awareness Day

Each year, families and autism advocates around the world celebrate World Autism Day on April 2 to increase autism awareness. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties and repetitive patterns of behavior, which currently has no cure. The CDC estimates that 1 in 68 children, 8 years of age, in the U.S. currently carry the diagnosis.
 
As the key autism providers in San Antonio, Any Baby Can, Autism Community Network and Autism Treatment Center will kick off World Autism Awareness Day by meeting at Any Baby Can at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 2 where a spokesperson from each organization will discuss the autism services their organization provides, the impact it has on the San Antonio community, and the collaboration used to meet the needs of families. Then they will join together in a walk across San Antonio.
 
Throughout the remainder of the day, Any Baby Can, Autism Treatment Center and Autism Community Network will be visiting their partners and nonprofit friends, stopping at local landmarks along the way, in a walk across San Antonio, to take pictures and document the journey on social media. Any Baby Can will bring to a close the successful day of creating autism awareness, by lighting up their building blue!
 
Any Baby Can is asking all partners, families and the media to take “blue” pictures – the official color used for autism awareness, share them on their social media pages and ask others to do the same. Any Baby Can will also be offering discounted registration, online and at their office, for the 11th Annual Walk for Autism taking place an Any Baby Can’s Fiesta.
 
Any Baby Can Services
Any Baby Can of San Antonio is a nonprofit agency that provides support services at no cost – regardless of income – to families raising an individual with a chronic illness, disability, developmental delay or health risk. The autism services program at Any Baby Can is designed specifically for families who have a child diagnosed with ASD, to provide parent education and support through a variety of services such as parent training, counseling and education groups.
 
“Families of children with autism come to Any Baby Can with questions and concerns. As part of the autism services program team, I have seen families grow with knowledge on how to best parent their child,” said Any Baby Can Autism Services Director Tisha Gonzalez. “These parents express their gratitude for the support, adding that they feel empowered and connected.”
 
Any Baby Can’s group parent training course supports parents by increasing their knowledge on how behavior is learned and the underlying function or purpose of their child’s challenging behaviors. Parents are supported by experienced and credentialed staff that assists them to meet their child’s behavioral needs. Parents are also given a toolbox filled with a variety of visual supports and sensory activities to teach and support their child’s behaviors. Other autism services provided by Any Baby Can include group counseling, toilet training, safety training, parent’s night out, and free visual supports.

The latest resource that Any Baby Can is offering to the community is an ID Card. Many individuals with autism struggle with communication and social skills. As part the organization’s efforts to build positive interaction and autism awareness in the community, Any Baby Can offers a wallet ID card at no cost. Families can simply complete a form on Any Baby Can’s website and will be sent a set of four wallet ID cards containing their child’s identification information and their sensory sensitivities. This is a great tool for if an individual with ASD were to elope or come in contact with a first responder. 
 
Any Baby Can Offers Autism Training to the Community
Any Baby Can provides autism awareness training to the community. To date, more than 150 local San Antonio first responders have received autism awareness training from Any Baby Can. Each first responder receives a picture book to aid in communicating with an individual with ASD. Local restaurants, hair salons, hotels and the San Antonio Airport have also received training. Any Baby Can provides student consultations regarding behavior and social skills, classroom consultations, and teacher make and take trainings within public and private schools.
 
Autism Community Network and Autism Treatment Center
Autism Community Network is a nonprofit organization in San Antonio that maximizes the potential of children with autism by providing early diagnosis for those with limited access, while educating the community. ACN offers autism diagnostic services to children up to age 6.
 
Established in 1976, Autism Treatment Center is a nonprofit organization in San Antonio that assists children and adults with autism and related disorders throughout their lifetime. Services include assessments, speech & occupational therapy, behavior therapy, education, residential, as well as consultations and research.
 
So mark your calendars, pick out your best blue attire and join your community at Any Baby Can on Thursday, April 2 at 10 a.m.
 
About Any Baby Can of San Antonio, Inc.
For more than 30 years, Any Baby Can of San Antonio Inc. has provided many of services to families with children facing serious health or developmental challenges. Any Baby Can provides no cost support services to over 1,200 families annually. For more information, visit www.anybabycansa.org or call 210-227-0170.