Hosted by Montefiore Medical Center in Partnership with Inspire
and the Center for Autism & Related Disorders

WHAT: Approximately one in 50 babies are born with or will develop classic autism. Learn more about the possible early signs of autism as well as myths and facts that surround this disorder during a Twitter chat presented by Montefiore Medical Center (@MontefioreNYC) in partnerships with Inspire (@TeamInspire) and the Center for Autism & Related Disorders (@CenterForAutism). This chat will be an opportunity for all of those interested in Autism to engage experts, share ideas, resources, and other sources of information.

WHY: April is National Autism Awareness Month, which provides an important opportunity to educate the public about autism and issues within the community. Chances are autism has impacted your life or someone you know, and public education is needed to raise awareness around the disorder and shed light onto behaviors of those affected.

The Center for Excellence in Autism at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore provides effective social skills interventions for children on the autistic spectrum. The program offers expertise in diagnosis and research, aiming to empower participation of families and their communities.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 24, 1-2 p.m. EST

HOW: Join the Twitter Chat using the hashtag #AutismChat

WHO: Michelle A. Dunn, PhD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist and neurophysiologist who has worked with children on the autism spectrum for more than 25 years.   She is director of clinical services at the Montefiore Autism Center.

She has written numerous journal articles and chapters about children with autism and learning disabilities and has provided staff training to many New York area school districts. She is the author of SOS: Social skills in Our Schools, a comprehensive approach to developing social skills, which has been implemented in  local suburban schools and in the New York City Public Schools.  She is also co-author of Autism in Your Classroom: A Guide for General Education Classroom Teachers, which contains numerous methods for educating children with diagnoses on the autism spectrum.

About Inspire
Inspire builds online health and wellness communities for patients and caregivers, in partnership with national patient advocacy organizations, and helps life science organizations connect with these highly engaged populations. One of its support groups is the Inspire/Center for Autism and Related Disorders Support Community.

About The Center for Autism and Related Disorders
The Center for Autism and Related Disorders is one of the world's largest organizations using applied behavior analysis in the treatment of autism, Asperger's syndrome, PDD-NOS, and other related disorders.