Autism

Actor to speak at Race for the Cure Emmy Award-winning actor Patricia Arquette will be a guest at the 14th Annual Komen Orange County Race for the Cure on Sunday at Fashion Island. Arquette, who stars in the television drama series "Medium," lost her mother to breast cancer in 1997. Sunday she will join an expected crowd of more than 30,000. The race, which is presented by the Orange County affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, has raised more than $11 million since it began in 1992.

Irma Lemus GLENDALE -- Families and caregivers of autistic children came together at Lower School Canyon Park for a picnic aimed at promoting community awareness of the illness. Saturday's Second Annual Spring Picnic and Fun Festival was sponsored by the Foothill Autism Alliance. About 80 families spent the day enjoying the festivities, which included food, music, children's games and a clown, said Susan Brooks, the group's secretary and organizer.

The Foothill Autism Alliance, Inc. is proud to offer free monthly family resource seminars. The next seminar will be on Wednesday, June 13, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Pasadena Child Development Associates. Topics will include "Recreational Programs for Kids and Adults with Autism" and will feature speakers from the Glendale and Pasadena Parks & Recreation, Special Olympics, YMCA and the Rose Bowl Aquatics program. Pasadena Child Development Associates is located at 620 N. Lake Ave., second floor, in Pasadena (just north of the 210 freeway)

Striving to keep on the curve with cutting edge research and the best educational approaches, Glendale Unified School District's Special Education Department is working to decipher how to propel the growing number of students identified with autism spectrum disorder towards greater success in the classroom. Added concern comes as the number of children identified with autism in the district continues to rapidly climb, from 105 in the 2003-2004 school year to 220 in 2004-2005. "This year we are doing intensive training for ed assistants," said Lou Stewart, director of special education.

Don Short and Tamara Mark's encounter with law enforcement hasn't always been positive, especially when they have been trying to care for their two autistic sons. During a family trip in Hawaii, Short had to restrain one of the couple's son's - 10-year-old Harry, who is nonverbal and prone to injuring himself - because he became extremely agitated at a Honolulu airport. But to the public, his actions looked like child abuse. He was reported to airport police. As Short tried to calm his son, police warned him to let go of his son. He reluctantly complied.

Arthur Ringwalt is an autism advocate who has overcome challenges since he was diagnosed as autistic as a child. Ringwalt, who himself has Asperger's Syndrome — a developmental disorder related to autism — is a volunteer with the Foothill Autism Alliance, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education and resources for individuals and families affected with autism and related disorders. Being the organization's only board member with autism allows the 64-year-old Glendale resident to bring first-hand knowledge of autism to the alliance.

GLENDALE ? Citing the "dramatic increase" of American children being born with autism, a United States dignitary and Academy Award-winning actress helped kick off a Vons market fundraiser to support those stricken by the disorder on Thursday at College View School. The fundraiser will benefit Easter Seals Southern California, which for 16 years has run an after-school program for children with developmental disorders at College View School. Starting on Sunday and through the month of April, Vons checkout clerks will be soliciting donations from customers for Easter Seals.

When Glendale resident Yudi Bennett's son was diagnosed with autism, she decided to learn everything there is to know about the neurological disorder. "In the last 10 years, autism has gone up 300%," Bennett said. "Kids are being diagnosed on a very broad spectrum." Autism is now more common than Down's syndrome and childhood cancers. Bennett's son, Noah, 10, was diagnosed with autism in 1997. Because of his impaired speech, he receives speech therapy daily.

Autism alliance hosts meeting The Foothill Autism Alliance will host its next family resource meeting at 7:30 p.m. April 13, at Pasadena Child Development Associates, 620 N. Lake Ave., second floor. A panel of psychologists and family therapists will hold a discussion titled "The Impact of Autism on Family Dynamics." Based in Glendale, the alliance provides information and support for the autism community in the foothill areas and the north east portion of Los Angeles.

Hotel hosts fitness talk Soroptimist International of Glendale will have Cindy Miller, owner of LifeStyles for Health, a fitness studio, speaking on ?Nutrition and Fitness for Women of All Ages? from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hilton Glendale, 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale. For more information, call (818) 548-3324. ? Author?s book focuses on autism The Foothill Autism Alliance Inc. will sponsor ?Meet Dr. Barbara Firestone? where she will discuss her book ?