The president’s top health official is calling on the nation to “rededicate” itself to addressing the needs of those with autism. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius called autism “an urgent public health challenge” in a statement marking the start of autism awareness month in April.

On April 19th, fifteen people will run the Boston Marathon in support of the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism. Each member of our team has their own, personal reasons for wanting to take on this challenge. Following is a very moving letter written by one of the members of Dougie's Marathon Team:

Like many parents, Kinninger turned to the Internet for answers. This week, in honor of World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, the Empowered Patient has asked experts and parents their thoughts on the best Web sites for autism information.

This short summary describes the health coverage provisions contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, including the individual mandate requirements, expansion of public programs, health insurance exchanges, changes to private insurance, employer requirements and cost and coverage estimates.

On the night of April 1, prominent buildings across North America and the world including the Empire State Building in New York City and the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada will be lit up blue to raise awareness for autism and to commemorate World Autism Awareness Day on Friday, April 2.

Traveling with an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) child could spell disaster. But instead of having to sit still and behave for hours on the plane -- or get in trouble for not doing so -- one ADD/ADHD boy made friends, made his parents proud, and had a great flight!

All children, adults and parents are invited to attend the second annual Spring Hullabaloo at the University of Montana, an event aimed to bring autism awareness to the community. The event will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the University Center Ballroom. It's free and the public is welcome.

The A.T.TIPScast: Assistive Technology Tools In Public Schools is a podcast about using technology to help students meet their educational goals.

Cases involving IDEA typically begin or end with the issuance of a prior written notice; either the school district has refused to initiate a service or proposed it, and parents disagree. Last week, the Ninth Circuit expanded this traditional framework.

FCTD Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology & Transition Planning This 50 page guide is aimed at providing families with the information they need to effectively prepare for and participate in periods of transition in their children’s lives. Individuals may order one free copy of the guide. Additional print copies are available for $10.A discount is available for bulk orders. To request one or more print copies, send an e-mail to fctd@aed.org.

Whether you are a parent of a child with LD, an adult with LD, an educator, or an LD professional, there's a place for you in the world of LD advocacy. Now more than ever, it is imperative that the voices of children and adults with learning disabilities are heard in Washington, D.C. and at the state and local level.

Visit the IRIS Center for Training Enhancements for free online interactive resources that translate research about the education of students with disabilities into practice. Our materials cover a wide variety of evidence-based topics, including behavior, RTI, learning strategies, and progress monitoring.

WASHINGTON — Under pressure from the White House, health insurance companies said Tuesday that they would comply with rules to be issued soon by the Obama administration requiring them to cover children with pre-existing medical problems.

With a little research, an assertive attitude and an adventurous spirit, backed up with knowledge of personal rights for the disabled, travel is becoming accessible to everyone.

Every kid should be able to look back on summer camp as a memorable time spent having fun, making friends, and gaining new skills and independence. Yet, as if the process of finding the right camp isn’t baffling enough, parents of children with special needs come to the search process with an additional, and often complex, set of concerns. To get at the heart of some of parents’ most important questions, New York Family spoke with Gary Shulman of Resources for Children with Special Needs, who assures parents that, in the end, it’s worth the effort to find a program both you and your child will love.

Decide early in the process what type of program you want for your child. Camp should be fun, relaxing, and healthy. Camp should offer positive and rewarding experiences that foster independence and self-esteem. Some camps are for military children. Some camps are free. Some camps offer scholarships. Some camps are specifically for children with special needs.

Recently, there have been several announcements about the number of people who have autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). These numbers, which are widely reported by the media, keep going up, causing both interest and alarm. In late 2009, more new figures were released -- 1 in 110, 1 in 100, 1 in 91 -- and these again showed an increase, even over figures from just a few years ago. Where are these numbers coming from, and how were they calculated? How are we defining autism spectrum disorder, and how many people have one according to that definition? Do more and more people truly have ASD, or are we getting better at identifying the condition? Are we counting everybody, or are some people being missed? We look to the latest studies on autism rates to find out.