Today, April 2, 2010, is International Autism Awareness Day. We should all become aware of the fact that autism is a growing epidemic.

According to Autism Speaks, one of the biggest advocacy groups for the autism community, every 20 minutes, another family receives the devastating news that their child has been diagnosed with autism.

The prevalence of autism is growing, and nobody knows why. Roughly one in 110 children are being diagnosed with the disease. For boys, the rate is even higher, with one in 70 being diagnosed on the spectrum.

This summer, San Jose will be home to a “Walk Now For Autism” event.  The walk will be held at History Park on June 5, 2010.

Families living with autism have to do a lot of “heavy lifting.” In the public realm, the costs associated with autism will continue to grow. This is a serious problem that demands increased attention and care.

For details on the upcoming walk, go to the Walk Now For Autism website.

For more information on autism, go to the Autism Speaks website or the World Autism Awareness Day website.