Autism Society of America

Autism Society of AmericaFounded| 1965

|

Founders| Bernard Rimland,[1] Ruth C. Sullivan, and others
Legal status| 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Headquarters| Rockville, Maryland, United States

Executive Chair

| Lori A. Ireland[2]

President/Chief Executive Officer

| Christopher Banks
Subsidiaries| Autism Society of America Foundation[3]

Revenue (2013)

| $2,396,020[3]
Expenses (2013)| $2,378,089[3]
Endowment| $50,000[3]

Employees (2013)

| 27[3]

Volunteers (2013)

| 20[3]
Website| www.autismsociety.org

Formerly called

| National Society for Autistic Children[4]

The Autism Society of America (ASA) was founded in 1965[5] by Bernard Rimland[1] together with Ruth C. Sullivan and a small group of other parents of children with autism. Its original name was the National Society for Autistic Children;[4] the name was changed to emphasize that autistic children grow up. The ASA's stated goal is to increase public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by autistic people as well as their families and the professionals with whom they interact.[6] Although the group has promoted the pseudoscientific belief that vaccines cause autism in the past, it now affirms that there is no link between vaccination and autism.[7] In 2021, the ASA launched a new brand including a logo consisting of multicolor lines forming a fabric with a new slogan, "The Connection Is You".[8]

## Founders

[edit]

### Bernard Rimland

[edit]

Main article: Bernard Rimland

Bernard Rimland (November 15, 1928 – November 21, 2006) was an American research psychologist, writer, lecturer, and influential person in the field of developmental disorders who is known for promoting autism-related pseudoscience. In 1964, Dr. Bernard Rimland wrote a book, Infantile Autism, that convinced others working in the field that autism is a physiological disorder, not a mental or emotional problem.[9] Rimland was a founder of the Autism Society of America in 1965, but left to create the Autism Research Institute in 1967.[10] He later promoted several theories, which have since been disproven, about the causes and treatment of autism, including vaccine denial, facilitated communication, chelation therapy, and false claims of a link between secretin and autism.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Some Key Dates in Autism History". The Washington Post July 1, 2008. p. F5.
2. ^ "[1]". Autism Society of America. Accessed on March 26, 2021.
3. ^ a b c d e f "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Autism Society of America. Guidestar. December 31, 2013.
4. ^ a b Campbell, Susan. "A place for miracles? Institute offers option for autistic children". St. Petersburg Times. April 13, 1988.
5. ^ "About the Autism Society". Autism Society. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
6. ^ "Autism Organizations". Autism Key. January 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
7. ^ "Statement of the Autism Society of America on Vaccine Safety". Autism Society. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
8. ^ "Autism Society's New Brand Launch". 15 November 2021.
9. ^ Krause, Audrie. "Authority on Autism Speaks from Experience: Doctor Began Research After His Son Was Diagnosed with Disorder 30 Years Ago". The Fresno Bee. November 18, 1987.
10. ^ Carey, Benedict (November 28, 2006). "Bernard Rimland, 78, Scientist Who Revised View of Autism, Dies". New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Autism Society of America: home page

* v
* t
* e

Autism resources

* Autism
* outline
* history

Awareness|

* Autism-friendly
* Autism Sunday
* Communication Shutdown
* World Autism Awareness Day

Culture|

* Autistic art
* Autism in popular culture
* Fictional characters
* Films about autism
* Circle of Friends
* Neurodiversity

Accommodations|

* Sensory friendly
* KultureCity

Therapies

| Psychotropic medication (antipsychotics)|

* Aripiprazole
* Risperidone

|

Behavioral|

* Applied behavior analysis (ABA)
* Discrete trial training (Lovaas)
* Picture exchange communication system (PECS)
* Pivotal response treatment
* Positive behavior support
* Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
* Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
* Social skills training

Developmental|

* Floortime (PLAY Project)

Controversial|

* Auditory integration training
* Aversion therapy (Judge Rotenberg Center)
* Chelation of mercury
* Facilitated communication
* Gluten-free, casein-free diet
* Hug machine
* Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
* Holding therapy
* Relationship development intervention
* Secretin
* Sensory integration therapy
* Son-Rise
* Vitamin B12

Related|

* ADHD medication
* Melatonin
* Occupational therapy
* Social Stories
* Speech therapy
* Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
* Structured teaching (TEACCH)

Centers

| Research|

| United States|

* Association for Science in Autism Treatment
* Autism Research Institute
* Autism Science Foundation
* Kennedy Krieger Institute
* National Alliance for Autism Research
* Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative
* Yale Child Study Center

|

United Kingdom|

* Autism Research Centre (UK)

* Conditions and research areas
* Researchers

Therapy|

| United States|

* Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)
* MIND Institute

|

Schools|

* Alpine Learning Group
* Eden II School for Autistic Children
* ESPA College (UK)
* Exceptional Minds (USA)
* New England Center for Children
* Pathlight School (Singapore)
* Rebecca School
* Sunfield Children's Home (UK)
* TreeHouse School (UK)
* Western Autistic School (Australia)

Organizations

| International|

* Autism rights movement
* Wrong Planet

|

Americas|

| United States|

* Autism Network International
* Autism Science Foundation
* Autistic Self Advocacy Network
* Autism Society of America
* Autism Speaks
* Centro Ponceño de Autismo
* Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation
* Generation Rescue
* Interactive Autism Network
* Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee
* LENA Foundation
* National Alliance for Autism Research
* National Council on Severe Autism
* National Database for Autism Research
* The Autism Community in Action

|

* Centro Ann Sullivan (Peru)
* Domus Instituto de Autismo (Mexico)

Asia|

* Action for Autism (India)
* Autism Resource Centre (Singapore)

Caribbean|

* Autistic Society (Trinidad and Tobago)
* Maia Chung Autism and Disabilities Foundation (Jamaica)

Europe|

| UK|

* Autism Anglia
* The Autism Directory
* Autism Awareness Campaign UK
* Autism Cymru
* Autism Plus
* Autistica
* National Autistic Society
* Sacar

|

* Specialisterne (Denmark)
* Aspies For Freedom

Oceania|

* Luke Priddis Foundation (Australia)

Literature

| Non-fiction|

* The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from My Silent Son
* Animals in Translation
* Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger's Syndrome
* Autism's False Prophets
* Extreme Love: Autism
* Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence
* In a Different Key
* Life, Animated
* Like Colour to the Blind
* Look Me in the Eye
* Mother Warriors
* My Autobiography
* NeuroTribes
* Nobody Nowhere
* The Reason I Jump
* Somebody Somewhere
* Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues
* Strange Son
* Switched On
* Unstrange Minds

|

Fiction|

* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
* Dear John
* House Rules
* Mockingbird
* Saving Max
* Speed of Dark
* The Winter Journey
* With the Light

For younger people|

* Everybody Is Different: A Book for Young People Who Have Brothers or Sisters With Autism
* Ian's Walk: A Story about Autism
* Marcelo in the Real World
* Rage: A Love Story
* Rules

Journals|

* Autism
* Autism in Adulthood
* Autism Research
* Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
* Molecular Autism
* Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

* v
* t
* e

Autism

Main|

* Causes
* Diagnosis
* Epidemiology
* Epigenetics
* Heritability
* History
* Memory
* Pathophysiology
* Sex and gender
* Societal and cultural aspects
* Therapies

Diagnoses|

* Pervasive developmental disorder
* Classic autism
* Asperger syndrome
* Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
* Childhood disintegrative disorder
* High-functioning autism

Associated conditions
and phenomena|

* Alexithymia
* Autism and LGBT identities
* Autistic burnout
* Autistic catatonia
* Autistic masking
* Autistic meltdown
* Hyperlexia
* Late talker
* Monotropism
* Nonverbal autism
* Pathological demand avoidance
* Savant syndrome
* Special interests
* Infodumping
* Stimming
* Echolalia
* Echopraxia

Comorbid conditions|

* Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
* Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
* Anxiety disorder
* obsessive–compulsive disorder
* Developmental coordination disorder
* Epilepsy
* Intellectual disability
* Sensory processing disorder
* Global developmental delay
* Verbal Dyspraxia

Associated syndromes|

* 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
* 22q13 deletion syndrome
* Angelman syndrome
* CHARGE syndrome
* Cohen syndrome
* Cornelia de Lange syndrome
* Down syndrome
* Fetal valproate spectrum disorder
* Fragile X syndrome
* MECP2 duplication syndrome
* Neurofibromatosis type I
* Noonan syndrome
* PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome
* Rett syndrome
* Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome
* Timothy syndrome
* Tuberous sclerosis complex
* Williams syndrome

Related issues|

* Autism rights movement
* Critical autism studies
* Double empathy problem
* Multiple complex developmental disorder
* Neurodiversity
* TEACCH program
* Violence and autism

Controversies|

* Facilitated communication
* Lancet MMR autism fraud
* MMR vaccine
* Rapid prompting method
* Thiomersal
* Chelation

Diagnostic scales|

* Autism Diagnostic Interview
* Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
* Childhood Autism Rating Scale
* Gilliam Asperger's disorder scale

Screening scales|

* Autism-spectrum quotient
* Childhood Autism Spectrum Test
* Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale

Lists|

* Autism-related topics
* Fictional characters
* Schools

Accommodations|

* Autism-friendly
* Sensory friendly

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template