HR0269LRB100 12075 MST 24590 r
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Autism spectrum disorders can affect all
3individuals regardless of racial, ethnic, economic, and social
4groups; and
5 WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
6(CDC) estimates that one in seven children in the United States
7have a developmental disability, ranging from mild
8disabilities such as speech and language impairments to serious
9developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities,
10cerebral palsy, and autism; and
11 WHEREAS, Autism spectrum disorders are more common than
12pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined; and
13 WHEREAS, Studies in Asia, Europe, and North America have
14identified individuals with an autism spectrum disorder, with
15an average prevalence of about 1%; a recent study in South
16Korea reported a prevalence of 2.6%; and
17 WHEREAS, According to estimates from CDC's Autism and
18Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, about one in 68
19children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder;
20and

HR0269- 2 -LRB100 12075 MST 24590 r
1 WHEREAS, The cause of autism spectrum disorders is still
2unknown, but research strongly suggests that it is caused by
3certain factors that affect brain development; and
4 WHEREAS, Autism spectrum disorders have increased tenfold
5in the last decade and now occur in some form in one in 42 boys
6in the United States; and
7 WHEREAS, Autism, which is five times more common among boys
8than girls, usually appears during the first three years of
9life; and
10 WHEREAS, Early diagnosis, research, training, education,
11and therapies are vital to reducing the effects of autism; and
12 WHEREAS, Current research suspects that there is not a
13single cause that will ultimately be discovered, but rather a
14cluster of factors which include genetics, pregnancy/birth
15complications, viral infections, metabolic disorders,
16congenital anomaly syndrome (birth defects), and environmental
17toxins; therefore, be it
18 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
19HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
20declare April of 2017 and 2018 as "Autism Awareness Month" in
21the State of Illinois for the purpose of urging both government

HR0269- 3 -LRB100 12075 MST 24590 r
1entities and the citizenry to become aware and educated on the
2subject of autism spectrum disorders; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4presented to The Autism Program of Illinois.