One child in every 166 births will be diagnosed with autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In response to this concern, the Autism Treatment Center is presenting the first South Texas Autism Summit.
Hosted by the department of family and community medicine, the summit will be held Saturday, Jan. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Pestana Lecture Hall, Room 3.104A.
The summit will provide Texans with information about new advances in the field of autism, as well as allow them to interact with professionals in the field, including Health Science Center faculty members.
Claudia Miller, M.D., professor of family and community medicine, will discuss specific environmental exposures and autism. Ray Palmer, Ph.D., associate professor of family and community medicine, will present information on mercury and autism. Chris Johnson, M.D., clinical professor of pediatrics, will discuss the disorder from a national policy and treatment perspective. Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., president of the Health Science Center, will also be present to stress the importance of the summit.
Other parts of the summit will address issues such as implementation of optimal services, early screening and diagnosis, and biomedical research.
Jose Cordero, M.D., assistant surgeon general for the CDC, will be among the distinguished speakers sharing information on the national response to autism and current initiatives.
Autism is a psychiatric disorder characterized by language impairment, deficits in communication and social interaction, and abnormal behavior, such as repetitive acts and excessive attachment to certain objects.
All are invited to attend the summit. Early registration is strongly encouraged and there is no charge for the event. Register online:
www.atcoftexas.org.
