Els for Autism

 

"It is several years since our son Ben was diagnosed with Autism. We suspected for a few years that something was not quite right. There’s a process that every kid goes through. Crawl at nine months, walk at 12 months, and then start talking and so on. With Ben we started thinking: ‘Why is he not crawling? Why is he not walking? Why is he not looking me in the eye?’ Things like that. 

 

We soon discovered he was quite profoundly impacted by Autism. We established the Els for Autism Foundation in 2009 with the goal of funding an Autism Center of Excellence, the first of its kind in the world. Autism hits families hard and I'll be fighting for the rest of my life to try and help others in the same situation. I hope you'll share an interest and join me in this fight."  - Ernie Els

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT IS AUTISM?

 

Autism is one of a group of serious developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that appear in early childhood -- usually before age 3. Some children show signs of autism in early infancy. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life but then suddenly become withdrawn, become aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. 

 

Children with autism generally have problems in three crucial areas of development -- social interaction, language and behavior. But because autism symptoms vary greatly, two children with the same diagnosis may act quite differently and have strikingly different skills. In most cases, though, severe autism is typically marked by an inability to communicate or interact with other people normally.

 

The number of children diagnosed with autism is rising.   About 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.   While there is no cure for autism, intensive, early treatment can make a big difference in the lives of many children with the disorder.

 

 

LEARN THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF AUTISM

 

 

 

 

 

 

ELS FOR AUTISM - MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES

 

MISSION STATEMENT

 

Els for Autism is committed to helping people on the autism spectrum fulfill their potential to lead positive, productive and rewarding lives, through:

•   Facilitating the development and delivery of treatment therapies, educational programs, training programs, and sports programs as well as residential and independent living programs. 

•   The development of global outreach programs that will facilitate the sharing of best practices and programs with the global autism community and beyond.

•   Understanding the nature of Autism Spectrum Disorder, raising awareness, and promoting the value, acceptance and inclusion of people on the spectrum.

 

VISION STATEMENT

 

Els for Autism envisions itself as being a game-changing resource in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder, delivering and facilitating the delivery of programs that are leading examples of what should be available to people with Autism Spectrum Disorder across the world.

Through our commitment to learning and the sharing of best practice Els for Autism envisions being a driving force in helping people on the spectrum, around the world, realize their potential and individual aspirations and become valued and productive members of welcoming communities.

 

VALUES

 

Integrity

Honesty

Respectfulness (respectful of other points of view in autism, and to people on the spectrum)

Collaborative spirit

Open to Learning

Committed to sharing

Commitment to quality

Commitment to excellence

Efficiency