Melissa Ferman created this video in 2007 for a semester-long project in a Sociology class called Social Problems. It was meant to inform her class (and others) about the rising number of cases of autism in the US. It has segments of video in it from "Autism Every Day" and the "Oprah Winfrey Show". With her permission I am sharing it on my website. Hopefully her messaage, and others like it make it into the hearts and minds of everyone watching it.


(c) 2007 Melissa Ferman

Please remember, instead of instantly calling someone a bad parent, putting Child Protective Services (CPS) in the speed dial of the your phone, or thinking to yourself that the child needs more discipline, ASK YOURSELF, "Is that child screaming on the floor autistic?"

Stop being so judgemental, and have a little more compassion.

• Each week CPS agencies receive more than 50,000 reports, and almost two-thirds (61.7%) were screened in and deemed appropriate for investigation.
• Professionals submitted more than half (56.1%) of the screened-in reports.
• The three most common sources of reports were education personnel (16.1%), legal or law enforcement (15.2%), and social services (14.4%).
• More than half (58.4%) of investigations led to a finding of "unsubstantiated." In each of the past four years, the percentage of unsubstantiated reports has been less than 60%.