Autism West Cork

The week of 17th August 2009 saw children (and some adults) take to the water for the West Cork Surf2Heal 2009. A fantastic time was had by one and all.

If you've never heard of Surf2Heal before; it's a relatively new programme that aims to give children with autism a chance to try surfing in a protected and supporting environment. First run in Ireland in 2008 at Garrettstown, Co. Cork this year has seen camps held all around Ireland.

The camps are a great opportunity for the children to try new experiences and gain confidence. For some children just being on the sand or in the sea is a big challenge; but with the help of the volunteers and professionals on hand they're encouraged to expand their limits and have a great adventure.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who took part in the weeks activities. They're enthusiasm for being waist deep in cold water was reflected in the smiles of the children. I'd also like to thank Tricia, Kate, Pablo and Mary from Co-Action both for organizing the event and for getting in the water. Finally many thanks go to Colum of the West Cork Surf School for the use of his premises and  equipment.

These are a few of the comments parents made after the event:

"I just want to thank most sincerely all those involved in last weeks Surf2Heal, especially all those who organised it and gave freely of their time to make the experience what it was for all the children involved.
He had a brillant time - Thank you :) :) :)"

"Just to say a big THANK YOU to all people who made this year's Surf2Heal possible, especially the volunteers who gave up so much of their time. Our boy had a fantastic time, I could hear him laughing 50 yards away!"

"Surf2Heal was exactly the kind of activity I was looking for, for my son. Something where he is safe and secure, yet not over-protected - if that makes sense?! He had a great time and had so much fun. Even the weather didn't really put a dampener on it. I think I'd happily stand in the rain for an hour just to see the look of joy and pleasure on his face. ... Thank You sooooooooo much to everyone involved."

"Like everyone else,I would like to say a huge thank you to the ASD team, organisers and volunteers .My son had a brilliant time and an opportunity of a life time."

Heres looking forward to Surf2Heal 2010!

This web site has been created as a resource for parents of children who are on the autistic spectrum and are living in the West Cork area. The idea of the site is to help parents to help themselves and each other through the turmoil of day to day life with a child on the autistic spectrum.

What is Autism?

Autism is a disability that affects the development of certain parts of the brain that control social interactions and communication. The first symptoms of autism typically occur by the age of 3 in the form of developmental delays.

A child with autism is often referred to as being on the "autistic spectrum" and autism as "Autistic Spectrum Disorder" (ASD). This is because autism covers a wide range (or "spectrum") of disabilities from severely disabled sufferers to people who have relatively mild symptoms. The latter sometimes referred to as having "high function" ASD.

The causes of autism are complex. Current evidence suggests a considerable genetic component^[1] predisposing a child to autism. However the genetics are complex and there are many other theoretical causes. Reaction to vaccines is probably the most widely known "cause", however there is no scientific evidence to suggest that vaccines are responsible^[2]. 

Because of the wide range of symptoms and severity levels the diagnosis of autism is not straight forward. Despite the evidence of genetic disposition to autism there is no "test" that can be run to diagnose the condition. Instead a child has to demonstrate developmental delays in a number of key areas such as social interactions, communication skills and behavior. Assessment is generally a combination of observing the child and interviewing the parents to learn the childs' history^[3].