Autism spectrum disorder - THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG.

355493543 657648103065276 1087864424665202085 n

Courtesy of the Upper Saddle River Police Pictured from left to right: Mayor Arman Fardanesh, Joe Abbatiello, Chief Patrick Rotella

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Upper Saddle River NJ, in April, Upper Saddle River resident Joe Abbatiello, contacted us regarding the Blue Envelope Program. Mr. Abbatiello learned about this program from the Dumont Police Department. The Blue Envelope Program helps facilitate a traffic stop interaction between drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder and police officers. Mr. Abbatiello’s suggestion resulted in Mayor Arman Fardanesh and Chief Patrick Rotella adopting this outstanding program.

Continue reading Upper Saddle River Police Roll Out the Blue Envelope Program For Drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

March 31,2016
the staffof the Ridgewood blog

Astonishing : 1 in 41 children in Jersey have autism.

Ridgewood NJ, The number of children with autism continues to rise in New Jersey, which is already the highest rate in the nation, according to a CDC report published Thursday.

The CDC report found no significant change in the autism rate nationally, but in New Jersey the percentage of school-age children diagnosed with autism increased from 2.1 percent in 2010 to 2.5 percent in 2012, or 1 in 41 children.

The CDC says that Nationally, 1.5 percent of children have autism, or 1 in 68.

Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disability that can affect how people communicate, behave, learn and interact with others or their environments. Signs of autism begin to become evident in early childhood.

In the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the CDC says it’s still not clear why New Jersey’s rate is so high, “but it could be related to how children are identified and connected to services in their local communities.”