United Services for Children invites the public to the second annual "Exploring the Spectrum" autism information fair. This free event will run 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 5, at the Spencer Road Library Community Commons, located at 427 Spencer Road in St. Peters.
This event will kick off National Autism Awareness Month by providing valuable resources for families of children with autism, caregivers, and professionals in autism-related fields.
There will be two panel discussions. The first, at 9 a.m., will include people with autism, and parents of children with autism, talking about their life experiences and answering audience questions.
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The second panel, 11 a.m. to noon, will include three of the top autism physicians in the region. The panel will feature Dr. John Mantovani from Mercy, Dr. Natasha Marrus from Washington University and Dr. Rolanda Maxim from SSM Cardinal Glennon. For the entire hour, the physicians will focus on answering audience questions.
From 10-11 a.m., there will be four simultaneous breakout sessions. Attendees can choose which one they want to attend. Dr. Homer Johnson, a pediatric sleep specialist from SSM Cardinal Glennon, will present a 30-minute session on sleep disorders and children with autism. United Services therapists will present breakout sessions on behavior, feeding, and using iPads to help children with autism.
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Throughout the morning, there will be information tables from autism-related organizations and service providers. This is a rare opportunity to access a broad array of autism resources under one roof.
No registration is required. Admission is free. For more information, call Raymond Castile at 636-926-2700, ext. 101.