Trinidad Autism Awareness Chapter (TAA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.  All donations and proceeds are dedicated to the growth of understanding and awareness of autism and to the support of local families affected.  Founded in 2014 by Linda Thompson and Bernadette Trujillo in response to a conspicuous absence of community support and understanding in relation to Linda’s grandson, an ever-growing team has also fostered an

extended sense of family through support groups, fundraisers, and participation in community events.  Steps of significant empowerment and societal integration have thus been made and are also ongoing. In the past, conditions labeled as Autistic Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and Asperger’s Syndrome were diagnosed separately.  Now they wear the single label of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  Many with ASD have significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges.  Some live day to day with very little help, while others require more assistance.  While the causes of ASD remain unknown, there have been advances.  Studies have indicated the involvement of many different factors--including environmental, biological, and genetic elements-- that predispose a child to ASD.  Since there is still no medical test to diagnose ASD, doctors must evaluate behavior and development in order to make a diagnosis.  Granting that it is possible to detect ASD even prior to eighteen months in age, a reliable diagnosis can generally be made by an experienced professional after a child’s second birthday.  If you think your child might have ASD or that there could be a problem with either the way s/he plays or some other aspect of development, contact your pediatrician.