Why We Walk

Autism now affects 1 in 100 children.                                                                                                                               
Research is needed to find effective treatments to help children and adults with Autism/Asperger’s.  (480) 363-7561

This year's Zoowalk for Autism is dedicated to:

Dr. Bernard Rimland

Founder and Former Director of the Autism Research Institute

Autism Is Treatable!

With a combination of biomedical, behavioral, therapy, and educational intervention almost all children and adults with autism can improve their potential, sometimes dramatically. More research is needed to improve on what we have already learned.

Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., was the father of an adult son with autism. For almost 50 years he had been one of the leaders in the search for effective treatments for autism, and in sharing the latest research breakthroughs with parents and professionals.       
(below: drawing by Dr. Rimland’s .son Mark)                                                                                                                                                              

His work has involved:

  • Writing the book “Infantile Autism” in 1964 which disproved the theory that autism was a purely emotional problem due to bad parenting, and instead establishes it as a biological/neurological condition.
  • Founding the Autism Research Institute in 1967
  • Calling parents together in 1969 to found the Autism Society of America
  • Founding Defeat Autism Now! Conferences in 1995, when the first team of physicians, researchers, and parents were brought together
  • Strongly advocating for ABA therapies
  • Leader of research on high-dose vitamin B6 and Mg.
  • Published the Parent Surveys on Treatment Effectiveness, based on feedback from over 23,000 families.
  • Developed the ATEC, one of the best forms for evaluating changes in symptoms of autism.
  • Raised funds to support many top research programs on how to treat autism, including work by Andrew Wakefield, Tim Buie, Jill James, James Adams, and more.
  • Responded to requests for information from over 50,000 families.

See www.AutismResearchInstitute.com for more information

The current director of the Autism Research Institute, Dr. Stephen M. Edelson, worked with Dr. Rimland for over 20 years. He is a member of ASA's Professional Advisory Board, and he is the President of the Autism Society of Oregon. His areas of research has spanned many different areas of autism including biomedical, sensory, cognition, and behavioral.

The Autism Research Program at Arizona State University (led by Prof. James Adams) is a pioneer in the search for new treatments for children and adults with Autism and Asperger’s.  In addition to carrying out many important research studies, he has also organized many major autism conferences in Arizona to educate families about biomedical, behavioral, and educational therapies. 

100% of the Zoowalk proceeds go to fund Autism/Asperger’s treatment research at ASU and ARI.