Raising a child with autism can present parents and family members with unique daily challenges to overcome, but families of children with autism in Pahrump now have a new community resource they can employ -- the Support Group for Parents of Children with Autism.

According to a study soon to be released by the Center for Disease Control, one in 91 children are diagnosed with autism and one in 58 boys are autistic. Here in Pahrump, there are 11 students in the Autism Education Unit at Floyd Elementary School and many other students who have been integrated into regular classrooms but may require additional monitoring and assistance.

The group meets at Wulfy's every third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. and is for adults only. Autism is a general term used to describe a group of highly complex developmental brain disorders. The causes for autism are unknown and it can present itself in a wide range of severity.

Children with autism may have intensely focused interests, difficulty with social interaction or engage in extremely repetitive behavior. They may have a hard time interpreting social cues such as facial expressions or tone of voice, making social interaction difficult.

Autism can present itself with differing ranges of severity, with some autistic children extremely high-functioning while others are unable to care for themselves.

The Support Group for Parents of Children with Autism was started by Wendy Thompson King and Amber Lewis in July. King, who has a 5-year-old son with autism, and Lewis started the group after noticing limited support resources in Pahrump for the families of the autistic community.

Although the Nye County School District has an early childhood education program for special needs children (which King describes as "wonderful"), and Floyd Elementary has an Autism Educational Unit, the family members of the children also need resources for education, information and emotional support.

Kris Dale, who teaches the Floyd Elementary Autism Education Unit, pointed out that there's no respite care available in Pahrump.

"You need a license to teach a child with autism," she pointed out. "So if mom and dad want to see a movie, they can't just call any babysitter. Parents here don't have that resource."

So the support group, in addition to creating an emotional support network for family members of children with autism, also helps keep family members informed on health care and other issues associated with raising an autistic child. King says often Nye County School District teachers and administrators will attend meetings and help distribute information.

"We have tons of teachers," King said. "They've really been 100 percent supportive of it."

One meeting focused on the importance of immunizations for autistic children while another focused on using an alkaline water system. Alkaline water clears the body of metals, which are often found in the immunizations needed by a child with autism.

But for the most part, King said, the support group focuses on activities and ways for families to spend quality time together.

"We do cover some health care issues, but we also focus a lot on what we want to do in the community," King said. So far the group has held a potluck and a backyard barbecue pool party, both of which were huge successes, according to King.

King says the group has been generally well-attended and there are several people who regularly show up.

"We had quite a few at first," King said. "It's been up and down, but we only meet once a month and it's in the evenings."

One of the main projects the group is working on right now is raising money for the Walk Now for Autism walk, sponsored largely by the Autism Speaks organization. It is scheduled to take place Nov. 21 in Las Vegas and begin at UNLV. The support group is hoping to raise $10,000 for the walk, which will ultimately be used to help fund research and the development of a cure for autism as well as autism awareness efforts.

And autism awareness is definitely an issue.

"One of the main things parents need to know is to get their child tested between the ages of 1 and 3," King stressed. "It's not a big deal and it's a noninvasive test." Testing for autism is generally conducted by a neurologist who will have a 20-minute question and answer session with the child.

So far the group has raised about $1,100 by selling puzzle pieces at all Horizon Markets for a dollar (a puzzle piece is the symbol of Autism Speaks) and puzzle cookies at Walmart. They are also holding a drawing for local prizes like driving lessons at the Spring Mountain race track and dinner at the Pahrump Valley Winery.

Drawing tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. The drawing will be held in November.

The Support Group for Parents of Children with Autism always welcomes support from the community in the form of volunteers, time and financial support. If you are interested in supporting this group, or in purchasing a drawing ticket, contact Wendy Thompson King at 775-209-3871.