Autism Awareness
National Park College’s (NPC) Math and Sciences Division hosted the April Lunch and
Lecture series last week featuring Dianna Varady, the head of the Arkansas Autism
Resource and Outreach Center in Little Rock.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is widely genetic
in origin. ASD includes classic autism, Asperger syndrome and Pervasive Developmental
Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. While there were three distinct diagnoses previously,
all are now considered to be under the umbrella of ASD.
Varady’s son was diagnosed with autism, she believes her job as a mother, and part
of the community is "to teach her child how to be an adult and the community on how
to support people with disabilities," stated Varady. Her mission is to allow people
with disabilities to have full inclusion in the community and access to all things.
NPC student Virginia Pitts invited Varady to speak as part of her capstone project.
Pitts stated, “I couldn’t have found a better person in the state to educate us about
this.”
Pictured left to right are Dianna Varady and Virginia Pitts.
