NBC has announced that DAYS will incorporate an autism storyline when Abe and Lexie Carver learn that their preschool-aged son, Theo, has this complex brain disorder beginning on the Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 episode. The revelation about Theo, who has been experiencing problems in preschool, will be undoubtedly difficult to comprehend for his loving parents, but through the love and support of Abe and Lexie’s family and friends, they learn to cope with this tremendous new challenge in their lives.

Autism Speaks

NBC is joining with Autism Speaks, the nation’s leading autism advocacy organization, to help raise awareness and convey a message of hope during the course of the summer storyline. This organization was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, to funding research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism, and to advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

What is Autism?

According to About.com's Guide to Autism, Lisa Jo Rudy, autism is defined as a pervasive developmental disorder which affects social and communication skills and, to a greater or lesser degree, motor and language skills. People with autism can be chatty or silent, affectionate or cold, methodical or disorganized. This disorder is diagnosed in one in every 150 children in the United States, with boys at much higher risk than girls. To learn more about autism, About.com Guide Lisa Jo Rudy does an excellent job of keeping you in the know about this complex disorder.

You can also visit the Autism Speaks Website to obtain the latest news, research, and much more.

Storyline

This autism storyline is based on the personal experiences of Head Writer Dena Higley, who has raised an autistic child of her own with her husband Mark. Connor, the Higleys’ son, was diagnosed with autism at three-years-old. He is now nineteen-years-old and recently graduated high school. The Higleys’ personal struggles and triumphs of raising an autistic child along with raising three other children are why Dena Higley is so passionate about sharing her story. “We’re telling the profound and life-altering story of a child with autism from his parents’ point of view. This is a personal story for me...as my husband and I have walked in the shoes Abe and Lexie are now about to walk in,” she says.

NBC’s Senior Vice President of Daytime and Drama Programming Bruce Evans says, “I am thrilled that DAYS has decided to take on this very important topic. We are hopeful that this storyline will serve as a resource for our viewers, many of whom have already been touched by this critical issue.”

Alison Singer, Executive Vice President of Communications and Awareness for Autism, says, “This storyline realistically portrays the emotional trauma that every family faces when a child is diagnosed with autism, yet it also opens a window for viewers to see the hope and achievements that are possible as a family pulls together. We are honored to work with Days of Our Lives and applaud the shows’s commitment to shine a bright spotlight on the autism crisis and its effects on the whole family.

Kudos to DAYS for helping to raise awareness to this devastating disorder which affects hundreds of thousands of families today. Kudos for giving talented performers James Reynolds and Renee Jones (Abe and Lexie) an opportunity to showcase their talents into this heart-wrenching storyline.