Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder, affecting 1 in 88 children born today. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Last year the Topping Brothers held a golf fundraiser to raise money for autism research, but more donations are needed. For more information, visit autismspeaksscv.com.

Does your child respond when you call his name? Does he point at an airplane or a bird as it flies by? Does he make eye contact? Does he play with or show interest in other children?

These may seem like small questions, but they’re not. They’re part of a critical autism screening process that puts children as young as 18 months on a path to getting the care they need. That road is a complicated, very bumpy one, no matter where a child is on the autism spectrum.