Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles put spotlight on kids with autism
The Philadelphia Eagles are on a mission to make football accessible to all kids, especially those with autism.
Through their Eagles Autism Foundation, the Super Bowl-winning team held football clinics for kids with autism Friday in the middle of Times Square on "Good Morning America."
Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata, members of the Eagles' offensive line, joined offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and Eagles cheerleaders in rooting on kids as they learned the game.
The clinic in Times Square mimicked the all-abilities football clinics the foundation hosts in cities across the country.
The foundation's efforts also include funding research on autism, increasing advocacy and awareness of the condition and implementing real-world solutions for kids with autism, like creating state-of-the-art sensory rooms at NFL stadiums.
Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a spectrum, which means symptoms vary by person. Some need little support in their daily lives, and some may need a great deal of support in performing day-to-day activities. Some may have advanced conversation skills and others may be minimally verbal.
In the United States, autism diagnoses are on the rise, with the disorder affecting an estimated 1 in 31 8-year-olds in the U.S. in 2022, according to an April 17 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Medical experts have previously told ABC News this increase is largely due to better awareness, better access to screening and services, and diagnosis of the wide range of autism spectrum disorder.
Click HERE to learn more about the Eagles Autism Foundation.
