Cassie Mitsch, Senior
The whole month of April is Autism Awareness Month. There is a World Autism Awareness Day, which is April 2nd. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.
In 1970, the Autism Society launched an ongoing nationwide effort to promote autism awareness and assure that all affected by autism are able to achieve the highest quality of life possible. In 1972, the Autism Society launched the first annual National Autistic Children’s week, which turned into National Autism Awareness Month (NAAM). The Autism Society of America is proud to celebrate National Autism Awareness Month in April 2020 with its new “Celebrate Differences” campaign. Designed to build a better awareness of the signs, symptoms, and realities of autism, #CelebrateDifferences focuses on providing information and resources for communities to be more aware of autism, promote acceptance, and be more inclusive in everyday life.
The Autism Society recognizes that the occurrence of autism in the United States has risen from 1 in 125 children in 2010 to 1 in 59 in 2020. Recognizing this continued increase, the goal for NAAM is to further increase awareness about autism signs, symptoms and opportunities through: information and referrals, events, printable and digital resources, and community partnerships with businesses and organizations dedicated to building inclusive experiences.
On April 2nd, people around the world will wear the color light blue, which is the color this year for Autism awareness, to raise awareness for this development disorder.
During the month of April, Autism-friendly events and educational activities will take place to increase understanding and acceptance and foster worldwide support.
Hopefully, this month will bring awareness to this disorder and will educate the masses on what this disorder actually is.
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