World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated on April 2 each year, and 2024 marks the 17th annual celebration.
One in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States have autism, according to Autism Speaks.
On April 2, you can mark the occasion by spreading awareness, showing your support by wearing blue and educating yourself about autism.
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Below is more information about World Autism Awareness Day and how you can show your support this year.
World Autism Awareness Day is a day focused on “sharing stories and providing opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, fostering worldwide support,” according to the Autism Speaks website.
The Autism Speaks organization spends the entire month of April sharing stories and helping to increase acceptance of people who live with autism.
World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated around the globe to spread awareness about autism and those who live with it.
Autism, according to Autism Speaks, “refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.”
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The day is about learning more about autism and how the conditions and challenges affect individuals.
There are numerous ways to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day.
You can add to your knowledge of autism by doing a deep dive into its history and building your overall knowledge.
There is a diverse collection of books to read about autism, including those written by people living with the disorder.
Autism Speaks provides a long list of recommended books on their website. Below are a few of their recommendations.
In addition to books, there have been many shows made featuring those with autism and how they live their lives. One example of this is the Netflix reality show “Love on the Spectrum,” which follows people with autism through their dating lives.
Another thing that you can do is help spread awareness. You can do this by donating to charities, attending events related to autism, participating in a fundraiser or using your voice to raise awareness yourself. Social media is a powerful way to educate people about a topic.
Use your platform to share more information on the disorder, how to properly and patiently interact with autistic individuals, support families and more.
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You can also wear blue clothing and accessories, the color associated with autism.
World Autism Awareness Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, according to NationalToday.com. Since then, it has been celebrated worldwide on April 2.
The color associated with autism is blue.
This color is a calming and accepting color, according to the Place for Children with Autism. Autism Speaks has its “Light It Up Blue” campaign each year that encourages people to wear the color to spread awareness about autism.
The symbol for autism is a puzzle piece. Like the color blue, this symbol was made popular within the autism community by the Autism Speaks organization.
Although there is no official symbol, the puzzle piece remains the most popular. Other symbols that have become popular through the years are the butterfly and the infinity symbol.
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