Autism Awareness Month
What is Autism Awareness Month and why is it now called Autism Acceptance Month?
What is Autism Awareness Month?
Autism Awareness Month occurs every year to help boost awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorder. It also serves to provide knowledge to the public on conditions relative to the neurodevelopment of people in local, regional, and nationwide communities.
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Autism impacts about one out of every 54 people in America and is best known for the difficulties those with ASD have with social interactions, communication with others, and behaviors that repeat themselves.
Although the root cause of ASD has yet to be found, studies show that environmental factors and genetics can increase the chances of later diagnosis.
Autism Awareness Month aims to make autism more popular with society at large, thereby helping more people understand its characteristics.
For this reason, the month is often celebrated with various autism-related events like community walks, marketing of outreach programs on different forms of media, and promotion of educational seminars.
One of the primary objectives of Autism Awareness Month is to reduce stereotypes and falsehoods about autism and promote the acceptance of people on the spectrum as individuals that are the same as everyone else, having various complexities, feelings, emotions, and talents.
It should be noted that all people on the spectrum are unique. Through larger public understanding and support of the autism community, autistic people who are and aren't diagnosed can build bridges to be accepted and included.
When is Autism Awareness Month?
Autism Awareness Month is observed every April of the year. But why is this so?
April is the month that commemorates the inauguration of the National Autistic Society, which began as a UK institution in 1962.
The objective was to bolster awareness of ASD and market for wider rights of people that are autistic, including better treatments for its detection in both young and older individuals. Since its inception, it has grown in size to represent a global observance with UN recognition.
With April being the designated month, AAM seeks to focus attention on the issues and setbacks that the autistic community faces, including challenges brought to their loved ones.
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Why is There a Push to Call it Autism Acceptance Month?
There has been a growing trend for AAM to be called Autism Acceptance Month to better highlight the need for giving acceptance and understanding to people that have the disorder and the disorder itself.
In this view, the change could better reflect who autistic people are instead of simply acknowledging that they exist. The promotion of the name change is also done with the ambition to encourage the public to go beyond knowing what autism is since that isn't all that's needed for people to create a safe space for them.
Being the neurodivergent disorder that it is, understanding and affirmation of autism are imperative for building and maintaining inclusivity for people diagnosed with it.
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Being the neurodivergent disorder that it is, understanding and affirmation of autism are imperative for building and maintaining inclusivity for people diagnosed with it.
In other words, a change from Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance calls attention to the demand for more productive methods in building a world that sees autistic individuals as people and not merely a name.
What Is Autism Awareness Day?
Autism Awareness Day is a yearly held day created to promote understanding and acknowledgment of ASD.
It was officially designated in 2017 by the UN to increase focus on the issues that the autistic community and their families must face in their day-to-day lives. It also serves to promote their rights and encourage greater recognition in government and private institutions around the world.
The day is officially celebrated in numerous localities throughout the world, where events are hosted in multiple forms. The official color of AAD is blue, a hue that's commonly linked to the autism community. Alternatively, some choose to celebrate AAD using the pieces of a puzzle in the shape of a ribbon.
The goal of AAD is to spread understanding and education about autism so that communities can implement better programs and assistance for the things that autistic people need.
These may include better resources for parents with autistic children, more institutions put in place to diagnose autism in older people, and a growing effort to raise awareness for autism in parts of the world where the disorder is misunderstood.
Through teamwork, the autism community and its supporters can build a society that allows autistic people to thrive, excel in education, and boost their life expectancy.
When is Autism Awareness Day?
Autism Awareness Day is celebrated on April 2nd.
This was the day that the United Kingdom's National Autistic Society was created. The aim of society has always been the same, which is to promote autism acceptance, treatment, and understanding. It's recognized throughout the world as one of the earliest advocacy groups.
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Before its creation, many viewed autism as something that was misunderstood and typically misdiagnosed. April the 2nd was picked to celebrate the society's founding, which marked a turning point for the disorder worldwide.
As AAD is currently known and treated by psychiatrists in the developed world, the day has seen increasing interest in promoting individualism, where treatment and methods for acceptance should be done according to the needs of every case.
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