World Autism Awareness Day

Every April 2^nd is World Autism Awareness Day. Did you know that according to CDC statistics, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in boys is more popular 4.3 times than girls? This is because girls "often go undiagnosed because they don't fit the autism stereotype and they hide symptoms better than boys," according to the Institute of Child Minds. It is a great opportunity to advance our own understanding and promote kindness.

Origin of World Autism Awareness Day

Autism affects about 1 in 150 children worldwide. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects their ability to integrate normally into society by affecting their ability to use verbal and non-verbal communication. Since 2012, the number of children affected by autism has increased by 30%, and World Autism Awareness Day helps raise awareness of this growing health concern.

Autism first appears very early, sometimes manifesting in early childhood, other times waiting until later in childhood. The disease progresses steadily without remission, its first symptoms usually appear around six months and settles firmly by about two or three years of age. Instead of having one distinguishing feature, Autism is indicated by a combination of three distinct symptoms. Three matters includes social difficulties, communication problems, and a limited number of interests combined with repetitive behavior like stacking.

Autism is no longer classified as a single disorder, but as a collection of varying degrees of severity. Autism is at the core of all of these syndromes, with its features common to varying degrees throughout and including disorders such as Rett Syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. One of the most common disorders known on the list, aside from Autism, is Asperger's. Asperger's syndrome is manifested by the presence of Autistic symptoms without impaired language development.

Asperger's syndrome often leads to problems with socializing with peers. People who are not on the Autism Spectrum program often have common body language queues that are often lost in people with AS. It's not uncommon in the Asperger community to hear them talk about their frustrations with non-Aspergers, as much of the conversation seems completely lost to them. Things like tone, context, and sarcasm must be considered very carefully, as they are often not sourced from people with AS and their frustrations with communication often stem from this and other issues.

However, like anyone in the Autism group, they will exhibit much stronger intellectual areas than others. These areas favor reading, language, music, or space, sometimes manifesting to the extent that they may fall into the “gifted” range in those areas. This appears to be counterbalanced by significant delays in other areas of development.

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by behavioral and communicative emotions that affect a person's ability to navigate social interactions and also cause repetitive and is limited.

The first historical occurrence of the word "autism" was coined in 1911 by psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler, who used the term to describe a specific group of symptoms considered to be symptoms of autism simplicity of schizophrenia as an extreme social regress.

In that sequence, it was 1943, when pediatric psychiatrist Dr. Leo Kanner described Autism as a social and emotional disorder in his article "Autism Emotional Exposure Disorder", and in 1944, Hans Asperger published an “Article on Autism Psychiatry” where he described autism as a disorder of normally intelligent children who have difficulty with social and communication skills festival. These articles played an important role in some studies that classified Autism as a disorder different from schizophrenia in 1980.

With ongoing investigation and research on autism, World Autism Awareness Day has been set by the “United Nations General Assembly” to April 2 every year in accordance with “Resolution 62/139” and adopted on 18 December 2007, to encourage Member States to take action to raise awareness of people with autism spectrum disorders and to support research into new approaches to improve health and inclusion.

Finally, the concept of autism was introduced in 2013 by the American Psychiatric Association in the fifth edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" by combining all subcategories of autism and related conditions including the different characteristics, severity, and presentation of symptoms.

Traditions of World Autism Awareness Day

World Autism Awareness Day honors the tenacity of people who are suffered from the disorder and promotes awareness of the disorder. Children in schools are educated about autism and encouraged to accept it. Since children with autism are the subject of bullying, it is very important that their peers are tolerant and inclusive. Signs of autism are sometimes not so common, which is why adults (especially parents) are also educated on the issue. Local businesses and shopping malls are also very interested in raising autism awareness, and they also donate to organizations relating autism.

Observing World Autism Awareness Day

• Share information online

Even today when most people have access to information, there are still many people who do not know about autism and its characteristics. Become an advocate for the autism community by educating the public.

• Get involved with autism associations

Have multiple people with autism or have a family member with autism and are members of a community-wide, national, or global association. Contact them to participate in any of the activities planned for the day.

• Caring for people with an autism spectrum diagnosis you know

World Autism Awareness Day is the ultimate opportunity to spend time with those diagnosed with autism you know! Don't forget to make a detailed plan for outdoor activities to enjoy together.