World Autism Awareness Day

I still remember the first time I heard of autism. In the mid-80s, a character in one of my favorite shows, St. Elsewhere, had a son with autism. It struck me as a rare and exotic disability. Several years later it was brought closer to my world, when in college I met a man who worked in a residential facility for young adults with autism. Now I have more friends with autistic children than I can count, and autism has a dramatic effect on our local education budget.

If you have heard about autism but aren't sure what it is or how it affects your neighbors, today is a good day to find out more. The United Nations has designated April 2nd World Autism Awareness Day in perpetuity.

April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day

This UN resolution is one of only three official disease-specific United Nations Days and will bring the world's attention to autism, a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions. The World Autism Awareness Day resolution encourages all Member States to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. It further expresses deep concern at the prevalence and high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world and the consequent developmental challenges.

World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the globe.