National Autism Awareness Month
What is National Autism Awareness Month? National Autism Awareness Month spans the month of April with the purpose of spreading awareness, breaking the stigma, and providing support and hope to those who have or support someone with Autism. Starting in the 1970s, Autism Awareness Week was celebrated, later growing into the entire month of April. What is Autism? According to the American Psychological Association (APA), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describes a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges with “social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns in behaviors, interests, and activities” (APA, 2021). The term spectrum is used to highlight the wide variation in presentation and severity of symptoms. ASD is understood to occur across all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups (CDC, 2020). Statistically speaking, ASD is four times more likely in boys than girls and approximately 1 in 44 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) …