World Autism Awareness Day: How you can show your support in 2024
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.
- What is World Autism Awareness Day?
- Why do we celebrate World Autism Awareness Day?
- How do people celebrate World Autism Awareness Day?
- Why is World Autism Awareness Day on April 2?
- What is the symbol and color for autism?
1. What is World Autism Awareness Day?
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.
Autism Speaks is an organization that plays a huge role in World Autism Awareness Day and spreading awareness about autism. (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
The Autism Speaks organization spends the entire month of April sharing stories and helping to increase acceptance of people who live with autism.
2. Why do we celebrate World Autism Awareness Day?
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.
Many national landmarks across the globe, including the Empire State Building in New York City, light up blue for World Autism Awareness Day. (Noam Galai/Getty Images for Autism Speaks)
3. How do people celebrate World Autism Awareness Day?
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.
- "The Reason I Jump" by Naoki Higashida
- "Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism" by Temple Grandin
- "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon
- "In a Different Key: The Story of Autism" by John Donvan and Caren Zucker
- "How to Speak Dolphin" by Ginny Rorby
- "All Birds Have Anxiety" by Kathy Hoopmann
- "Born on a Blue Day" Daniel Tammet
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.
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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.
4. Why is World Autism Awareness Day on April 2?
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.
A puzzle piece is one popular symbol that has been associated with autism. (iStock)
5. What is the symbol and color for autism?
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.
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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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