Answering the Autism Question
In April, Autism Awareness Month celebrates all kinds of minds. It amplifies the voices of people eager to showcase their own unique strengths. It honors people and families who turn challenges into opportunities on a daily basis. It also signifies the potential of a world united in support of one mission – to embrace the more than 70 million people affected by autism spectrum disorder.
At a time when world leaders don’t agree on much, all 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously approved a resolution to pay tribute to the global autism community every year on April 2. Watch Autism Speaks Co-Founder Suzanne Wright address the United Nations.
While we celebrate amazing progress made since the first World Autism Awareness Day eight years ago, the issues facing the autism community remain as urgent as ever. For Autism Speaks, that means we need to transform awareness into understanding, provide resources and support, and continue to push for advances in autism research that lead to personalized treatments for people with autism across their lifespan. Our partnership with Community Health Charities allows donors in the workplace to directly impact these goals.
The facts about autism as we know them today are ever-evolving as science and research help us understand the magnitude of the issues and the possible tactics to addressing them.
In its latest survey, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 1 of every 68 children is affected by autism. The report also highlighted a significant gap between the onset of symptoms and actual diagnosis. We know that autism can reliably be diagnosed anywhere from 18 to 24 months old, but the reality is most children are diagnosed after age 4.
These children grow up.
At Autism Speaks, one of the things we hear most often – what’s going to happen to my son or daughter when I can no longer take care of them?
That question motivates us to address housing, health care, education and employment services for adults with autism. For example, we helped launch TheSpectrumCareers.com to create a portal of jobs for people with autism and other disabilities. More than 100 companies have posted 47,000 jobs. There is no doubt that adults with autism possess valuable talents and skills. They are an asset to our country’s workforce and should not be overlooked.
We also sponsored the House to Home Prize to generate creative housing solutions for adults with autism.
The numbers tell one story. But each number represents a child, teen or adult with autism and more broadly, a family impacted by autism.
It’s the Diaz family of California, whose eldest daughter Maya has autism and at 9 years old is starting to use words. Maya doesn’t write yet, but her family and the team of teachers and therapists have faith that she can learn.
It’s also self-advocates, such as Autism Speaks staffer Kerry Magro, who is an accomplished motivational speaker and best-selling author. Kerry provides a valuable voice for the autism community. Watch Autism Speaks staffer and self-advocate Kerry Magro’s TEDxTalk about adults with autism.
The spectrum is vast, which means our solutions and support systems need to reflect the diversity of the community.
World Autism Awareness Month is a wonderful start. It is one month in the lives of many people who live with autism every day. Our goal is to make each day that follows easier, happier and more fulfilled.
To learn more, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.
