April for a Cause: Autism Awareness Month

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

  

Today is the first day of April, which also marks the beginning of Autism Awareness Month. I have friends that work with autistic children and through them I have realized the importance of promoting autism awareness. 

The month of April is dedicated to bringing attention to the growing need for concern and awareness about autism. 

According to autism-society.org, "autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a 'spectrum disorder' that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today."

Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability. The annual cost of working with those diagnosed with autism is over 60 billion dollars, and the cost of autism over the lifespan is 3.2 million dollars per person.

There are many ways to get involved with autism awareness, including reaching out to your local chapter, signing up for autism society's free e-newsletter, attending an event and much more. 

To learn more about autism or to make a donation, visit http://www.autism-society.org/