World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated on April 2, consistently to makes people understand and accept individuals with autism, encourage overall help, and inspire individuals. It is a day that spread kindness and autism awareness.
The UN Secretary-General’s message for 2021 is, As we cooperate to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, one key objective should be to construct a more inclusive and accessible world that recognizes the contributions of all people, including people with disabilities.
The emergency has made new obstacles and challenges. However, endeavors to reignite the global economy offer a opportunity to rethink the working environment to make diversity, inclusion, and equity a reality.
Recovery is additionally an opportunity to rethink our systems of education and training to guarantee that people with autism are afforded opportunities for understanding their potential.
What is Autism?
Autism is a neurological condition that lasts life long and can manifest during early childhood. As per the United Nations, autism is described by its unique social interactions, non-standard ways of learning, keen interests in specific subjects, inclination to routines, challenges in typical communications and particular ways of processing sensory information.
Autism goes under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), where range implies a range of characteristics. There are four types of ASD – Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Pervasive Development Disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).
Symptoms and signs of Autism:
- Abnormal Body Posturing or Facial Expressions
- Abnormal Tone of Voice
- Avoidance of Eye Contact or Poor Eye Contact
- Behavioral Disturbances
- Deficits in Language Comprehension
- Deferral in Learning to Speak
- Flat or Monotonous Speech
- Improper Social Interaction
- Intense Focus on One Topic
- Lack of Empathy
- Lack of Understanding Social Cues
- Learning Disability or Difficulty
- Not Engaging in Play With Peers
- Preoccupation With Specific Topics
- Issues With Two-Way Conversation
- Repeating Words or Phrases
- Tedious Movements
- Self-Abusive Behaviors
- Sleep Disturbances
- Social Withdrawal
- Unusual Reactions in Social Settings
- Utilizing Odd Words or Phrases
Theme of World Autism Awareness Day 2021:
Since 2012, consistently the UN has given a theme for the festival of the World Autism Awareness Day. During the current year 2021, the theme is ‘Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World’.
History of World Autism Awareness Day:
The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life of those with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as a necessary piece of society. In 2008, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities went into force, reaffirming the fundamental principle of all universal human rights for all.
Autism is a long lasting neurological condition that manifests during early childhood, irrespective of gender, race, or socioeconomic status. The term Autism Spectrum refers to a range of characteristics.