Most people have heard of Autism but few have experienced it. Yet more and more children worldwide are being diagnosed with it. But what is it and how does if affect those both with it and those who care for them? Autistic people are not ill, they are not deformed they are not "less than" anyone else. Their minds just work differently. All the rest of us need to do is take the time to discover how they think. They are incredibly logical which is why they often find social interaction difficult.
They find what most of us worry about to be a lot less interesting than what they are learning so they do not necessarily see the point. It is not that they are unfeeling or even less empathetic it is just their brains work differently.
What causes Autism
In many ways doctors and scientists are not sure. Autism is said to be a developmental disability and the supposed causes have ranged from being a birth defect, either caused by a traumatic birth or a gene issue. Some think it is caused by the MMR vaccine because symptoms often do not appear until after vaccination. This has led to many parents refusing this vaccination and hence Measles being on the increase. Others think it is the next development of mankind such as the leap from Neanderthal man to Homosapien. What is certain is that the condition is permanent. It affects the brain's functions. What this means is that the brain of someone with Autism does not work the same as the rest of us. It does not mean they are deformed or anything else just different. It’s like one person being left-handed and another right. Most autistic people are extremely intelligent.
The first signs of autism usually appear before a child is three years old because they often have problems with verbal and non-verbal communication. They often demonstrate repetitive behavior and sometimes do not appear to be as affectionate. When they are focused on something they are not easily distracted and usually find social interaction difficult.
Autism affects boys and girls of all races and in all geographic regions and has a large impact on children, their families, communities, and societies. The prevalence is currently rising in many countries around the world. Caring for and educating children and young people with this condition places enormous challenges on their families and local, national and international education and training programs.
A large number of events globally are organized on World Autism Awareness Day ranging from global conferences for those within the sector, media coverage to raise awareness to workshops and exhibitions by autistic artists.
On November 1, 2007, the United Nations (UN) called for one day each year to be designated as World Autism Day. On December 18, 2007, the UN General Assembly designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. It was first observed in 2008.