World Autism Awareness Day (2nd April)

Hey guys

Today is really important to not only me but to a lot of people as well.

It is the 2nd of April and it is World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD). It was decided in 2007 by United Nations General Assembly that this would be set up. The very first one took place last year. By bringing together autism organisations all around the world, World Autism Awareness Day aims to give a voice to the millions of individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help.

Here’s a video to explain about WAAD from AustimSpeaks (Youtube Channel)



Ok I am here to share my story

When I was three years old I was taken into my local doctor and the doctor had said I was diagnosed with Autism and I had to go to a special school that dealt with Autistic kids. The school I was taken to is no longer there and its called Griffin Manor. I remember having a great time while I didn’t know what were rights and wrongs in the world. I wasn’t sad or happy. I didn’t what to feel. Its sometimes really hard to find the right emotion. Griffin Manor looked after me really well by the time I was 9 years old it was found out that my autism wasn’t as bad as a lot of children who have it. I was transferred to a regular school full time by the age of 10. I still have touches of Autism now which make me hard to understand certain things like sarcasm and when someone is telling a joke but I get by.

So that’s my story.

So Today I am standing up for Autism.

What is Autism? (Taken from Wikipedia)

Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. The autism spectrum disorders (ASD) also include related conditions such as Asperger syndrome that have milder signs and symptoms.
Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear whether ASD is explained more by multigene interactions or by rare mutations In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects. Other proposed causes, such as childhood vaccines, are controversial, and the vaccine hypotheses lack any convincing scientific evidence. The prevalence of ASD is about 6 per 1,000 people, with about four times as many boys as girls. The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; the question of whether actual prevalence has increased is unresolved.

Autism affects many parts of the brain; how this occurs is not understood. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life. Although early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social, and communication skills, there is no known cure. Few children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, but some become successful, and an autistic culture has developed, with some seeking a cure and others believing that autism is a condition rather than a disorder.

Channels to look up

http://www.youtube.com/user/AutismSpeaksVids - AutismSpeaks
http://www.youtube.com/user/NationalAutisticSoc - National Autistic Society
http://www.autismspeaks.org.uk/waad/ - Website to Autism Speaks

Have a great day everyone

Barry