Autism is the name attributed to a diverse group of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. This term was defined at as a diagnostic term for the first time in 1943. Today, according to the CDC, there are currently an estimated 5,437,988 adults and about 1 in every 59 children in the United States are living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
National Autism Awareness Month was started the Autism Society in April 1970 with a goal of increasing awareness and educating people about ASD. In 2011, the first Autism Acceptance Month celebrations were organized as a response to traditional campaigns which some of the Autistic community found harmful and insufficient. To learn more about the philosophy behind the “Nothing About Us, Without Us!” campaign, please visit the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network.
If you are interested in increasing your awareness and advocacy about Autism, please check out some of the titles below, written by people living on the spectrum: