On April 2nd, the world celebrated the seventh annual Autism Awareness Day. Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique fundraising and awareness-raising events. World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention.
Just to shed some to light on the issue here are some of the facts:
- Autism affects 1 in 68 children and 1 in 42 boys
- Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have autism
- Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
- Autism prevalence figures are growing
- Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning there is a wide range in the ways and degrees to which it affects people
- Its cause is unknown, though it is generally thought to be a combination of genetic and non-genetic factors
- There is no medical detection or cure for autism
Though Autism Awareness Day itself has ended, for the remaining month of April there are several events happening on campus:
Thursday, April 10th– Autism Speaks U Chalk the Walk at 6:30 a.m.
Monday and Tuesday, April 14th & 15th– Alpha Xi Delta Blue Bake Sale and Blue Bracelet/Light Bulbs- stop by to pick up some yummy treats and bracelets/blue light bulbs from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Oak Grove!
Wednesday and Thursday, April 16th and 17th– Autism Speaks U Blue Bake Sale- Stop by the library from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. to pick up some blue snacks!
Tuesday April 15th– Listen for Alpha Xi Delta on the radio AM 1450 around 8:45 a.m. to learn more on Autism Speaks!
Wednesday April 16th– Alpha Xi Delta Quarter Mile- the sisters of Alpha Xi Delta are holding a quarter mile on Philly Street in Indiana, PA between 8 a.m. -5 p.m. The girls take all the donations received in support of Autism Speaks, convert it into quarters, and line Philly Street with the quarters collected!
Hope to see you come out and support a great cause!
Learn more at:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/facts-about-autism