April is Autism Awareness Month in the United States

Per the 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, 1 in 54 children in the United States had been identified as being on the autism spectrum by age 8 in 2016, and it is four times more common in males than in females.  The reports indicates a continued increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder.  To learn more about World Autism Awareness Day - with the 2020 theme of "The Transition to Adulthood" - and Autism Awareness Month follow these links:

Read on for other ways to get involved.

Ways you can become involved at the Autism Speaks website

You can help advocate for inclusive health insurance coverage, vital research, early intervention and treatment, and life-long support and necessary services for individuals with autism and their families.

Light It Up Blue, annually observed on April 2 is dedicated to raising awareness of autism. Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization, announced the launch of the inaugural Light It Up Blue campaign in 2010. This initiative is intended to raise international awareness of autism as a growing public health crisis in support of World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month in the United States.

Iconic landmarks around the globe – including the Empire State Building in New York City and Willis Tower in Chicago along with the CN Tower in Toronto and Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia – as well as airports, bridges, museums, concert halls, restaurants, hospitals, and retail stores, are among more than 100 structures in over 16 U.S. cities and nine countries around the world lit up in bright blue on the evening of April 1, 2010 – the first night of Autism Awareness Month in the United States and the eve of World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD).

Ways you can become involved at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention autism website

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the "CDC is committed to continuing to provide essential data on ASD, search for factors that put children at risk for ASD and possible causes, and develop resources that help identify children with ASD as early as possible." You can visit the website and education yourself about the following:

  • Early Intervention: From birth to 5 years, your child should reach milestones in how he plays, learns, speaks, acts and moves. Track your child’s development and act early if you have a concern.
  • Vaccine Safety: Some people have had concerns that ASD might be linked to the vaccines children receive, but studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing ASD.

Ways you can become involved at the Missouri Autism Guidelines Initiative (MAGI) website:

The Missouri Autism Guidelines Initiative is sponsored by the Thompson Foundation for Autism; the Division of Developmental Disabilities, Missouri Department of Mental Health; the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; and Mercy Children's Hospital - St. Louis and Springfield. These project sponsors were brought together by their shared belief that current research and scientific data would help inform parents and professionals for earlier, more accurate screening, diagnosis, assessment and intervention for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Check out these free resources: