This April 2, join the entire world as it celebrates the 4th Autism Awareness Day. This year, the working theme is “Act for Autism Now,” according to the Asean Autism Network.
Autism, more appropriately referred to as the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has shown an increase in incidence among children, from a ration of 1 out of every 150 to 1 out of every 110, according to the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network in 2009. In the same year, in the U.S., one out of every nine children has ASD.
In the Philippines, an estimated 1,000,000 kids have autism but unfortunately only few among these have been diagnosed and have received medical attention.
It is now said to be the fastest rising developmental disability in the whole world.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disorder wherein children can appear to be unresponsive to others, with a tendency to have problems communicating. Symptoms include impairments in language, communication, and social skills, and exhibiting stereotypical or repetitive behavior. It affects a child’s perception of what he sees, hears and touches,which, in fact, makes up the world around him.
Given the greater incidence and propelled by the seriousness of the rising cases of ASD, the United Nations General Assembly backed the Resolution 62/139 on December 18, 2007 to officially recognize Autism Awareness Day every April 2.
Early intervention is recommended to those who suspect autism in their children, as well as the aid offered by special education schools. Despite autism being an untreatable disability, these will greatly help an autistic child to become more independent and constructive.
SOURCES: • Atkinson & Hilgardís Introduction to Psychology 14th edition, by Smith et al.(2003) • March 28, 2011. “ASP National celebrates 4th World Autism Awareness Day” autismsocietyphilippines.blogspot.com
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