April is Autism Acceptance Month

April is Autism Acceptance Month, celebrated to promote inclusion, awareness, and
appreciation for neurodiversity rather than just awareness. It highlights the need for support,
services, and acceptance for autistic individuals in schools, workplaces, and communities. The
month emphasizes celebrating differences and improving the quality of life for autistic people.

Since 2021, the focus has shifted from awareness to acceptance to reflect the need for real
inclusion and support, championed by organizations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network
(ASAN). It focuses on fostering understanding, appreciating the talents of autistic individuals,
and advocating for necessary services.

Autism awareness history spans from early 20th-century clinical descriptions to a modern shift
toward acceptance. Key milestones include Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger’s work in the 1940s,
Dr. Bernard Rimland’s advocacy in the 1960s, and the establishment of Autism Awareness
Month in 1970. The focus has transitioned from seeking a cure to promoting inclusion, support,
and neurodiversity. In 2007,The United Nations declared April 2nd as World Autism Awareness
Day.

The visual symbol of the puzzle piece, representing complexity, was introduced by the National Autistic Society (UK) in 1963. The infinity symbol (often rainbow-colored) has since emerged to represent neurodiversity and inclusion.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 31 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States today.

Anybody can be autistic, regardless of sex, age, race or ethnicity. However, research from the
CDC says that boys get diagnosed with autism four times more often than girls. According to
the DSM-5-TR, the diagnostic manual for ASD, autism may look different in girls and boys. Girls may have more subtle presentation of symptoms, fewer social and communication challenges, and fewer repetitive behaviors. Their symptoms may go unrecognized by doctors, often leading to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis. Getting a diagnosis is also harder for autistic adults, who often learn to mask their autism symptoms. Early intervention and therapies can make a big difference in a person’s skills and outcomes later in life.

The two core autism symptoms are challenges with social communication and interaction skills
and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Children and adults with autism may have difficulty
with social interaction and communication skills, particularly in these areas:

Social interactions
− Starting and taking turns in conversations
− Sharing interests or emotions
− Understanding what others are thinking or feeling

Communication
− Making eye contact
− Understanding other people’s body language, gestures and facial expressions
− Regulating tone of voice (e.g. they may speak too loudly, too quietly and/or with a
monotone voice)

Developing and maintaining relationships
− Expressing feelings and seeking emotional comfort from others
− Making friends and playing with peers
− Understanding boundaries and personal space
− Feeling overwhelmed in social situations
− Restricted and repetitive behaviors

Restricted and repetitive behaviors vary greatly across the spectrum. To get an autism
diagnosis, a person must show at least two types of the following behaviors.

− Repetitive movements, play or speech patterns, such as stimming, or making repetitive
body movements to regulate emotions (e.g. rocking, hand flapping, spinning, running
back and forth)
− Imitating another person’s speech, repeating words or phrases (also known as echolalia)
− Ritualistic behaviors (e.g. watching the same videos over and over, repeatedly touching
objects in a set order)
− Need for routine (e.g. same daily schedule, meal menu, clothes, route to school)
− Extreme interest or knowledge of specific, narrow topics
− Strong attachment to a certain object (e.g. a toy or figurine)
− Sensory differences, like unusual sensitivity to light, sound, touch or texture

For questions and to book appointments, write to us on our website or call us at (585) 442-
6960.