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An Editorial Opinion of The Demopolis Times

If you see people wearing blue today, there’s a good chance that they are doing that in solidarity with families that have had someone diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. 

April 2 is recognized globally as World Autism Awareness Day and serves as the kickoff to National Autism Acceptance Month. 

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental condition that affects how people interact, communicate, and experience the world around them. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 36 children in the United States have ASD, with more than 5.4 million adults in the U.S. are living with autism.

It seems like with each passing year, you are hearing more about families who are faced with the challenges of having children or family members who are on the spectrum. Thankfully, we are seeing more awareness of the diagnosis, and we are hopeful that families are getting much more support now than they have in the past.

And the thing is, this month is more than just about recognizing that autism exists.

“Autism Awareness Month is about more than recognizing a diagnosis. It is about understanding the unique perspectives of individuals with ASD and empowering families to access the resources they need to thrive,” said Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kimberly Boswell.

That is why we are excited to hear that Demopolis is going to have its first ever autism walk on Saturday beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Foscue Park. The event organizers said the community has opened their arms and pocketbooks to make the inaugural event such a huge success.

Families wanting to attend the event will not have to pay. And the parents and caregivers will have access all kinds of information and people within the mental health community to learn more about the diagnosis and to give them resources of how to care for their family members.

And it’s also a safe place for the children who are facing autism to play and have fun. 

The state website mh.alabama.gov/autism-services also has more resources.

We hope that the event will be a great success for this year so that we can have more events like this in the future.

 

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