World Autism Awareness Day | 02 Apr 2019

April 2 is celebrated all over the the world as World Autism Awareness Day and April, the month for Autism awareness.

  • The theme of this year's Autism Awareness Day is ‘Assistive Technologies, Active Participation’.

Autism

  • Autism can be defined as a complex neurobehavioural condition which causes problems with language and communication skills. It also causes a person to have repetitive and rigid behaviour.
  • It is a complex brain development disability which makes itself visible during the first 3 years of a person’s life.
  • It is not mental retardation as people with autism may show excellent skills in spheres like art,music, writing etc.
  • It is characterised by a range of symptoms and is thus also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
  • People with ASD show following symptoms
    • Failing to, or being slow to respond to someone calling their name,
    • Echolalia (repeating the same phrase over and over),
    • Repetitive movements, such as flapping hands, rocking back and forth, or flicking fingers,
    • limited interest in interacting with other people,
    • over- or under-sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as sounds, smells, colours and lights,
    • Getting upset by slight changes in a routine etc.
  • The causes of ASD are not known. Researchers suggest that both genes and environment play important roles.
  • There is no cure for it but therapeutic and behavioural guidance can considerably improve quality of life.
  • In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2nd April as World Autism Awareness Day.
  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Sustainable Development Goals and Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 of India deal with rights of people with disabilities including autism.