April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day: What you need to know

World Autism Awareness Day has been celebrated since 2008 in accordance with the decision of the UN General Assembly. On this day, as a sign of support for people with autism, it is customary to wear blue clothes or clothes with blue elements, reports UNN. 

What is autism?

Autism is a disorder of the nervous system that slows down the level of communication. Today, there are special institutions, public organizations and parent communities in Ukraine that aim to help provide special children with favorable conditions that will allow them to live fully in society.

"Au!". This is usually shouted by people who are lost in the forest. It is a kind of slogan that means that a person is alone and needs rescue. The word "autism" contains the very root "au". Translated from Greek, it means – self. With autism, the child immerses himself in himself and is alone, even if there are many people around.

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Statistics

According to the World Health Organization, one in 160 children suffers from autism spectrum disorder.

According to the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, 1 in 88 children has autism (with early intervention, the child can be fully adapted to social life). In Ukraine, the number of children diagnosed with autism increases by 30% every year.

In Ukraine, as of December 2023, there were a total of 20,936 children diagnosed with "autism". As of 2017, according to the Ministry of Health, there were 7,491 such children. Researchers have also found that boys are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.

First signs of autism

All risks of developing autism in a child can be diagnosed at the age of one and a half years with the help of a special screening test. As a rule, the first signs of autism can be identified in a child under the age of three years. At the same time, it is very important to notice them in time and seek help from relevant specialists.

Signs of autism:

• sharp reaction to loud sounds;

• weak reaction to light;

• the child does not start talking for a long time;

• the child is "attached" to some single toy;

• does not like team games;

• often repeats some one particular movement.

Autism is not a sentence

The most important thing to remember is that autism is not a sentence. The main thing is to recognize it in time so that the child does not behave aloof in adulthood and has a good future.

Autism should not be confused with a decrease in intelligence. Often, autistic people become owners of special abilities. They can be good mathematicians, artists, have perfect musical pitch (which is a great rarity), can become outstanding chess players, and so on.

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By developing the attention of children who are diagnosed with autism in time, parents, together with specialists, reveal and develop their abilities and enhance their imagination. They also learn to communicate effectively with the world around them.