LIGHT IT UP BLUE FOR AUTISM AWARENESS

“Light It up Blue” encourages people to know the signs of autism and promote awareness by wearing blue. This year, they have a petition
through which they are advocating “inclusive health insurance coverage, vital
research, early intervention and treatment, and life-long support and necessary
services for individuals with autism and their families.” To sign the petition
visit http://www.lightitupblue.org/Markslist/home.do.
It is more than just one day; the month of April is autism awareness month.



Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a disorder that appears in
early childhood before the age of 3. The general symptoms are repetitive
behaviors, restricted interests, cognitive impairment and social delays. It
affects one in 88 children born today and one in 54 boys.



The Shape of Behavior offers treatment including but not
limited to early intervention for individuals with autism and other developmental
delays. TSOB specializes in applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA), which is
an evidence-based treatment credited for many success stories. It has helped improve the lives of countless individuals struggling with autism.

April 2 was declared World Autism Awareness Day on December
18, 2007 by the United Nations General Assembly with the goal of calling
attention to autism, a disorder that affects millions around the world. Autism
Speaks started “Light It up Blue” as a way to spread the word about the
disorder. 

As research continues knowledge of autism grows and better
programs and services are becoming available for individuals with autism, but
there is still room for improvement and more research must be conducted in
order to determine the causes of this disorder.

-End-