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If you see people wearing blue on Wednesday, April 2, 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.

We hope that this annual day will help raise awareness for what autism is and help families get the needed resources.