April is...AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH

The shift from Autism Awareness Month to Autism Acceptance Month reflects input from autistic and other community leaders, including members of the Association of University Centers on Disability who are advancing support, research, evidencebased interventions, inclusiveness and advocacy for the human and civil rights of all people with autism spectrum disorder / developmental disabilities (ASD/DD).

Autism diagnoses are growing, both for children and adults. In December 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that one in 44 children are diagnosed with autism. Over 7 million people in the U.S. are on the autism spectrum. Autism affects people from all racial, ethnic and socio-economic standings. The numbers stress the urgent need for equitable access to diagnostic evaluations and early interventions that have a significant impact on lifelong outcomes.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with ASD have a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known. Scientists believe there are multiple causes of ASD that act together to change the most common ways people develop.

People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact and learn in ways that are different from most people. Their appearance may not set them apart from others, and their abilities can vary significantly. Some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas others may be nonverbal. Some with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others can work and live with little to no support.

ASD begins before the age of 3 and can last throughout a person’s life. Symptoms may improve over time. Some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age then stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.

As children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they may have difficulties developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with others, or understanding what behaviors are expected in school or on the job. They may come to the attention of healthcare providers because of anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which occur more often in people with ASD than in people without ASD.

Approximately 1 in 5 young adults with autism will interact with a police officer before the age of 21. Individuals with disabilities, including those with autism, are five times more likely to be incarcerated than people without disabilities. Police interactions lead to more injuries and fatalities within this population, largely due to lack of training and the improper use of excessive force.

Up to 85 percent of autistic adults with a college education are unemployed, and over 70 percent of adults with autism are underemployed or unemployed. Given the current labor shortage, employers could benefit from expanding their pool of applicants through inclusive hiring practices.

The Autism Society offers a series of fact sheets and brochures to educate first responders and partners with businesses to offer learning opportunities, resources and connections to the wide network of autistic individuals in the workforce to support inclusive workplace missions.

More information can be found at https://autismsociety.org/ and https://www.cdc.gov/