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The month of April is Autism Awareness Month. On the evenings of April 1 and 2, 2011, buildings throughout North America and the world are turning their lights blue to build awareness for families afflicted by autism and to kick off World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, 2011.
More than 500 structures in the U.S. and 25 other countries will also take part in the 'Light It Up Blue' campaign. The Empire State Building, Niagara Falls, and the CN Tower will all be bathed in blue light this weekend.
Autism Speaks, North America’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, is organizing the international effort. The organization estimates that 67 million people worldwide live with the condition, which remains the fastest-growing developmental disability in the world -- affecting 1 out of every 110 children.
Moreover, the organization released results of its first online community survey on livability. The organization used the data to generate a list of places to live for people with autism, reporting the places most often cited by respondents for best availability of services and resources, including educational offerings and recreational and medical services.
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In the top 10 were, in no particular order: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Boston, Northern New Jersey, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Seattle and Milwaukee.
According to the National Institutes of Health, autism is known as a "spectrum disorder" because of its broad range of symptoms and severity. The most common symptom of autism is impaired social interaction. As of yet, there is no explanation for the disorder, nor any cure. Males are four times more likely to suffer from autism than females.
Just because individuals with autism might not express their feelings in the same way other people do, this does not mean that they do not have feelings - THEY DO! This myth must be destroyed. A person with autism feels sadness, happiness, pain, and love just like everyone else does.
There is no cure for autism; however, early intervention can considerably improve the child's development, especially during their first few years of life. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, says that more health professionals are being educated to identify the signs and symptoms early on, allowing children to get effective and prompt treatment when they are young.
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