The National Autistic Society is encouraging people to help celebrate World Autism Awareness Week which this year takes place between Saturday 2 April and Friday 8 April.

By raising money people can help to raise awareness about autism and make a difference to the lives of autistic people across the UK.

Are you an individual affected by autism, or a group of friends seeking to make a difference?

The National Autistic Society says their Night Walks for Autism were an amazing hit last year, and this year they are happening again, on Saturday 2 April in London and Manchester. You can sign up to take part today.

You can also visit one of the society’s pop up shops, which will be appearing all around the country. They’ll showcase the work of autistic artists as well as the winning designs from our clothing design competition. You can find out more on their website.

A movement of people

Last year, almost 5,000 people took part in the first ever World Autism Awareness Week. It was the society’s biggest ever fundraising campaign, and it raised over £235,395 to help autistic people and their families across the UK.

This year the society is calling for even more people than ever to help with their ambitious plans to raise awareness about autism, so that all autistic people are understood, appreciated and accepted.

Whether you’re at home with your family, in a school, at a branch, service or company, everyone is welcome to get involved and raise awareness about autism.

The society has also launched its first ever Schools’ Autism Awareness Week. Free fundraising resources, assemblies, lesson plans and activities are available to help improve understanding of autism in your school.

What is autism?

Autism is a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them.

There are many people with autism in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. More than 1 out of every 100 people has autism.

You cannot always tell that someone has autism just by looking at them. Because of this autism is sometimes called a hidden disability.

Autism lasts for all of a person’s life. But they can still do a lot of things and learn a lot of skills.

Some people with autism find these things difficult:

• They find it difficult to tell people what they need, and how they feel.
• They find it difficult to meet other people and to make new friends.
• They find it difficult to understand what other people think, and how they feel.

Not everyone with autism will find these things difficult. This is because everyone with autism is different.

What causes autism?

No one knows why people have autism.

If your child has autism, it is not because you are a bad parent.

More than 1 person in a family may have autism. It can be genetic. This means autism can pass from parents to their children.

For more information go to the Autism UK website

Written by Rachel Harrison, speech and language therapist, on behalf of IntegratedTreatment Services.