This month, April, is Autism Awareness Month. Did you know that?

Every day, I work with children. As they carry out the tasks and activities in our intervention sessions, I notice traits in some of them that are listed in the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

There’s Jay who gets very upset if I change the schedule for therapy, even just slightly. Don has to sit in the same seat every time, and keeps up a conversation whether you respond or not. Then I have Ray who speaks in a no-inflection monotone, through almost-clenched teeth.

Do you know someone who is autistic?

They usually have difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.

Over two million people in the United States are autistic. On March 27, 2014, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that they classify around 1 in 68 American children as on the autism spectrum–a 30% increase since 2008.

Do you find that alarming?