THE Ministry of Education (MoE), through its Special Education Needs (SEN) Unit, has been rolling out several activities to commemorate Autism Awareness Month and bring more awareness to the illness. Activities, which began on April 1 and will run until April 30, involves a number of virtual awareness forums, sensitization outreaches, awareness walks, a virtual concert, several radio and television broadcasts, panel discussion and an inter-secondary school debating competition. Autism, which is one of a number of neurodevelopmental conditions on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behaviour.
Though there are several cases in Guyana, not many persons are aware of the prevalence of the condition.

World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated annually on April 2. It was created by the United Nations General Assembly to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life of those with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society. Since 2008, the whole of April has been celebrated as Autism Month.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the national public health agency of the United States of America, ASD is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioural challenges, with people communicating, interacting, behaving, and learning in ways that are different from others.

While some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives, others need less.
According to the CDC, people with ASD often have problems with social, emotional, and communication skills. They might repeat certain behaviours and might not want change in their daily activities. Many people with ASD also have different ways of learning, paying attention, or reacting to things. Signs of ASD begin during early childhood and typically last throughout a person’s life. While there is currently no cure for ASD, the CDC said research shows that early intervention treatment services can improve a child’s development. ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socio-economic groups, but is about four times more common among boys than among girls.
All of the causes of ASD are not known, but the CDC said there may be many different factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including environmental, biological and genetic factors.