Government believes that with a resolution towards strengthening national capacities to address ASD, it can achieve the goal of combating it collectively. It can be rightly said that it is making all the necessary efforts needed and have been successful in achieving the aim to quite an extent in a short period of time.

1. World Autism Awareness Day
The World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is observed on 2nd April every year so as
to raise public awareness regarding autism. It highlights the need towards improving the
quality of life of those with autism and help them so that they can lead meaningful lives as
an integral part of society. The WAAD was designated by the United Nations General
Assembly resolution "62/139- World Autism Awareness Day", which was passed in a council
meeting on 1st November 2007, and later, adopted officially on 18th December 2007. It was
passed in the United Nations General Assembly mainly as a supplement to previous UN
initiatives with its primary goal being focused at improving human rights. Furthermore, the
WAAD also serves as a common platform in bringing individual autism organizations all
around the world together to assist in research, diagnosis, treatment, and overall
acceptance for those affected by it.
Autism is a developmental disability that manifests during the first three years of a
child’s life and persists throughout life although symptoms may improve with the time
passing. It greatly affects the functions of the brain and is a neurological disorder. Almost 1
out of 160 children in the world has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a range of
conditions that can be characterized by a certain degree of impaired social behaviour,
language and communication, and a narrow range of activities and interests that are both
carried out repetitively and unique to that particular individual. While some people with
ASD can live independently, a majority of others have severe disabilities which is why they
require life-long support and care. Other co-occurring conditions such as depression,
epilepsy, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are often presented by
individuals affected with ASD.
In India, ASD affects 1 in every 68 people with the most common conditions being
intellectual disability and hearing impairments. At least 70 million individuals have Autism
worldwide with 10 million in India itself. ASD is said to be the fastest growing developmental
disability all over the world. The early diagnosis of Autism, clearing misconceptions related
to the disorder and social acceptance of kids suffering from the neurological disorder is
extremely important as far as the welfare and upliftment of our society are concerned.
According to a number of doctors, Autism can be detected as early as 2 years of age with
the help of a simple checklist administered by a parent or school-teacher. The exact cause of
the disorder is not yet known but many scientists believe that it may be associated with

2. environmental or genetic factors. There is no particular cure for ASD either, but the
language and speech therapy, educational support, occupational therapy and a number of
such interventions can greatly help children and parents deal with it.
Interventions for individuals with ASD need to be carried out with the help of a
broader set of actions for making social, attitudinal and physical environments more
supportive, inclusive and accessible. Psychosocial interventions based on evidence such as
parent skills training programmes and behavioural treatment can effectively reduce
difficulties in social behaviour and communication and leave a positive impact on the quality
of life and wellbeing for people affected with ASD as well as their caregivers.
In the past few years, the Government has been actively implementing a lot of
necessary measures since people with ASD are often subject to discrimination, stigma and
human rights violations. They have been involved in several outreach projects across the
country to raise awareness about Autism through social media and campaigns focused on
highlighting issues related to it. In addition to this, there have also been campaigns where
they provide occupational therapy, social skills groups, physical activity routines and
interaction with children affected by ASD to provide any sort of further consultation or help
needed. Parents and guardians of autistic children are also supported via frequent
observations, training, independence and socialization.
Due to the various steps taken by the current government, it has been noticed that
in a number of cases, individuals begin to show changes in a couple of months, including
increased ability to control behaviours, more orientation, increased self-regulation,
awareness of the outside world, better social as well as independent living skills and
enhanced communication through improvement in speech or use of alternative methods
such as pictures, signs and symbols.
The healthcare needs of individuals with ASD are complex and thus, they require a
wide range of integrated services including health promotion, rehabilitation, care and
collaboration with various other sections such as education, social and employment. The
Government believes that with a resolution towards strengthening national capacities to
address ASD, it can achieve the goal of combating it collectively. It can be rightly said that it
is making all the necessary efforts needed and have been successful in achieving the aim to
quite an extent in a short period of time.