In a world where people often strive to conform, there are those who stand out from the masses. Individuals who are born unique.
These are people who are born with autism and in honour of those who are autistic, April 2 is earmarked as World Autism Awareness Day.
Over recent years, awareness
For World Autism Awareness Day, St Dominics Newcastle held an awareness campaign. Learners handed out pamphlets to parents on autism to raise awareness as well as to highlight the importance of being educated on the subject.
Learners were also given a talk by Adele Hand, whose son Gigi has autism.
“A person’s brain is a computer and each person’s brain is different. Some children’s brains are wired differently, and this affects the way they communicate, feel and play,” she explains.
As autism is a spectrum condition, Adele explains it affects each person differently. This means they react differently to noises, smells and crowds.
“As their brains are wired differently when a sense works, their brain gets a bit confused,” she adds.
When an autistic person occasionally withdraws to regather themselves, Adele emphasises the importance of understanding and compassion.
Following Adele’s talk, scores of blue balloons were released into the sky. Brighting the overcast skies with vivid blue as a sign of support for World Autism Awareness Day.
