Autism acceptance aim of World Autism Awareness Day
![World Autism Awareness Day (Pexels)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/4/3/world-autism-awareness-day-1-6831878-1712154292462.jpg)
Acceptance and inclusion is what the Society for Autism Support and Services (SASS) is advocating for this World Autism Awareness Day.
"Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social interaction, communication, behavior, and sensory processing," according to SASS.
"It is characterized by a wide range of symptoms and severity levels, which is why it is referred to as a 'spectrum' disorder."
In the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, one in 50 Canadian children were diagnosed with ASD, and SASS says the number is increasing due to a combination of improved diagnosis, but also unknown factors.
SASS is a Calgary-based organization offering a broad range of intervention services for everyone from toddlers, to adults.
"Every Calgarian has a stake in ensuring awareness, acceptance, and appropriate resources and services for individuals with autism and their families," said SASS executive director Dr. Kim Ward.
"Autism acceptance is critical if we want to create a truly inclusive Calgary where autistic citizens are able to thrive."
Ward says, as ASD diagnosis' increase, additional resources from both the government and the private sector are needed.
"For example, government funding for autism treatment services has been frozen since 2014."
More information about SASS and its mission can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6978861.1722008569!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Sask. appeal court says anti-trans group cannot join constitutional dispute over pronoun law
Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal has denied a political group that opposes so-called “gender ideology” intervener status in a legal dispute over the province’s controversial pronoun law.
Justin Timberlake's attorney disputes he was intoxicated when arrested for DWI
A hearing in the case of Justin Timberlake being accused of driving while intoxicated was held Friday, where an attorney for the singer disputed his arrest in June.
Elon Musk's estranged daughter calls out his 'entirely fake' claims about her childhood
Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musk's estranged daughter, publicly refuted several recent anti-trans statements her Tesla CEO and X owner father has made about her.
What we know about 'malicious' attack on French train network ahead of Olympics opening
French transport was thrust into chaos Friday just hours ahead of the Olympics 2024 opening ceremony after a series of co-ordinated 'malicious acts' upended high-speed train lines.Here's what happened and what we know so far.
Harvey Weinstein in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 and contracting double pneumonia
Disgraced and imprisoned movie mogul Harvey Weinstein 'tested positive for COVID and contracted double pneumonia in his lungs,' Juda Engelmayer, Weinstein’s spokesman, said in a statement Thursday.
Reported rate of child pornography increased 52% in 2023, total crime up 3%: Statistics Canada
Last year, reported child pornography cases increased by more than 50 per cent in Canada, in part due to more cases being sent to police by specialized internet child exploitation units, according to a Statistics Canada report.