We are going to be baking some puzzle piece shaped cookies for World Autism Awareness Day to give to friends and neighbors. This is the letter I wrote to include with the cookies. Please feel free to copy it, edit it if you feel the need, and distribute it ,with your details of course, if you are doing something like this for Autism Awareness Day or any other time of the year. I bought my cookie cutter from Karen’s Cookies but there are other places to order them as well if you just google “puzzle piece cookie cutter”.
I wanted to keep it fairly short so people would take the time to read it but I wanted to cram as much information as I could in there so hopefully this proves useful and informative to our friends and neighbors and maybe yours too!
Dear Neighbors and Friends,
My name is Adrian and I’m 8 years old. On April 19, 2006 I was diagnosed with Autism. April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day and April is Autism Awareness Month and my mom and sisters decided to bake some awareness cookies and helped me write this letter so that we can all help spread autism awareness!
Why the puzzle piece?
The puzzle piece symbol for autism represents the complexity and mystery of autism.-Autism is mysterious because nobody knows what causes autism or why the instances of autism seem to be increasing. The different colors and shapes represent the diversity of people and their families living with this disorder. -Autism knows no bounds it effects every race and every socioeconomic status. Autism can effect any family at any time and everyone with autism will be effected in a different way and have their own very personal challenges and strengths. The brightness of the colors used to represent autism signify hope. Hope through enhancing awareness in people like you. -People with autism are much more likely to be bullied or abused. One of the greatest challenges families deal with when their child has autism is the public in general not accepting or judging them or their children because of the symptoms autism presents. This is where everyone can make a difference.
So what is autism anyway?
Autism is a lifelong developmental disorder that is generally diagnosed within the first 3 years of life. A diagnosis has to be made through observation, there is no medical test for autism. People with autism usually have trouble with communication and social skills. Everyone with autism has different struggles, some of the early signs include: speak very little or none (not hitting language developmental milestones), child appears to be in their own world (doesn’t respond to their name or doesn’t seem to hear when they’re being spoken to), repetitive behaviors (hand flapping, rocking), they may not play with toys in an imaginative or proper way (fixating on the wheels of a car or continually lining toys up would be examples of this), or if a child who seems to be developing normally and suddenly loses skills this can be an indication of an autism spectrum disorder.
If you want to know more about autism or the Light it Up Blue campaign check out www.autismspeaks.org and considering offering your support on www.specialolympics.com and show your support to people with special needs by pledging to end the use of the word retard/ed by visiting www.r-word.org
Thank you!
Your friend and neighbor,
Adrian
