Health Minister Jeanne Atherden has proclaimed today World Autism Awareness Day, marking the start of Autism Awareness Month.

Ms Atherden read the official UN declaration celebrating the eighth annual World Autism Awareness Day at a community event, organised by Bermuda Autism Support and Education (BASE) on the steps of City Hall.

The event featured a musical performance by the Prospect Primary School and a speech by Ahmani Peets, a 12-year-old honour roll student at Whitney Institute, who is on the autism spectrum.

The Minister said that autism “affects all people regardless of race, religion, socio-economic status or geography,” noting that a child is diagnosed with autism every 20 minutes.

“The aims for World Autism Awareness Day are to inform the general public about the global health crisis of autism, stress the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention, and to celebrate the unique talents and qualities of individuals with autism,” she said. “Autism is a lifelong condition for which the bulk of the cost falls in adulthood, creating an enormous economic impact.”

Anthony Peets, president of BASE, said the organisation is committed to awareness, advocacy, and education, and ensuring that the best services are available and accessible. BASE also holds regular professional development seminars for parents and professionals, and provides parents with emotional support and advice.

“Autism is not a disease and there is no cure, as it is a neurological and developmental condition,” he said. “Autism affects four areas — difficulty with social interaction, speech and sensory needs, love of routines, and special interests.

“We know that with early intervention, we are able to impact the crucial areas of learning. BASE continues to work with community and government partners to improve services to families with children on the spectrum. We now have three public primary schools and one middle school with trained teachers and para-educators. The students are assessed and programming is tailor-made and reassessed often as they progress.

“We work to see that these students are mainstreamed into regular classrooms as often as possible so that they gain the crucial learning skills. Many can cope with the academic expectations with relevant modifications and support.”

Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder that usually appears during the first three years of life. The core symptoms consist of varying degrees of deficits in social behaviour, communications and play or preferred activities.

The cause of autism is unknown and it is estimated that about one in 150 children have some form of autism.

For more information visit www.bermudaautism.com or www.worldautismawarenessday.org.