A Month Dedicated to Autism

The month of April was dedicated to autism for the first time in the 1970s, according to the Autism Society of Maryland. Since that time, April has been known as Autism Month in the United States.

In Canada, October is officially designated as the country’s Autism Awareness Month. Autism Society Canada contributed to getting the event recognized in 2007.

In Quebec, however, April has remained dedicated to autism, mainly because October marks the beginning of the Centraide yearly fundraising campaign, and regional autism associations could not hold their fundraisers concurrently. In December 1983, a first Autism Week was organized by Fédération Québécoise de l’Autisme—known at the time as Société Québécoise de l’Autisme. In 1984, the FQA extended its campaign to the entire month of April as Autism Month.

April 2: World Autism Awareness Day. The United Nations General Assembly designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day in December 2007. Each year on April 2, the FQA organizes a broad-reaching awareness campaign focusing on the needs of autistic individuals and their families.