Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. We now know that there is not one autism but many types, caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences.

自閉癥或孤獨(dú)性障礙，指的是一系列以社交技巧，重復(fù)行為，言語和非言語交流差異為特點(diǎn)的障礙。 我們現(xiàn)在知道，自閉癥有許多類型，是由遺傳和環(huán)境影響等不同因素引起。

Autism’s most-obvious signs tend to appear between 2 and 3 years of age. In some cases, it can be diagnosed as early as 18 months. Some developmental delays associated with autism can be identified and addressed even earlier.

自閉癥最明顯的征兆往往出現(xiàn)在2至3歲之間。 在某些情況下，可以在18個月內(nèi)診斷出來。 與自閉癥相關(guān)的一些發(fā)育遲緩可以被更早地識別和解決。

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates autism’s prevalence as 1 in 68 children in the United States. This includes 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls.

• 美國疾病控制和預(yù)防中心（CDC）估計，在美國，每68名兒童中，就有一個自閉癥兒童。 這包括每42個男孩和189個女孩中分別會有一位自閉癥兒童。

• An estimated 50,000 teens with autism become adults – and lose school-based autism services – each year.

• 每年會有五萬自閉癥患者從少年跨入成年，而因此失去校園提供的自閉癥患者支持和服務(wù)。

• Around one third of people with autism remain nonverbal.

• 大約三分之一的自閉癥患者保持著非語言交流。

• Around one third of people with autism have an intellectual disability.

• 大約三分之一的自閉癥患者具有智力障礙。

• Certain medical and mental health issues frequently accompany autism. They include gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures, sleep disturbances, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and phobias.

• 某些醫(yī)療和心理健康問題經(jīng)常伴隨著自閉癥。 它們包括胃腸（GI）疾病，癲癇發(fā)作，睡眠障礙，注意力缺陷和多動癥（ADHD），焦慮和恐懼癥。

 The United Nations in 2007 proclaim April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day but it also became a day to start a national conversation about autism. Later, when light it up blue began it also gave us the opportunity to start an even larger conversation about autism by wearing blue.

When we wear blue, it’s not only about keeping that conversation going about autism but, it’s also making sure that those with autism and their families don’t feel alone.

Blue, 藍(lán)色，又意憂郁。當(dāng)我們身著藍(lán)色，不僅僅代表著我們正在關(guān)注著自閉癥患者，同時也讓他們和他們的家人感到不再孤獨(dú)。這個世界沒有分類，沒有標(biāo)簽，在生命面前，人人平等，沒有人生來孤獨(dú)。