Introduced by the UN in 2007, 2 April marks the occasion to raise awareness for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the challenges they face in their daily lives. The autism spectrum is used as an umbrella term for a series of neurodevelopment conditions, including autism and Asperger syndrome. People on the autism spectrum can have trouble with social interactions, communication and behaviour. The symptoms may vary in type and severity from one person to another – hence, the term ‘spectrum’ is used.
World Autism Awareness Day reunites autism organisations worldwide and encourages the work in research, diagnoses, treatment and acceptance. The main objective is to shed light on the hurdles of people with ASD, but it is also an occasion to celebrate their unique talents. One of the biggest difficulties people on the autism spectrum can experience is building a professional career. Therefore, 2 April 2021 is all about inclusion in the workplace as well as challenges and opportunities in a post-pandemic world for people with ASD.
Did you know?
- The term ‘autism’ comes from Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”) and -ισμός (-ismós, “-ism”).
- ASD symptoms generally appear before the age of three; however some young people and even adults are diagnosed at a later stage of their lives.
- Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with ASD than girls. Due to different symptoms, autism in girls and women nevertheless often goes unnoticed for longer.
We have selected a number of speeches for you to broaden your knowledge of the Autism Spectrum Disorder and to practise your interpreting skills at the same time. So, why not learn more about autism in Greek (access via My Speech Repository only), the difficulties autistic people experience while working in Dutch or the participation of autistic athletes in sport in Italian and International Sign Language?
Additionally, if you want to learn how to debunk the myth that vaccines cause autism, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered as well. Check out the following speeches in Italian, Romanian (access via My Speech Repository only), Portuguese or English (access via My Speech Repository only) on the subject of vaccination and autism.
Happy practice!
Your Speech Repository Team