In an effort to celebrate the community’s commitment to creating a kinder, more inclusive world and to being there for each other no matter what, Autism Speaks is sponsoring a 5,400-step event at noon (CDT), Saturday, April 25, that everyone can participate in – no matter where you are.
The 5,400 steps are in recognition of the newest data stating that one in 54 U.S. children are diagnosed with autism. So far, there have been about 13,000 RSVPs for the nationwide event on Facebook Live, with numbers going up hourly, said Staci Gerchen, manager of St. Louis field development with Autism Speaks.
“This is a brand-new event that was recently created due to COVID-19,” Gerchen said. “Autism Speaks created it as a moment of togetherness with a call to action to walk together.”
The goal is for everyone to walk 5,400 steps in any way you can. That might be in your backyard, in your home, on a treadmill, or safely around your neighborhood. Or if you are unable to walk, there are other ways to participate, like displaying a message of kindness in your window or yard, or getting creative in your own way to contribute to a kinder world. Visit #KindnessCounts challenge for more ideas.
And don’t worry if you can’t make it to 5,400. Every step counts!
To join the event, RSVP on Facebook, wear blue, tell your community you’re stepping for kindness, chalk your sidewalk, post signs in your windows or yard, and share pictures of you and your family getting in on the fun! Everyone is encouraged to participate.
The opening ceremony begins at noon on Facebook Live, and 12:15 is the official send-off for Steps for Kindness – wherever you can safely take steps.
“The event will help everyone in the community come together in a nationwide celebration to further our mission of connecting, celebrating and creating a kinder, more inclusive world,” Gerchen said. “We are dedicated to promoting solutions across the spectrum and throughout the life span for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We do this through advocacy and support, increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism, and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a biennial update of autism’s estimated prevalence among the nation’s children, that demonstrates real progress in early screening and diagnosis, the result of more than a decade of awareness and advocacy work by Autism Speaks and other organizations, Gerchen said.
While the CDC found no difference in prevalence rates between black and white children, a gap remains in prevalence among Hispanic children, indicating a need to expand screening and intervention among this group. Further, black and Hispanic children identified with autism received evaluations at older ages than similar white children, again indicating that more needs to be done in this area.
The number of children who had a developmental screening by age 3 increased from 74% to 84%, a sign of potential progress toward earlier and more consistent screening by health care providers.
Boys are four times as likely to be diagnosed as girls, holding steady from previous reports. This indicates the need for more research to understand the gap in prevalence and ensure girls on the spectrum are receiving the care they need.
During this uncertain time, many people with autism and their families are being directly impacted, seeing disruptions in services and coping with the uncertainty of what comes next. Autism Speaks is regularly updating its website with resources and information regarding COVID-19 to help them through this time.
Through partnerships and collaboration, Autism Speaks is committed to:
- Increasing global understanding and acceptance of people with autism
- Being a catalyst for life-enhancing research breakthroughs
- Increasing early childhood screening and timely interventions
- Improving the transition to adulthood and ensuring access to reliable information and services throughout life span
To join the conversation, visit Autism Speaks on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter using #StepsForKindness and #KindnessCounts.
