Let’s Light It Up Blue: WORLD AUTISM DAY

Yesterday everyone in Los Angeles was talking going blue for the opening day at Dodger Stadium.

Today let’s talk about going blue, not just in Los Angeles, but around the globe for World Autism Awareness Day (data via Autism Speaks):

• Autism now affects 1 in 88 children
• Autism now affects 1 in 54 boys
• Autism costs a family $60,000 a year on average
• Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases

• The NIH 2012 budget was $30.86 billion
• The NIH funding that went directly to autism research: $169 million.
• 0.55% of NIH funds go to the “fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.”

For family and friends across the spectrum, today I wear blue to celebrate you. xo a.