Every April parents and caregivers of
children with autism rally together to raise
the public awareness of Autism Spectrum
Disorders. Despite the increase in numbers
of children affected with autism, many
people still do not know much about the
disorder. April gives all people affected by
ASD an opportunity to educate the public and
show support for this very important cause.
Only through awareness will we find the
unity so desperately needed to find the
cause and the treatment for this disorder
that now affects between one and five in
every 500 children.
Many people have written inquiring about
products that will increase the awareness of
autism. I recently discovered an online
store that not only specializes in autism
awareness products but also donates half of
the profit to the ASA (Autism Society of
America). Two themes are used on the
products: "I Love Someone with Autism" and
"Understand Autism!"
Coffee Cups: Perhaps the best
product used to promote autism awareness is
the everyday coffee cup. There are so many
uses for these cups: Autism support
meetings, gifts to family and friends,
placing them within the school your child
attends and perhaps most effectively, at the
office. If a cup that mentions autism is on
your desk or in the coffee break room,
people will see it. After they have seen it
a few times they will begin to ask questions
about it. If they are informed about autism
or have a person with autism that they know,
it will help create a stronger network of
people who are involved with autism. For
$12.99 or $13.99, they are a great bargain.
My cup is colorful, easy to keep clean
(dishwasher safe) and a quiet but effective
statement. Pick up several and pass them
around! There is also a larger travel mug
for the commuters and cappuccino drinkers.
Tee-Shirts: There are many styles
of tee-shirts on this site. Women's, men's,
kid's sizes are all available, and all are
of high-quality cotton material. The one I
have is a Hanes Beefy-T and I found the size
to be accurate. The colors are the
traditional rainbow multi-colors of the
autism ribbon. The front says "Understand
Autism" and the back says, "I love someone
with autism." They are washable and
theoretically machine dryable but I would
recommend line drying to keep the colors
brilliant. This would make a great door
prize for a meeting or support group and
would make a great gift. It is a great way
to support an autistic child or friend. For
fun gifts, there are also baby bibs and
boxer shorts.
Apparel: The site is not limited
to tee-shirts but has baseball jerseys,
long-sleeve shirts, fleece pullovers, and
polo or golf shirts. They also have three
different hats, which would be great for the
dad who constantly wears a baseball hat or
someone who skis or is out in winter weather
- perhaps a Christmas stocking stuffer for
next Christmas at only $9.00.
Bags and backpacks: There is a
variety of bags available. My personal
favorite is the bright yellow messenger bag
for less than $20.00 or the briefcase for
less than $22.00. Those are useful, are
taken to various places during the course of
a day, and are an excellent way to promote
autism awareness while being functional at
the same time. There is also a canvas tote
bag for knitters or other people involved in
crafts. The backpack would be great for a
student for either books or overnight trip
packing.
Fun Items: There are fun items as
well on this site. Of particular interest
might be the barbecue apron that would be
just in time for dad on Father's Day. The
clock is a good way to promote awareness in
a suitable environment although without
numbers it might be harder for a young child
to use. I have the license plate frame and
although I may never have direct contact
with someone who sees it, most likely them
being in the car behind mine, it will be
something that people see and. seeing
several of these could help awareness in
your community. The lunch box is perhaps the
cutest item on the site. It may not be
something you could get your kids to use
because kids are fussy about their lunch
boxes, but if you can find a use for it
(sewing notions, receipts, make-up or
anything that would be handy in a portable
box), I would suggest you get it.
There are also stickers, bumper stickers,
teddy bears and some varied tee-shirts that
would be excellent for teachers and
caregivers. All have the same high quality
and make great gifts. The picture frame is
unique and a good way to give a photo of
your child to a grandparent that perhaps has
not accepted the diagnosis of autism. It
says "I love someone with autism" and a
simple little gift like this, with your
child's photo inserted into it, could be the
first step toward healing difficult family
relationships.
I hope you will visit this site. As April
comes upon us, it is the duty and privilege
to spend another month intensifying the
coverage ASD receives. We can't individually
educate the whole world but each of us
perhaps, can intercept one person at a time
and tell them this wonderful story of
autism. Click the link below or either of
the red "Compare Prices" boxes at the top or
bottom of this article to begin shopping.
The Autism Online Store
