If you’ve noticed a lot of people wearing blue today there may be a very good reason for it. And if you live near a city skyline when you look up tonight the buildings may be lit up blue, which is for the same cause.
CBS Philadelphia noted that Thursday, April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day and the City of Brotherly Love is just one of the many cities that will light its skyline blue tonight. New York City will also light the famous Empire State Building blue to show support, just as many other cities around the world have already done.
People are encouraged to wear blue today and use the hashtag #LIUB for "light it up blue" on social media platforms.
Autism is a disorder, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming social relationships with the use of language and abstract concepts. There are varying degrees of the condition.
According to the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, one in 68 children born in the United States is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. It can affect children of any race or ethnicity.
The first World Autism Awareness Day was established in 2007.