Light It Up Blue!!! Autism Awareness Month

Hi Everyone!  A few of my blogger friends and I are working together for a collaborative Autism Awareness Mani.  A lot of you know I have issues with the whole "awareness" word.  Every year we have Breast Cancer Awareness and Mental Illness Awareness and really how is the world NOT aware of this stuff?  They are--they are aware but do they really know and understand?  I really think that's where the education part has to come in.

For today's mani I chose a franken I made awhile ago--one of my favorite's ever, called Seeing Blind.  I found it to be quite fitting as sometimes I believe the world "sees" blind.  They are aware of things around them and even though they can and do see, they don't really understand.  This to me is seeing blind.

I did a gradient with Color Club Blue Heaven (which is a bizatch to gradient with as it dries way too fast) and my franken Seeing Blind.  I stamped using Zoya Ibiza which stamps like a BOSS!

I stamped using DRK-B and BM323

I visioned this as a fence--many austic people are trapped behind a fence, they can see the outside but have trouble figuring out how to get there

The rose is hope someday there will be an easier way for them, an acceptance of something we cannot change 

And the knowledge we must love and support those who have this disorder

Are you someone who is Seeing Blind when it comes to Autism?

Autism Facts:
Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD is a range of neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restrictive, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior.  Autistic Disorder sometimes referred to as autism is the most severe form of ASD while other conditions along the spectrum include a milder form known as Asperger Syndrome.

Although ASD varies significantly in character and severity it occurs in all ethnic and socioeconomic groups and affects every age group.

Males are four times more likely to develop ASD than females

Some common signs of ASD are:
Focusing on one item and excluding all others for prolonged periods of time

Become both withdrawn and indifferent to social interaction

Failure to respond to one's name or make eye contact

Many children follow patterns of twirling, rocking and even destructive behavior such as banging their head or biting.

Children with characteristics of ASD may also have conditions such as epileptic seizures, Tourette's Syndrome, attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, and Fragile X Syndrome which causes mental retardation.

Because ASD varies in severity and symptoms it is not uncommon for it to go on unrecognized.

Currently scientists do not know exactly causes ASD although it is likely that both genetics and environment do play a role.

Some therapies and treatments have helped with the severity of symptoms in some individuals, sometimes symptoms improve with age, but as of right now there is no cure for ASD.

To support Autism Awareness Month some of my fellow bloggers have banded together to get the word out and Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness!