Autism spectrum disorder has no one face, nor does it discriminate when it comes to race, region and/or social status. In all actuality, many of our favorite celebrities are either dealing with it themselves or have a loved one that’s autisitc.
In a time where the condition is widely discussed — April has been recognized as Autism Awareness Month since 1970 — we can only commend those public figures who proudly show their support when it comes to aiding and loving a child diagnosed with autism.
Our girl Sherri Shepherd even put her son Jeffrey, a proud Black man with autism, behind the cameras at one point on her daytime talk show!
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Given our belief that individuals with Autism spectrum disorder deserve to be celebrated all year round, we put together a list of celebs who use their star power to shed light on the subject.
Take a look at some key facts to know as you read through the list, via CDC:
“People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. There is often nothing about how they look that sets them apart from other people. The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly. For example, some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas others may be nonverbal. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others can work and live with little to no support.
ASD begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may change over time. Some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life. In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later. Some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.”
