"Light It Up BLUE" for Autism!

Today is the 6th annual World Autism Awareness Day!

As someone who's life is touched everyday by an autistic individual, today is an especially important reminder for me to slow down, be patient, accept, and educate myself. Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder are the general umbrella terms for a number of 'complex disorders of brain development.'

According to AutismSpeaks.org...

These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. They include autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome.

ASD can be associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances. Some persons with ASD excel in visual skills, music, math and art.

So how or why might someone celebrate World Autism Awareness Day? Because the prevalence of autism has increased significantly over the last 40 years. It now affects 1 in 88 American children, and tens of millions of people worldwide. It is misunderstood, and when people don't know about something it is easy to fear it. Educate yourself and you'll never be uncertain again. AutismSpeaks.org is a wealth of information and a great place to start your quest in understanding autism.

There is a great story circulating around the web right now about a Chili's waitress and her interaction with a young girl 'on the spectrum' regarding her 'broken hamburger'. If you've not seen it, you should. The little girls reaction is heartwarming and priceless. You can see the original post on Facebook here.

For my BLUE mani, I chose NerdLacquer 'Shiny' which I was lucky enough to snag at her last restock. This is 3 coats of Shiny with no base coat, and 1 coat of Seche Vite. 

You can find NerdLacquer on her website at www.nerdlacquer.com, at Harlow & Co, and NinjaPolish. But be quick! These puppies are very difficult to get your hands on. If you're one of the lucky few who catch a restock, Congrats! If you aren't...KEEP TRYING! They're so worth it!

OH! And before I forget, we're participating in a multi-blogger birthday giveaway over at My Nail Polish Is Poppin'! You can enter to win one of 6 faaaabulous prizes, including a Fox Claws Penny Stand!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!