Hopefully by now you are aware that April is Autism Awareness Month.
This month is very special to me as Autism is a cause very close to my heart. My son(who is 5 1/2) is Autistic.
He is my first born child and my hero. He is the most special little boy I have ever been around, and although I am biased, it really is the truth. He is such a sweetheart, and he is insanely smart with a flawless memory.
Unfortunately Autism is much more common than you may be aware, and the numbers are only increasing. 1 in 88 children(1 in 54 boys) are somewhere on the Autism Spectrum, and the number may even be higher than that.
This is staggering number, and although I do not consider Autism to be a disease or anything, it is an "issue" that we need to know more about and find ways to accommodate(not cure) more effectively.
The first step in this goal is raising awareness, which is why I am so pleased that there is a Month of Awareness. An while that is a huge step and very touching, many do not actually know about Autism Awareness Month, or very much about Autism in general.
I am quite embarrassed to say that I was not very much aware of Autism at all until it was brought to my attention that my son may have it. I did not recognize the signs or even consider that was the issue, and I had very minimal knowledge of what Autism even was.
The reason is simply because this is not fully in focus as it should be. Things like Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes and so on are always in focus, and I just want for someday soon that to be the case with Autism as well.
I may not be able to do much to make that happen, but I want to shine a light on it whenever possible.
That is why I was so happy to discover that a company that I already adore, Cafe Press, had a HUGE selection of Autism Awareness Shirts(and other Autism Awareness products).
I love the idea of being a walking sign for Autism Awareness, so that everyone I meet can see that this is important to me, and hopefully ask me questions or become interested in finding out more about Autism.
I got shirts for my whole family(2 for my son). I love the idea that not only are we showing support for my son, but all who are diagnosed with Autism and everyone that cares about them. And we are bringing attention to everyone who may not know about this epidemic.
Cafe Press has so many incredible and inspiring designs that is was immensely difficult to choose which style to get, but I LOVE the ones I decided on.
For Myself I got the "I wear a Puzzle Because I love my Son" Women's Dark Shirt(in black):
For those who do not know, the rainbow puzzle is a symbol for Autism, as is a ribbon.
I LOVE this shirt. It is so colorful and beautiful, and the wording could not be more true. I am so proud to wear this shirt and have gotten countless compliments on it already.
This is my favorite piece of clothing ever. I will wear it until is disintegrates(which with this amazing quality will be a very long time).
For my Husband I chose the "Proud Dad Autism" Light Shirt(in light Blue):
Blue is also the signature color for Autism Awareness as well. The "Light It Up Blue" Campaign is supported all over the world.
I love the way that the ribbon takes the place of the "A". It looks really unique and is so bold and really shows my husband's sentiments exactly.
He loves this shirt so much. He put it on immediately when I gave it to him.
For my Daughter I chose the "Means World To Me 4 Autism" Organic Toddler Dark Shirt(in Galaxy)
This shirt is so precious. It looks adorable on my daughter. Her big brother is her idol(although she can't say it). She wants to be just like him.
I love that this is blue as well to be a double dose of support. I know she would feel really good abut the message behind this shirt, and she already loves it just for how it looks.
For my Son I got the "Autism Puzzle" Kids Dark Shirt(in Black):
I love this saying for him. It is totally true. This really shows that Autism is not a disability, but just an exception. He is different, but they is nothing wrong with him, in fact, he is so special and inspiring. He loves the colors and tat he can read the words himself.
I also got for my Son the "Autism Angle" Kids Dark Shirt(in Black):
The saying and the design for this shirt is dead on too. I love how perfectly that this fits his personality.
He LOVES this shirt. He grabbed it immediately and said, "Bobby's Shirt", "New". It's probably his favorite shirt of all. He always asks to wear it.
I think he loves the stick figures, and he loves to say, "Upside Down".
It gives me so much joy to see him so happy, especially about a shirt that is so special.
We really are a sight to see when we all step out in our shirts together. It is pretty hard not to notice, and it is a really sentimental experience for us as a family as well.
We all love the style and message of these shirts, but the quality is impeccable too.
They are very well made(printed to order). These will hold up very well I can tell.
Every design comes in a large selection of colors, and they are many options that are customizable.
The prices are fantastic and there is often promotions that make the savings even more substantial.
And of course, there is so so much more than Autism Awareness items. There are endless choices. Everything from causes to TV shows to Decorative
shower curtains and
decorative throw pillows.
I hope that you will all check out Cafe Press, and I hope that you will check out the amazing Autism Awareness items, because even if it does not affect you, it may be closer than you think, and it may really uplift someone(even a stranger).
*Although I received these items at no cost to facilitate a review, all opinions are 100% my own*
Love them all!!
ReplyDeleteGreat shirts for a great cause!
ReplyDeleteAwesome post Andrea! Thank you for informing those of us that do not know much about Autism.
ReplyDeletei LOVE the shirt for ur son that says autism seeing things from a different angle!! I think i might get that for my granddaughter is is 10 and has autism as well!!
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