April is World Autism Awareness Month, and the aim is to take measures to raise awareness about persons with autism throughout the world. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterised by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States today. In South Africa, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests approximately 270,000 individuals live with autism.