Special Needs Awareness Observance Calendar
Annual awareness observances are sponsored by federal, health and non-profit organizations. Awareness campaigns serve the purpose of informing and educating people on a certain causes. Each year, the number of special needs organizations bringing awareness to specific disabilities and disorders seem to grow. Awareness activities range from one day to a month.
Here is a calendar of major special needs awareness months, weeks, and days. Most websites include awareness toolkits, promotional materials and fact sheets. This page focus on awareness activities that impact people with intellectual and developmental disabilities only.
January
National Birth Defects Month
January 4- World Braille Day
January 20- International Day of Acceptance
January 24- Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day
February
Turner Syndrome Awareness Month
February 15- International Angelman Day
February 28- Rare Disease Day
March
Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Kidney Awareness Month
Multiple Sclerosis Month
Social Work Awareness Month
Trisomy Awareness Month
March 1- Self-Injury Day
March 1- International Wheelchair Day
March 21- World Down Syndrome Day
March 26- Purple Day for Epilepsy
April
April 2- World Autism Awareness Day
May
Better Hearing and Speech Month
Ehlers-Danlos Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
Prader Willi Syndrome Awareness Month
Williams Syndrome Awareness Month
May 1- Global Developmental Delay Day
May 15- Tuberous Sclerosis Global Awareness Day
May 5-12- Cri du Chat Awareness Week
May 8-14- Brain Injury Awareness Week
June
Aphasia Awareness Month
Helen Keller [...]