April is Autism Awareness Month. Autism affects 1 in 150 children, and 1 in 94 boys. With so many children and adults on the spectrum, if you don't already know someone who lives with autism, there is a good chance that you will. It might your child, a niece or nephew, grandchild, neighbor, or your child's classmate.
There will probably be a fair amount of publicity from national organizations this month, which is a good thing to the extent that it helps to raise awareness. Sometimes though, I get concerned that some of the publicity takes a negative tone. Of course we want to educate people on the challenges associated with autism in order to foster understanding and compassion. At the same time, let's not go overboard to the point of striking fear and trepidation in the hearts of the well-meaning but less-informed. The challenges are only part of the story. The blessings and gifts are an equally important part.
What those blessings and challenges are will vary of course. Like anyone else, people with autism are unique individuals with their own talents, interests, and opportunities for development.
My sincere belief is that increased awareness can go a long way toward making life easier for everyone for whom autism is a part of life. It is in that spirit that I share our experiences and enjoy learning from the experiences of others.
Here are some links to relevant posts I have shared previously:
Autism Facts
What has autism done for us? - unexpected blessings
"Guys, where are we?" - my take on the Holland analogy and a little about our road to the autism diagnosis
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2 comments:
I loved this post. I'm linking to it today. =)
I live in a sub of Kansas City Missouri and we just had a really great turn out for a Ausm awareness walk a thon. All the money raised will stay in Kansas City to help out children in our community.
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