You may have heard that April is Autism Awareness Month, but the truth is, everyone is very much AWARE of autism. We aren’t lacking awareness. We are lacking acceptance and accommodations. A lot of myths and stigmas surround the autistic community, and what exactly we mean when we reference the “autistic experience.” And the best people to ask about the experience of autistic people, are autistic people!
This month I want to spotlight some Autistic Organizations, that are run by and/or with autistic people. If you’re thinking of donating to an organization for Autism, please consider choosing one that is run and/or influenced by autistic people.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network http://autisticadvocacy.org/
Autism Women's Network https://autismwomensnetwork.org/
The Autism Acceptance Project http://www.taaproject.com/
The Autism Society https://www.autism-society.org/
Autism is an inherent neurodivergence in the brain. It is not a disease. We associate it with disordered behavior. We make these associations, because our society does not cater to the needs of autistic children. Children who need less stimulating environments to learn. Children who require frequent movement to regulate their mood. Children who have neurological reactions to foods and cannot control their behaviors when exposed to certain foods. We see a child who screams, or hits, or does not communicate in typical ways, and we want to assign blame, but instead we should see these for what they are: symptoms of distress. A red light that their needs have not been met. A red light that you may not realize what their needs are. Autistic children have different needs, and recognizing those needs early, and accommodating them, has a dramatic effect on the severity of those disordered behaviors. Learn how to speak the language of your child’s brain, before you seek to change what you haven’t understood.
Don't "light it up blue" for autism awareness. Go Red Instead for autism ACCEPTANCE.
