(Our View) We must learn about autism

We can not let April slip away without acknowledging that it’s Autism Acceptance Month.

The Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation reports about one out of every 68 children, or 1.5 percent of children, in the United States has autism. About 36,500 of every 4 million children born each year in the country will have autism, which occurs in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups and more commonly in boys.

Autism is a developmental disability that affects the way people experience the world. This may include differences in processing senses, thinking, physically moving, communicating, socializing and going about daily living.

Zoe Gross, the director of advocacy at Autistic Self Advocacy Network, said being autistic affects everything in life, although it is not a negative label. “Autism is just a neutral fact about us; it’s not necessarily a good or a bad thing. It’s just the way our brains are.”

There are many misconceptions about those who are on the spectrum. Compounding the problem of understanding is that autism looks different on each individual.

Challenges are different and personalities are different, which could complicate understanding. The fact is those on the spectrum are capable of having a job, maintaining friendships and marrying and having families. They are smart, talented and deserving of all the chances everyone else gets to create a life for themselves.

We owe it to ourselves and our neighbors to learn about autism so we can be partners of those on the spectrum as they learn to find their places in society.

CNHI News Service