Raise awareness for Autism for one month, and how we can raise awareness for an entire lifetime.
April is Autism Awareness month, and to mark that I want to highlight that I support families with children and adults who have Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) amongst other additional needs ALL year round, so Autism Awareness Day is never missed! If you would like to read how my tips for Photographing a Child with Autism visit here.
Happy Autism Awareness Month everyone, let’s hope this worldwide awareness drive results in understanding, acceptance, and life in general get better for autistic people everywhere.
Here are some words of wisdom I have collected over the 20 years I have taught, supported and been privileged enough to be surrounded by children and adults with Autism.
Here are some words of wisdom I have collected over the 20 years I have taught, supported and been privileged enough to be surrounded by children and adults with Autism.
Autism is seeing the world from a different set of eyes.
Children with autism became adults with autism.
Autism awareness is one thing. Autism acceptance is another. These days its acceptance we need
70% of people on the autism spectrum have at least one other diagnosable condition.
You know at least one autistic person. Even if you don’t know you do.
We don’t all have special Rain Man-like abilities. That’s a false stereotype.
Autistic people do have imagination and creativity. Often, we have tons of it.
Some autistic people do get sarcasm. Some of us even speak it as a second language
Diagnosis rates are going up because we understand autism better than we did 20, 30 or 50 years ago. Not because there are “more autistic people”
We are often made to feel lonely even though we are not alone
Idioms can be very confusing when your brain tells you to take people at their literal word
Hints don’t work!
Autistic people find “right and wrong” far easier than social appropriateness.
The world needs autistic perspective. Human progress depends on diversity of thought.
Autism is not a disease. It’s not even close. Just like dyslexia isn’t a disease either.
If Einstein, Newton, Mozart and Tesla were alive today, they would probably have been diagnosed with autism.
We often need to go at our own pace to succeed.
Autism never “goes away” but the right support can make a whole world of difference.
To the inexperienced, an anxiety meltdown may look similar to a tantrum. Believe me, it is anything but similar to the person suffering through it.
Autistic people often love deep friendships. But building them is extremely tricky because other people socialise differently to us.
Autism existed a long time before we had a name for it. Its only recently started to be understood.
Autistic people can give eye contact.
The more specific you can be, the better we’ll match your expectations.
Autistic people are often very sociable. Just in their own way.
Autistic people may notice things that nobody else does. We also may miss the “obvious“stuff, but its usually worth it to have such an interesting perspective.
Autistic people do have empathy. There’s a huge difference between not spotting the signs of sadness and not knowing what it’s like to be sad.
Why do so many autistic children struggle in mainstream school? Partly because they’ve been designed with “everybody else” in mind.
Being non-autistic is not something we should be aiming for.
Behaviour issues that come with autism are usually anxiety-based: the result of being scared whilst not having a coping strategy to hand.
Most of us don’t suffer from autism. We usually just suffer from the way we are treated because of our autism.
There’s no such thing as not looking autistic. Just looking different from the cliches.
Autistic people have strength. All we need is the chance to play to those strengths.
Autism does not just affect males. There are generations of girls and women who find it harder to get diagnosis because of this stereotype.
Nonverbal autistic children can understand every word you say.
Put your faith in an autistic person and watch them surprise you.
The earlier a struggling child receives support and intervention, the bigger the impact it will have.
Nonverbal people do communicate. Just without words.
Everyone on the autism spectrum is different. Because, you know, so is everyone.
Nonverbal is not the same as having nothing to say.
The world gets better for autistic people every time people listen to us, rather than simply talk about us.
If you ask us for an honest answer, we will give one, we speak from the heart.
If you assume that an autistic person won’t achieve something, it’s pretty much a self-fulfilling prophecy. Believe in them and watch what happens.
We often have our own method of doing things. If they work for us, allow us to continue to thrive using our way, don’t interfere because you think we should be doing it your way.
For people affected by autism, one day of awareness is not enough.
Autistic people are just awesome.
No two autistic children are the same
No two autistic parents are the same
Autism is a life’s journey using a different roadmap.
Autism is seeing the world from a different angle
If you have met one child with autism, you have met one child with autism. Each and every one of them is so wonderfully different.
I’m listening, even if I’m not looking at you.
Autistic obsessions help us. They relive anxiety and give us focus.
People affected by autism need support. Not judgement.
Encourage me, Support me. Never underestimate my mind. I will reach milestones in my own way and in my own time.
You can raise awareness for one month or you can raise awareness for an entire lifetime. Autism doesn’t end in April.
Shout out to all the autism siblings out there! The support and love you provide is priceless.
An autistic adult also needs the same respect, understanding and acceptance.
Raising a child with special needs doesn’t take a special family it makes a family special.
Should autism be treated? Yes, with respect.
When you lapse into thinking of all the things your child with autism can’t do, remember to add “yet”.
April the 2nd is world autism awareness day, I am also aware of the other 364 days too.
Thank you for reading, my hope it results in understanding, acceptance, and life in general get better for autistic people everywhere. Please feel free to share, so more people can have an insight to Autism.
Do you think anything is missing from above? Comment below so I can continue to update the blog.
If you would like to know about my all year round bespoke photoshoot sessions and discuss your additional requirements, then please do not hesitate to get in contact with me.
You might also like to read my blog about Dyslexia and Tips to photograph a child with Autism