Common Misperceptions

I think that many people have misperceptions out there of children and adults with autism. Now, I'm surely no expert but autism is not Rain Man (sorry but that's not typical in my eyes) or the crazy guy in the corner banging his head on the wall and talking to an imaginary witch doctor (I say this in jest!). Autism is a spectrum - which means that depending on the number of symptoms a child has, that will determine the placement on the spectrum. All people with autism have difficulty in 3 areas: social interaction, language, and repetitive interests/behaviours.
For example, starting a conversation and/or participating fully in a conversation might be challenging: avoiding eye contact, not knowing what is socially accepted as the next step in the discussion. Language might be possible but expressing oneself appropriately might not be (hey, I know a few people like that that are not on the spectrum... Lol). Finally, many people with autism repeat similar behaviours like snapping or tapping or in my daughter's case, jumping, squeezing her fists together, and sliding her jaw to one side (for the moment).
Some widely known similarities among these children include the likelihood that many are visual learners. They often have sensory issues (such as sensitivity to noise, light, etc.). Often, fine and gross motor planning can be challenging, and awareness of safety concerns (like a moving car heading their way) is limited. These children often excel when given a structured routine and have difficulty with transitions from one activity to another. The way people express this difficulty can be in a variety of ways. With Sienna, it's anxiety in the form of extreme meltdowns, changes in sleeping patterns (night terrors), changes in eating habits (not eating), and holding her bowels. Aspergers is the mildest form of autism. Sienna has above average intelligence and vocabulary. She just has difficulty forming her sentences out loud, so people often mistake that for her lack of understanding... Not the case!! It is very hurtful when someone laughs at my daughter's lack of response to their questions. I know they don't realize that she is on the spectrum but it hurts nonetheless.
No matter where these children are on the spectrum, it's important to remember that they can learn, they can love, and they are loved. Verbal or non-verbal, all children hear what we say and see what we do. So say hello. Even if you may not get a so-called "typical" response. Foremost, the child will feel loved and secondly, the parent will be graciously thankful to have their child treated the same way that every other child is! And keep trying to get to know the child, even if he doesn't respond to you the first ten times. The time that you do get a response will be a very rewarding moment in your life.
As a parent first (and a teacher second), the earlier a diagnosis is given, the greater the opportunities to encourage understanding and support for the child to achieve his/her potential! My daughter is a good example of this. She already has so much in place, thanks to the myriad of agencies supporting us, that she has great opportunity to go far in this world! Do I worry about her future? Of course I do. She is going to face more obstacles than the typical child/teenager/adult. But I will do whatever it takes to let her define what success is to her and to support her in achieving it... Just like every other parent.

Please visit a link to view eight Common Myths about Autism.