With April being World Autism Month, I wanted to share some insight about autism from someone who’s experienced it. There are many stereotypes and misconceptions that people associate with individuals on the spectrum, and I want to share my take on three of them and focus on the facts of what it means to have autism.
Autism is not what you see in Rain Man
Rain Man portrays autism in a way overgeneralizes the characteristics someone who’s autistic may have. Raymond Babbitt, portrayed by Dustin Hoffman, inherits a personality that includes an incredible memory, being very knowledgeable, sticking to an extremely strict routine, as well as having little emotional expression except in emotional distress. Not every autistic individual has those characteristics, so it’s unfair to portray them to say that every autistic individual is like Raymond. Instead, portraying people with autism in ways that show them as knowledgeable but with a personality that shows them as kind and helpful can help remove any biases or distortions that the film presents.
More and more people are being diagnosed with autism
Currently, one in 54 children have autism spectrum disorder. In 2000, the numbers for autism were one in 150. ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups, and it’s four times more common among boys than among girls. However, when parents hear that their child has autism, there is help for their child. There are many therapy options that can help a person diagnosed with autism. I personally benefited from speech, occupational and physical therapies and applied behavior analysis. Early intervention is key after the diagnosis. I began public school on my third birthday, and doing so gave me a head start with all the therapies that truly helped me be successful in life.
Autism does not limit individuals from achieving their goals and dreams
Autism is not a barrier to anyone’s lives. It’s only a stamp to who they are as a person. Often, autistic individuals have dreams and aspirations to what they want in life, and no one should ever doubt or hold them back from achieving them. Regardless of whether autistic individuals want to be a doctor, teacher, engineer or journalist, those who want to become those occupations should be given a chance and to showcase their skill set to their employers. Furthermore, any autistic individual can attend public schools and college, and set out to receive the best education and training that will help them succeed in life.
Autism is something that the media don’t always portray with the most accurate depictions. Instead, autism means that someone has the power to do anything he or she aspires, and bring success to him or herself to make his or her family and friends proud. No disability disables anyone, and autism is no exception to that.
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