Stand Up for Autism

[Mel]

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 10 (April 2010).

Stand Up for Autism
By Marie (Rie)

What do you imagine when you hear the word autism? How do you personally picture a person with autism? Do you see the child repeating words over and over again? The teenager who has still never uttered a word? Do you picture the adult curled around rocking back and forth in a fetal position? Can you imagine visiting a country when you neither speak nor understand a word of their language? You try to communicate but nobody understands and you cannot figure out why. Would you get frustrated? How would you react to uncomfortable clothing, lighting, sound, and smell when irritations and distractions can be found in every single thing?

The 2nd of April marks World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), which was first observed in 2008. World Autism Awareness Day aims to increase awareness of autism, and those living with autism, especially those in need of extra support to live a full life. WAAD also gives voice to the undiagnosed individuals worldwide, encouraging early diagnosis. All too often autism is not properly understood and the needs of people with autism are not recognised. World Autism Awareness Day shines light on autism and portrays it as a growing global health crisis. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the talents and skills of people with autism, and is a day when individuals with autism are welcomed to participate in events across the world. World Autism Awareness Day takes action to ensure that individuals with autism are not unfairly discriminated against. Action is taken to remove barriers built because of sensory and communication needs by raising public awareness of special needs, as well as improving research funds to increase understanding. The numbers of people with autism are counted to ensure adequate support and services are provided. Resources are produced to help those living with autism and ensure training is received by anybody working around people with autism.

“By bringing together autism organizations all around the world, we will give a voice to the millions of individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help.”
www.worldautismawarenessday.org

There are three types of Autism spectrum disorders; autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Autistic disorder is what most people think of when hearing about autism. People with autistic disorder may have trouble looking at you when they talk, or they may say nothing because they do not know what to say. They may find it difficult to concentrate on a task, and may become upset when asked to finish a task. People with autistic disorder usually have delayed speech and understanding of language, social difficulties, and unusual behaviours and interests. Autistic disorder is diagnosed early in development, usually by the age of three. Asperger syndrome is milder than autistic disorder. People with Asperger's usually have similar traits to people with autistic disorder, however they don't usually have difficulties with communication skills. People with PDD-NOS meet some of the criteria for autistic disorder and Asperger syndrome, but usually have milder symptoms than those with autistic disorder. We're all different, we all have our individual difficulties and we all react differently to various situations. There is a difference between a person with autism and autism itself; the person should always come first.

One of the common descriptions of babies that may be autistic is that they are passive and quiet, however a small minority are the opposite. These signs are usually very apparent in toddlers with autism, whereas Asperger's is usually diagnosed at the age of six or older. Some characteristics of autism spectrum disorders include little interest or difficulty in making friends, short attention spans, little to no eye contact, and inflexibility with routines. Others include sensitivity to certain sounds, smells, textures, and fixations on certain objects, as well as loss of language skills, poor language skills, little to no response when called by name, and difficulty understanding feelings and facial expressions of others.

There is no single cause of autism. It is generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in the brain. No gene has been identified as causing autism, although in many families there seems to be a pattern of autism or related illnesses. Researchers are looking into genetics and what may trigger autism to develop.

Currently there is no cure for autism, no effective ways of preventing it, and no completely effective methods of treating it. The earlier the diagnosis, the earlier intervention can begin. Speech, behavioural, occupational and educational therapies can make a difference. There are also medications, and special diets that can help.

Did you know?

• 1 in 166 people are affected by autism, that's as many as 1 in 100 in the UK alone.
• Boys are four times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with autism.
• Autism affects people of all racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Autism is a life-long brain disorder that is normally diagnosed in early childhood.

So what can you do for World Autism Awareness Day, or in general? You could go to an event, or even organise one. Whether you do a walk to raise money, or go to a talk on autism, it all helps. People all over the world are organising events to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day and raise awareness. As part of WAAD we want everybody to stand up for autism by raising awareness, whether through changing your Facebook status to 'I am Standing up for Autism' or taking it a step further. Will YOU stand up for autism?