Touched by autism: We need to be learners and advocates
In just a little way, it touched minutes of my life. The little girl and the little boy were seated in the row in front of me. On an airplane, it’s better to have kids in front of you, because behind you, they’ll sometimes kick the seat.
Dad was with them. Mom across the aisle. Even as we were boarding, I could tell something was different. The little boy with the angelic face was shouting and thrashing. Dad was calm. Mom was calm.
The lady in the middle seat next to me was annoyed and said in what I’m sure she thought was a discreet whisper, “People just spoil their children these days.”
Mom stood up to hand something to Dad and to say something to the screaming little boy in a steady, caring voice. That’s when I saw her T-shirt. It read: “My child has Autism. Questions are welcome. Parenting advice is not.”
Autism has likely touched your life in some way. It’s more common than most know. Maybe it was the little girl who lived on your block or your son’s classmate. Perhaps you are the parent or grandparent of a child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or ASD. Perhaps you are a teacher or a special education teacher’s assistant who has struggled to reach inside these minds.
The reality is that autism affects 1 in 68 children, and is about 4.5 times more common in boys.
April is Autism Awareness Month and educators are calling on all of us to educate ourselves and others. Families need us to advocate for resources to help support children diagnosed with ASD.
There are a number of things that teachers and support staff can do in the classroom and parents can reinforce at home. Resources on NEA’s website can help.
Students with ASD have trouble understanding and using language. They live with constant frustration. Parents and teachers can use pictures, books, films, videos and plays to allow students to use their strong visual skills. There are also strategies of visual instructions, routines and expectations around the house or classroom. These tactics can help lower the anxiety for students with ASD. You can learn more tips in the online workshop or by downloading a copy of NEA’s Puzzle of Autism guide.
But whether or not you live with or care for a child with autism, their families need your voice, as a caring member of our community. We need more funding for research to discover other techniques and strategies to help children with Touched by autism: We need to be learners and advocates: