5 Things You Need to Know About Autism

People are more aware of autism in the sense that people know that it is out there and a lot of people have it. But there is still a lot of ignorance about what autism is and how to interact with people.

1. Autism is a spectrum. It is actually called Autism Spectrum Disorder. This means that everyone is different. You will find everyone from that quirky person who is devoted to their hobby to a person with severe cognitive and communication delays.

2. Adults also have autism. Most often I hear about children with autism, but not so often do we hear about adults. Those cute children grow into adults and they still need love and respect.

3. Just because a person with autism looks like they they are ignoring you, does not mean that they don't hear you. Some people with autism do not like to make eye contact. Others may hum while you are talking to them. But you cannot measure their level of comprehension by what you see on the outside.

4. Autism affects the whole family. It is not just the person with autism that needs care and support. The parents and the siblings are deeply affected by the autism as well.

5. People with autism have value. Our society tends to measure value by what we can do. Some people with autism cannot do some things that others can. Any ability or a lack of ability in some area does not change the value of a human being.

I hope that you will share these five simple things that can really make a difference.