April is National Autism Awareness Month. It was estimated that one half million people in the United States have autism or some form of pervasive developmental disorder. In School District 31, in 1990, I was the only one that was diagnosed with autism. Today, there are between 20-30 students. This includes Asperger's Syndrome, Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, which are all forms of autism. It is now more common than Down Syndrome and ADHD.
The majority of the public including many professionals do not understand how it affects people. However, over the last ten years, understanding of autism has grown significantly, that is why so many more people have been able to be diagnosed with autism. Autism typically appears during the first three years of life. My mother was told I had autism when I was 18 months. It is a neurological disorder that affects functioning of the brain. Autism occurs in as many as 1 in 500 people today, but when I was diagnosed in 1979, there was 1 person in every 10,000 that was diagnosed with autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No definite cause of autism has been found.
Autism affects the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Children and adults with autism typically have difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. The order makes it hard for them to communicate with others and relate to the outside world. In some cases, aggressive and self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may exhibit repeated body movements such as hand flapping and rocking, unusual responses to people or attachments to object and resistance to changes in routines. Individuals may also experience sensitivities in the five senses.
Some people with autism are also mentally disabled and some have achieved
a high college degree level of education. I am enrolled at Northwest Technical College and will graduate in May. There is no known cure for autism, but with education and therapy we can lead fulfilling lives. My life with autism has made me who I am and I like myself. To learn more about autism, the Autism Society of America has a web site at http://www.autism-society.org or phone 1-800-3-AUTISM.
Editorial: Bemidji Pioneer November 12, 2000
People with disabilities mostly no different than anyone else
When I was 9 years old, I began to realize things were different for me. I was usually the person who was not picked for a team until everyone else was. At this age it is hard to be a child with a disability and understand why you are always the last one chosen for a team.
Now that I am 22, I want to share experiences people with disabilities can encounter. Our limitations keep us from being a part of society. For some with disabilities, all they can do is watch their peers play on the playground equipment or watch others run and jump, while they hope that someone will come and play with them.
Everyone likes to be included in group activities and have friendships. We with disabilities don't want to look from the sidelines. We want to be right in the everyday happenings just like everyone else.
Ten years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act helped in many ways. However, one thing that hasn't changed is the emotional hardship of growing up as a child with a disability. What a child with a disability needs growing up is for people to give encouragement, to be sensitive and caring.
If people would take time to talk to children who do not have disabilities about disabilities and help them to imagine what it would be like if they had to live with a hearing loss, blindness or other disabilities such as my disability with autism, they would have a better understanding.
Children with disabilities may not be able do all of the fun activities like other children at birthday parties or similar events. But they still like to be invited. One thing we do not like is to be stared at. It gives us the feeling of being singled out as being different.
In most ways those of us with disabilities are no different than anyone else. We want to be liked, we want to do well in school or at a job. We like to serve our communities. We have many skills. Some do well with art projects, some do well with music, etc., and we can all be successfully employed if given the chance. But finding that job can be extremely hard to do.
October is designated as Disabilities Awareness Month, but in reality, awareness of
disabilities needs to be ongoing all 12 months.