| For a long time autism has been a dirty and | | | | and functioning with that of a perceived "typical |
| misunderstood word. Even today, for many people, the | | | | person". Maybe we should change the word we use |
| mention of the word autism triggers alarm bells and | | | | to describe autism from 'disorder' to 'difference'. This |
| starts them thinking "lost cause". It doesn't help that | | | | puts everyone on a level playing field, as we are all |
| media and society often portrays negative images, | | | | ultimately different and unique in our own way. We all |
| and that most people only know autism as 'Rainman', | | | | have talents and we all have strengths and |
| children rocking in the corner, or out of control youths | | | | weaknesses. |
| that destroy property and family relationships with their | | | | The diagnosis of autism is increasing readily. Perhaps |
| violence and aggravation. With around 1 out of every | | | | it's time that the gifts people with autism bring to our |
| 160 children being diagnosed with autism, it may be | | | | lives be more widely recognised. Starting today, try |
| time to change the way we look at autism. | | | | removing the comparisons from all things in life - try |
| People with autism are not some special breed of that | | | | seeing things for simply as they are. The more this |
| need to be branded and shoved off in a corner | | | | happens in our world, the more likely it will be that |
| somewhere. Like anyone else, people with autism are | | | | autism will take on positive images in our society, and |
| beautiful and amazing beings that we could all learn a | | | | eventually people will begin to change the way they |
| lot from. They only become people with autism when | | | | look at autism. |
| we start comparing certain aspects of their processing | | | | |