World Autism Day & Light It Up Blue

Yesterday was a bit of a pensive day for me.  It was a day where I actually took the time to think about what autism really means to our family and why we feel it is so important to make people aware.  Our Padawan is the most important reason we "light it up blue" at our house, but other family members, friends, and all of my students (past, present & future) are also part of our reason.

A lot of the time I view Padawan's ASD as a blessing.  Yes, you read that correctly, a blessing.  You see, without his ASD he probably would not be as brilliant in math and science, or as creative with Legos, music, art, or writing his own little short stories.  Without his ASD, he probably wouldn't have the vast vocabulary that he possesses.  He probably wouldn't be as passionate as he is about many things, because thanks to his ASD there is not really much of anything that he is lukewarm about...most of the time he either loves things or hates them.  Thanks to his ASD he seeks out pressure and being wrapped up tight, so I often get to enjoy the fact that even at 11 years old he still loves hugs and will snuggle with me.

Don't get me wrong...there are also many days that I hate the effects that ASD has had on our family.  The sensory overload that he can experience, the bumps in the road with peers because he is unable to pick up on their tone of voice or doesn't correctly read their facial expressions, the hurt feelings because he has been upset and something mean has impulsively come out of his mouth (he really regrets it later and didn't really mean it, but was so overwhelmed/frustrated that he couldn't keep from spewing it out), the OCD that makes homework, bedtime, and many other things take forever, the sensory issues that make him crave pressure and being wrapped up tightly and make it next to impossible to get him out of bed and get going in the morning, the insane amount of stress that it puts on Jedi Master & I as parents and on our marriage and on Padawan as a child and a student, the times when I have to console him because someone has called him names because they haven't taken the time to get to know him & just pick up on his quirkiness, the fight that we have to do to get the services that he needs through the school district, the financial strain that it causes for services that we know he would benefit from that are not covered under insurance, the looks that we sometimes get when Padawan is experiencing a meltdown due to frustration or sensory overload....there are many more, but I think you get the picture

I say all of this, not looking for sympathy, but looking for understanding...and beyond understanding....for acceptance.  Acceptance that our kiddos with ASD are different, but they are not less.  So, what can we as a society do about it?  Don't judge.  When you see a child seemingly throwing a tantrum, don't mutter about the child being spoiled or that the parents don't know how to discipline, because it may just be that the child is in sensory overload & to them feels like they're going to implode.  Educate ourselves & others...take the time to learn more about ASD & educate your family and friends.  Donate...I know that the economy is tough, but if/when you can, support research of ASD.  Encourage...take a moment to encourage families and educators of persons with ASD.  And lastly, take the time to really get to know someone with ASD...I guarantee you that you will be blessed.