Autism is not new. How we respond to it is.

Over the years I have heard from well meaning family and friends that autism is new. It wasn’t around when they were growing up and now we have so many kids being diagnosed with it. They find it shocking that it seems to be in epidemic proportions.

Here’s the reality: autism is not new. It has been around for a very long time. The formal term autism came about in 1910 and was used to describe withdrawal into oneself and detachment from social interactions. Over time, the diagnosis has grown to include Asperger’s Syndrome and PDD-NOS (Pervasive Development Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified). Now we often group these diagnoses under the umbrella of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

I think we are just hearing more about ASD these days. As a society we are on the cusp of understanding what acceptance and inclusion look like. We are seeing a much bigger picture and redefining what is considered normal by societal standards. All of these things open the mind to how we function in the world at large.

So here are a few questions I want to pose:

Do we just preach acceptance and inclusion or do we live it?

Do we tell our children to be kind to the kid at school who has an aide and struggles to fit in or do we demonstrate it by our own actions?

Is kindness enoough? Should we try including people more, even when it is hard? After all, being nice to the kid at school is different than saying “come sit by me” at lunch or “do you want to come to my birthday party?” And if the first lunch or birthday party is rough, do we ask again or just write the person off?

Do we include someone at work in a way that makes them comfortable, or just assume that being nice is enough and that they would rather sit alone anyways? And do we give second chances if it isn’t a perfect social situation the first time?

Do we offer kindness and support to our work colleague when they don’t fit the societal norm, or do we whisper behind their back in the lunch room?

There are actions we can take everyday in our daily lives and with our neurotypical children and grandchildren that help redefine society’s definition of normal. Let’s all do our best to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. It’s time to scoot over and make room for everyone at the table.

Until next time.