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Autism Spectrum Disorder
April is Autism Acceptance Month
About 1 in 36 children have been identified as autistic according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Each April, we celebrate Autism Acceptance Month to spread awareness, promote acceptance, and celebrate the Autistic Community.
Grow Your Vision
Here are resources for Autism Acceptance Month!
Videos Highlighting Autism
Jersey City Parents- Speak Up
I have a 17 year old son with autism. I'd like people to be compassionate, patient, and understanding. Be a friend and be nice. My son is eager to make friends but it's hard because his peers may not know about autism. I'm so protective of him, and fear someone might hurt his feelings. If parents and teachers can explain to children about autism, their kids will be more open to making friends and helping other peers who have autism.
Choose your words wisely. Don't tell me, "Oh, but he looks so normal" in an attempt to reassure me or make yourself sound more accepting. In fact, if you don't see "it," it is because my son works very hard every day to fit in. Every day is a struggle, sometimes big and sometimes small, but it's constant.
It will be helpful if the teachers are more patient with the children with special needs. I get, "Oh, she doesn't look or sound ASD," but ASD doesn't have a look or sound. I feel school should understand the needs of each child.
I would like people to know that autism has its own unique beauty. People should not be made to feel ashamed or inferior. They have feelings just like us. They can actually teach us to be more patient and positive in life because of all that parents, caregivers, children, and adults have to go through that is not understood unless you are in that situation. I wish even general education teachers had training to learn how to interact with children with autism. My son had a general education teacher who wasn't using appropriate wording and said my son worked "slow" and "slower" than the other kids. My son now has that on his mind even though I try to bring positivity. Saying that to a child makes them feel inferior. They have feelings too.
A lot of parents are worried that placing their child in an inclusion class will make their general Ed child copy or imitate the behavior of a child who has special needs. I believe that’s one of the reasons why a lot of parents do not want their child around other children who have special needs, or play with those who have been diagnosed with autism.
Every behavior has a purpose or function. When my child is anxious and tries to calm himself, he might exhibit specific hand movements or arm flailing. Young children may copy or imitate my child’s behavior but if the other children don’t get any satisfaction or any reward out of it, their “copying” behavior will stop.
Building an inclusive and accepting society begins at home. If not everyone is welcome in your home, your children will pick up on that bias (fear of others “not like us”) and enforce that bias/discrimination for the rest of their lives, everywhere they go. Our local, authentic public schools are considered a microcosm of society, where everyone is welcome and where we can have the most impact on all children. We are their role models, and our children are all watching our every move, and listening to all our words and also to our silence. Everyone must make the effort to make the world a better place for all children, and it begins with accepting and loving all children- regardless of diagnosis or special needs.
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