Why don't people take autism seriously?

Question

Hi, just recently I talked to some people who think that autism is an "excuse for bad behavior". I am absolutely shocked by that idea. Don't people realize that it's a serious neurological disorder? I have a severely autistic brother who is completely non-verbal, has trouble communicating, and must be supervised constantly so that he doesn't get hurt. Right now, it's difficult to get services for autistic children since "funding is limited". However, funding is not limited for that cursed "war on terror". I really think that the government has forsaken those kids.

Answer 1

Its terrible and sometimes i do justify my son's behaviour to people but now if you don't like it when Thomas is screaming and throwing himself on the floor do not look at him ..Thomas was diagnosed with severe autism at aged 3 he is ten now and still non verbal and still in nappies, today i took him out so my 10 year old son carries around a baby toy and he always has this to his ear, i had one woman tell him 'That's a baby toy why do you have this' she went on to say while i was there so i let her carry on to say 'My son doesn't even play with those' and pointed to her child aged 3 ..Thomas just looked at her she then asked 'Whats the matter not talking' to which i had to say 'Can't you read ?' i do not see why i have to explain my child to everyone that's why he wears this shirt

'I'm not naughty i have autism' which i got off The National Autistic Society.. she then said 'Whats Autism' i then gave up and said 'Look it up'

Too me you can sort of tell a child has autism now a ten year old with a baby toy should say something ...but sadly people are still not wise to it or understand enough or simply do not want to

Answer 2

I call it the "rose-colored glasses syndrome". People don't like to see that the world isn't a perfect place where all kids are normal and happy. If they can pretend it doesn't exist, then they're happy.

The problem is kids with autism look "normal", so people believe they should be "normal". ie.since they can't, they must be a bunch of brats. Its an invisible disability. Until you spend time in their presence, you don't see the struggles they deal with in just navigating each day.

I have a 13 yr. old son with aspergers. And I know what its like. For families, its very isolating. That's why there aren't services. Until the internet came along autism was a closet disability. Parents had no connections to even know there were services out there. And its only in the past 10 years or so that, with the internet, parents started talking to each other & discovering therapies.

Hopefully, the government will realize that the more research & funding they provide families early on, the less children with autism will need later on in life. But I'm not holding my breath.

Answer 3

I totally agree with you  when you say that we should take special  attention to children with Autism.  Some of these children are being neglected and abuse by the same members of the families. They are missing out on that child's special techniques of learning. You'd be surprised of how intelligent these children are. There are schools, even in public schools that offer PPCD classes for non-verbal students. When it's time to evaluate the child's learning abilities and behaviors, there is a score that is meet to then be referred to a high learning with a one on one student teacher format.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, autism is too "new" in the eyes of most people. The majority of people have never experienced those with autism. This disease if very difficult to understand, even for those who have loved ones affected by it. Those who haven't been exposed to it often just don't get it.

Answer 5

Some are miss informed. People do not understand about autism. They do not realize that it is a spectrum. There are high functioning and low functioning people with autism.

I work with teen agers with low functioning autism. Most of our students are non-verbal. There are some programs that could help. Try looking up on goggle the ABA program, Project T.E.A.M, and Ability Counts.

Just a few months ago the government placed a "War on Autism" so more federal funding is coming. But who knows when.

Answer 6

I think it's ignorance and seeing the world from their own limited perspective. I don't know that I've met an autistic child but I know that it's not a made up problem. It does seem possible that some children have been misdiagnosed but it happens. Maybe I'm more sensitive because of learning disabilities in my family. People have said untrue things about that too. Ignorance hurts others.

Answer 7

Autism is known as a hidden disability and for a good reason. Because very often people with autism especially those who are higher functioning look like everyone else and can for a limited time appear to act like everyone else people automatically assume they must be putting it on and there is nothing different about them. Most people with autism want to fit in and be like everyone else so they try to mimic what the rest of society does. They can only keep this up for a limited time. Also the love of routine that makes people with autism feel safe and secure plays a major part in their lives and any interruption to it can cause so much upset. Any one with autism usually sees the world as black or white with no room for any middle ground so they find it hard to read social situations and can be an easy target for people who don't understand them. Some people need to be educated and spend 24 hours living with someone who has autism and see the difficulties and challenges they face every day. The main reason people don't take autism seriously is complete ignorance and the only way round this is to educate people.