Should Autism Awareness week be more than baking cakes ...?

The week commencing 27 March is the designated 'Autism Awareness Week'.

Looking at the NAS articles, it seems to be all about fundraising, about baking cakes, going for a walk or holding a sponsored event.  All very worthy, I am sure.

But aren't we missing something really important.  The slogan is 'until everyone understands'.  And what will everyone understand about autism if we just bake cakes or go for a walk?  That there is a condition called 'autism'.  That those who are autistic can bake cakes?

'Autism awareness week' should surely be an opportunity we should all use to state our case.  Anyone who has been touched by autism, from parents and carers, relations, and those who are autistic themselves - should get involved in awareness where it really counts.

And that is by contacting the newspapers, writing letters to the media, writing to our MPs, lobbying parliament, writing to local councillors, and organising campaigns where the real issues relating to autism are stated.  Issues such as lack of available diagnoses for adults, the waiting time for a diagnosis, the real lack of anything having been done under the 'Autism Strategy', the fact that NHS trusts do not offer any help at all to adults who may be on the spectrum.  Many MPs are on Twitter and Facebook, we could message and tweet them.  Get the broadcasters, local radio especially, interested in our cause.  Write an article or letter for the local newspaper on the difficulties we face in everyday life, barriers put up not by us but by the attitude of others.  This is surely as important as any amount of fundraising in raising awareness.

Daily I see discussions on this forum about problems autistic people and their carers are having with authority, funds being cut, barrers put in our way.  And if we also let a wide audience know of these difficulties some of this may just begin to make others understand.  Some seed may fall on stony ground, but if we all did communicate our issues to the media, our lawmakers, our local councillors then maybe, just maybe, we would begin to open a few doors in the barriers that are put in our way.

But how many of us will do this?

Parents
  • Hello,

    For years I had been falling out with others because they wanted me to admire them or  join their band wagon.

    A diagnosis helped  me answer questions about my response to many abuses nerotypical individuals had heaped on me since a child.

    We should tell are stories honestly with out the edit.

    Because Autism isn't always the cause of the problems we experience.

    My problem has been that because people see a quiet person they feel you will not react to abuse or defend yourself or family.

    They are then highly offended when you know exactly how disgusting disabling some behaviour is & tell them or everyone else.

    In order for it to stop.

    What we do need is not to be seen as of low intelligence just because you don't follow some developmental stages the same time as your peers.

    We need the same respect when trying to access law or services from authorities aswell.

    Stereotypes about Asd having their versions of the truth doesn't help.

    Just to be respected listened to, would be enough along with being able to be taken seriously when others target us for abuse.

    I find there are lots of policies. Try finding people who follow them.

    The nas has been helpful for me to gather information over the years. I used it to decide to get a diagnosis.

    So it has its place.

    But it wont be the place to discuss targeted abuse of Asd Children or Adults.

    When things go wrong in residential care for those non verbal & without mental capacity !

    Plus over serious issues such as sexual abuse substance abuse drinking because of anxiety. 

    What does psychology departments do to support these issues if you have to deal with a spectrum disorder aswell.

    For instance how would they support a young male non verbal low mental capacity if he had been targeted for sexual exploitation?

    Autism isn't always the problem!

    People tell themselves its ok to treat certain groups as inferior because we don't all WANT to or can't fit in.

    So perhaps educating children about Autism at school age would be beneficial? 

Reply
  • Hello,

    For years I had been falling out with others because they wanted me to admire them or  join their band wagon.

    A diagnosis helped  me answer questions about my response to many abuses nerotypical individuals had heaped on me since a child.

    We should tell are stories honestly with out the edit.

    Because Autism isn't always the cause of the problems we experience.

    My problem has been that because people see a quiet person they feel you will not react to abuse or defend yourself or family.

    They are then highly offended when you know exactly how disgusting disabling some behaviour is & tell them or everyone else.

    In order for it to stop.

    What we do need is not to be seen as of low intelligence just because you don't follow some developmental stages the same time as your peers.

    We need the same respect when trying to access law or services from authorities aswell.

    Stereotypes about Asd having their versions of the truth doesn't help.

    Just to be respected listened to, would be enough along with being able to be taken seriously when others target us for abuse.

    I find there are lots of policies. Try finding people who follow them.

    The nas has been helpful for me to gather information over the years. I used it to decide to get a diagnosis.

    So it has its place.

    But it wont be the place to discuss targeted abuse of Asd Children or Adults.

    When things go wrong in residential care for those non verbal & without mental capacity !

    Plus over serious issues such as sexual abuse substance abuse drinking because of anxiety. 

    What does psychology departments do to support these issues if you have to deal with a spectrum disorder aswell.

    For instance how would they support a young male non verbal low mental capacity if he had been targeted for sexual exploitation?

    Autism isn't always the problem!

    People tell themselves its ok to treat certain groups as inferior because we don't all WANT to or can't fit in.

    So perhaps educating children about Autism at school age would be beneficial? 

Children
  • I educate everybody I meet, regardless of their age! Lol! My granddaughter is not aware of any kid in her school with autism so slowly but surely, I’m teaching her about autism and I know she talks to her friends about the things we talk about so there’s a chance she’ll talk about autism with them as well. 

    I don’t think anybody is going to listen to us if we tell them how disgusting their behaviour is. I agree, they should, but many people take things like that personally and react in a defensive mode. Maybe talking about it over a slice of cake might be more successful and certainly more pleasant. 

    You raise a lot of issues, such as abuse in residential care homes, which we know happens, but not as often as the media would have people believe. Most carers are incredible people, I admire their gifts and skills so much and probably more so because it is something I would find difficult to near on impossible to do so I have great respect for them. It is becoming easier for the good staff members to whistleblow on the ones who do perpetrate harm on the people they’re caring for, and this includes family members and friends, but yes, the process of eliminating such behaviours is an ongoing work in progress both in the community and in residential care as well as in the general population at large. Many people still live with hostilities in their heads and hearts and of course they share those with others. But in terms of the general population, the carers that I know and have worked with etc, are amongst the most wonderful people I’ve ever met. Their capacity to care for others in such a way astounds me. They get a lot of bad press (apparently, I don’t actually know) and they are generally in the low paid bracket but they are lovely people. 

    I too am very grateful to NAS. It has prompted me, to look into the work they do more closely at some point to see if there is something I can do to help because their services, by way of the website, has been invaluable to me.