Week 6; Autism Speaks

I wrote this as a part of one of my college essays, so I thought I'd share!

Today, an estimated one out of every three hundred children is diagnosed with Autism. Autism is becoming more common than childhood cancer, and researches still do not know what causes it. Though there are some theories, scientists have not come up with a set cause, making it difficult to treat. The bigger problem, however, is the Autism awareness in today's society. People are uneducated on the disorder and do not know what symptoms to look for in Autistic kids. Teachers, peers, parents; I believe if more people knew how to react to these children, both the lives on the children and the parents would be less lonely, stressful, and frustrating.

I've seen many people not know how to react to Autistic children; if more of society understood Autism and how it affects the children diagnosed with it, a person walking through the grocery store would see a child throwing a fit on the ground and not automatically assume it was a bad discipline job on the
parent's side. If more people understood, an adult might actually walk up to a kid with Autism and be able to attempt to communicate with them, instead of walking away because they were afraid or didn't know how to act. People need to understand these kids are affectionate and loving beyond imagination, but they can't communicate it. They struggle with instigating conversation, building relationships, and responding appropriately to the outside world. This causes them to become very internal, and they get uncomfortable outside of their "bubble." The problem is, Autistic children's biggest problem is figuring out how to socialize, but people are so afraid to communicate with them that socializing is the one thing they don't receive enough of.

I've coached gymnastics for almost five years now, and my boss has her PhD in special education. I've seen more autistic kids come through our gym than I could possibly imagine, and each one of them brightens my life a little more. Their affection and compassion is beyond explanation, and their smiles could light up a room. Seeing other's inability to communicate and love these kids drives me up the walls, and I love spreading Autism awareness. There's so many places to begin, and so many different directions to go from there. It's easy to ignore; but why would you want to? Autistic children are such blessings. They're a challenge, but the most rewarding challenge I've ever come across.