It's Time to Go Beyond Autism Awareness

by Kristina Chew · 2009-04-30 14:05:00 UTC
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Desert road from http://laist.com/attachments/lindsayrebecca/Desert_Road.jpg
As of today, Autism Awareness Month 2009 comes to an end, and it seems to me it's high time that we go beyond autism awareness (here is an action about doing this).

It's not that "autism awareness" is a bad idea. But too often now, saying "let's do X in support of autism awareness!" is taken as an end in itself. This suggests that "just knowing about" autism (citing the prevalence rate, rattling off a few of the DSM-IV criteria, mentioning Temple Grandin) means you've done your part, and that's not the case at all.

Being "aware" that autism exists, that individuals on the autism spectrum exist right now, right here, and probably right near you, is just a beginning. Jim and I feel pretty aware about autism, but we know we're still near the start of a long road to help prepare the best life possible for Charlie.

Yesterday a friend asked me about what exactly Jim and I have done as far as planning ahead for Charlie when we're gone. I know the basics that he'll need: a job, a place to live, things to do when he's not at the job, companionship. But providing for these is simply overwhelming, yet necessary, to contemplate. If we could buy a house, hire staff, train them, find an employer who'd employ Charlie, find things for him to do in the community when he's not at the job, find transporation for him to all of these places---I guess I would feel that things were somewhat set for Charlie. As things are, not a one of them is in place and the options that currently exist need a lot of improvements, to understate the matter.

How aware are most people about this?

"Autism Awareness" was just a starting point. Time now to move on, and move forward.

Go beyond autism awareness!

Kristina Chew
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