The Joy of Autism

As many of you know, I work with individuals who have ASD (autism spectrum disorder), helping them learn how to use language to communicate, engage with their peers, and build social skills. I have come a long way from when I first started learning about autism, and I must say, I am an advocate for individuals who have autism, because I believe that we can do so much more to help them, and I am so excited about all the new research being funded on autism spectrum disorder, as well as other pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). Autism causes an individual to experience the world differently from the way most of the rest of us do. For example, normal sounds may really bother someone with autism. It's hard for these individuals to express themselves using words. Children who have autism usually keep to themselves and many cannot communicate without special help. Furthermore, being touched, even in a gentle way, may feel uncomfortable. This is why so many parents feel so distressed when their child pushes them away when they try and comfort them. Children with autism cannot usually make the same kind of connections that other children make easily (eg: when someone smiles, we usually assume that this person is "happy" or being "friendly"). However, a child with autism may not understand the person's smile and connect it with the emotion of "being happy" or "being friendly." So far, research has shown that autism is genetic, and is not caused by a certain type of parenting style. Many parents feel that they have done something wrong, however, it could have been something the fetus was exposed to while in the womb, a certain type of chemical or toxin, or due to a genetic mutation. We cannot diagnose autism as a medical disorder, and it does not fall under "mental illness." Autism is viewed as a "developmental delay" and depending on the severity of the disorder, many autistic individuals can grow up to lead a normal functioning life. Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma surrounding autism still. My graduate advisors have just recently informed us that there is an art gallery event celebrating...

"The Joy of Autism"
Lonsdale Gallery, 410 Spadina Road, Toronto
October 5th at 7 p.m.
Free to the Public
You can check out the website here:

http://www.taaproject.com/