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I believe that God has a plan for us and that we are to love everyone…Now you are probably thinking how does God fit into all of this? Well I believe that God has me here on this Earth for a bigger picture and that I am here to help others show love and acceptance to others.

Why is it so hard for us to understand something that is different from us? Why can we be so judgmental?  Why is it easier to be sad or mean instead of nice or happy?

Everyone is Unique

There are a lot of why questions in life and every one of us has a unique answer to those questions. Everyone is UNIQUE. We all go through different experiences in this life that shape who we are as a person. Now you are probably wondering when is she going to start taking about Autism? First I want to paint the picture that every person has unique and different personalities. We can look different, think differently, like different things such as foods, and we all have different skills that we are either good at or bad at.

Every person is unique, just like every person with Autism is unique. No one person is alike, has different meaning for each person and if you have met one person with Autism, you have met only one person with Autism. Please do not base your opinions based on one experience you have had with someone with Autism.

These are views that I have learned along the way as a sister, a professional, and as someone who is wanting to learn more about the Autism world, so that I can learn their perspective and be able to understand their viewpoint better.

When talking to your children or loved ones about Autism come from a loving and positive viewpoint.

Here are some ways to help us understand Autism

1. We all see the world differently, but the world can look very different for someone with Autism. The brain is wired differently and different connections can work well or may have more difficulty working.
2. The senses may be wired differently as well. Sound, touch, taste, smell, or movement can feel much different for someone with Autism. We all have different sensory preferences such as the foods we like or the activities we enjoy. Respect everyone's sensory preferences and differences.
3. Communication may be difficult and social interactions may be very hard for someone with Autism. Find ways to include someone with Autism in an activity in a way that they can handle the situation. In order to do this, you first need to get to know the person and understand their likes and dislikes.
4. The special wiring in their brain can make something that we may think as easy be very hard for them, or something that we may think as being hard, can be easy to them.
5. Someone may develop behaviors to help them cope with stressful or chaotic feelings due to being overwhelmed with an experience due to the their senses. When the brain and senses don't communicate well the brain can become overwhelmed. These behaviors can look odd to us, but it can help them feel calm inside. The person may not be able to say out loud how they are feeling. From the outside they could look like they are fine, but on the inside they could be feeling chaos.

How we can learn to understand their point of view

1. Take the time to get to know the individual. Find out what they like and don't like.
2. Find a way to be able to communicate with them. Do they talk verbally or use a communication device?
3. See if there is something that you can do together that you both would like to do.
4. If someone is talking mean about someone with Autism, stand up for the person and say something positive about them.
5. I have heard many times that people with Autism just want to feel understood. In order to do this we need to take the time to learn the world from their perspective and not be quick to judge or place opinions.

I loved this quote from the video Amazing Things Happen, “People with Autism are not ill or broken, they have a unique view of the world.” If we take the time to learn and share the world from their point of view, we may be able to see the amazing things they can do.

If you are looking for a video to be able to share with your children or loved ones about Autism, I highly recommend this video from Amazing Things Happen! Amazing Things Happen is the creation of independent animation director Alex Amelines. Here is the link to the Facebook page for Amazing Things Happen.

If you found this post or video helpful please leave a comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts!

If you are looking for further resources to help you better understand Autism, here are a list of books that may be helpful!

• The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida

• Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism by Barry M. Prizant 

• Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman

• Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew: Updated and Expanded Edition by Ellen Notbohm

• A Parent's Guide to High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, Second Edition: How to Meet the Challenges and Help Your Child Thrive by by Sally Ozonoff PhD, Geraldine Dawson PhD, and James C. McPartland PhD

• Autism Every Day: Over 150 Strategies Lived and Learned by a Professional Autism Consultant with 3 Sons on the Spectrum by Alyson Beytien

• I See Things Differently: A First Look at Autism (A First Look At…Series) by Pat Thomas

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (revised): The Complete Guide to Understanding by Chantal Sicile-Kira

Do you have a child with Autism and need help to find support? This post talks about 24 amazing online support groups and blogs for families! 

Welcome to Voices of Special Needs Blog Hop — a monthly gathering of posts from special needs bloggers hosted by The Sensory Spectrum and The Jenny Evolution. Click on the links below to read stories from other bloggers about having a special needs kiddo — from Sensory Processing Disorder to ADHD, from Autism to Dyslexia! Want to join in on next month's Voices of Special Needs Hop? Click here!

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