Today starts the month of April, which also means that it is Autism awareness month. A much needed reminder to be aware of a disease that affects so many people. One specific person comes to my mind to me today, and his family, my sweet nephew Eli; Eli has Autism. A disease that makes it hard for him to express his needs to those that want, so much, to help him and care for him the way he needs.
A distinction that needs to be made and understood this month is that Eli, and others with Autism, have Autism; they are not Autistic. They are not the disease from which they suffer. It may seem a minor distinction, but it is important. We do not say that a person with cancer is cancer; we say they have cancer. The same needs to be said of people with Autism. They are not their disease.
Eli is a very intelligent little boy. And it frustrates him when he cannot communicate that intelligence to us. He is smarter than some adults I know when it comes to using an iPad. He can use the device to navigate to things he wants and he uses the search function to spell out things he is looking for like Monsters Inc.
Eli is also a very loving little boy. At times, because of his disease, he likes to wander around and play by himself rather than with his siblings or his cousins. When he is frustrated, he has a tendency to hit, kick, bit, or scratch, but the best memories of him are when he comes to Grandma's house and climbs on my lap to give me a hug or just sit with me. Those are the moments when he shows how loving and perfect he is.
Eli may struggle through the days; some days are better than others. However, he has a loving mother, my little sister, a loving father and four siblings that care for him through his tantrums and struggles. My sister is an amazing mother and needs to know that. Because Eli, in spite of his struggles and hardships, has her to care for him and help him understand what is and isn't okay to do and to love him through it; his father cares for him just as deeply, as do his siblings. They are a family so perfectly formed that, together, they can handle everything and anything that comes along.
I guess what I am trying to say, as we begin the month of April, is to be very aware of the disease; know the distinction between the disease and the person; and be aware of what you say and how you treat others. Autism is a disease that, when we better understand it, we can treat those that suffer from it and live with it with the respect they deserve. We can treat them as the equals they need to be treated as. Be aware and care; that's all I ask.
A distinction that needs to be made and understood this month is that Eli, and others with Autism, have Autism; they are not Autistic. They are not the disease from which they suffer. It may seem a minor distinction, but it is important. We do not say that a person with cancer is cancer; we say they have cancer. The same needs to be said of people with Autism. They are not their disease.Eli is a very intelligent little boy. And it frustrates him when he cannot communicate that intelligence to us. He is smarter than some adults I know when it comes to using an iPad. He can use the device to navigate to things he wants and he uses the search function to spell out things he is looking for like Monsters Inc.
Eli is also a very loving little boy. At times, because of his disease, he likes to wander around and play by himself rather than with his siblings or his cousins. When he is frustrated, he has a tendency to hit, kick, bit, or scratch, but the best memories of him are when he comes to Grandma's house and climbs on my lap to give me a hug or just sit with me. Those are the moments when he shows how loving and perfect he is.
Eli may struggle through the days; some days are better than others. However, he has a loving mother, my little sister, a loving father and four siblings that care for him through his tantrums and struggles. My sister is an amazing mother and needs to know that. Because Eli, in spite of his struggles and hardships, has her to care for him and help him understand what is and isn't okay to do and to love him through it; his father cares for him just as deeply, as do his siblings. They are a family so perfectly formed that, together, they can handle everything and anything that comes along.
I guess what I am trying to say, as we begin the month of April, is to be very aware of the disease; know the distinction between the disease and the person; and be aware of what you say and how you treat others. Autism is a disease that, when we better understand it, we can treat those that suffer from it and live with it with the respect they deserve. We can treat them as the equals they need to be treated as. Be aware and care; that's all I ask.
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