Roughly 75 million people around the world are on the autistic spectrum. April has been designated Autism Awareness Month to raise awareness about signs and symptoms of autism as well as divert the stigmas and misinformation revolving around the disorder.
The Autism Society of Oregon (ASO) is holding three accessible family friendly walks for autism during April in Portland and the coastal area. Unfortunately, there are no known events being held locally.
The ASO is an organization dedicated to education, resources, awareness and support to those with autism as well as their families. It is the Oregon affiliate of the Autism Society of America, but all funds raised remain in the state to help individuals and families on the autistic spectrum.
Spectrum is a website dedicated to news and analysis of the latest autism research. It is focused on writing about autism in a way that is respectful and accurate, which means listening to the community and involving people on the spectrum in the stories they produce. Spectrum includes stories about topics such as the genes and the brain’s involvement in autism, diagnoses and how autism is defined, signs and symptoms of autism, treatments and therapies to manage symptoms of autism, how environmental factors add to autism odds, the science and research of autism, and societal factors that affect said research. Spectrum also includes opinion pieces on trends and controversies on autism research, Q&As with experts and debates on important topics in autism, and reviews on autism in the media ranging from books to TV shows and films.
Diagnosis for ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is based on developmental history and behavior rather than doing medical tests. It can be seen in kids ages 18 months or younger, but a diagnosis is not considered reliable until about 2 years old. Typically, diagnoses are not received until much later in life. That is largely because of misdiagnosis or autistic individuals masking (the suppression of one’s true self) their symptoms so that the condition is not prevalent until later.
Signs and symptoms include difficulty with social cues and interactions such as poor eye contact and having a hard time reading body language or facial expressions, sensory issues such as over or under stimulation in certain environments, sensitivity to textures, sounds or lights, and emotional difficulties such as emotional outbursts and struggles with expressing or labeling emotions.
ASD is a complex neurodivergent disorder that cannot be boiled down to just those signs and symptoms and requires more research to fully diagnose, but if you or someone you know may be questioning whether they are neurodivergent it is recommended to speak to a medical professional or psychologist to start testing now.
Like many communities, there are symbols that are used to represent pride for autism. One of these symbols include the infinity symbol, a symbol used to show the spectrum of autism and how no two autistic people are the same. A rainbow infinity symbol represents neurodiversity in general, then a gold infinity symbol represents autism. While there is a lot of discourse on what symbol people like to use, the infinity symbol, the puzzle piece, the color blue, it’s important to listen to autistic voices when they speak on the issue or any other issue regarding autism and the community.
Autism is not a problem to be solved or a disease that needs to be cured. Autism does not define a person, but it is a part of them and many people in the autistic community want you to acknowledge that. April is a month to raise awareness, acceptance and support for autistic individuals. So even though April is almost over, take the time to learn, listen, accept and support.
