Forget "awareness", how about "education"!

April is Autism Awareness Month, however I say screw awareness, how about we EDUCATE about Autism?!?!

Most of you reading this know that S has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and that this is on the Autism spectrum. Many of you may not realize that Hubby & I seriously think I might have it as well. I am not currently pursuing a diagnosis though.

Anyway, recently I was having a random discussion with a stranger and it got brought up about S having Asperger's. The guy jumped on it and said "so he's super smart, isn't he?!" Umm.... Yeah he is, but who's to say he wouldn't be even if he didn't have Asperger's?

As I was trying to explain that, while yes S is super smart, that is not an indicator of having or not being on the spectrum, I told him that we think I might have it. He honestly tried to tell me that I could absolutely not have it because I could not instantly tell him what 12 times 12 was. I have to work the problems out in my head first.

Yeah, I don't remember that being part of S's testing when he was 4. Oops, sorry, you don't know your math facts so there's no way you're autistic. What garbage!!!

Okay, so yes we were at a bar (my friend and I go to sing karaoke and dude is their security guy) and he was drunk off his butt (yeah, I felt safe with a drunk security guy!!)... But this is stuff that people honestly believe!

We need to stop with the "Autism Awareness" images and stop with the "Light up blue for Autism" crap and actually get out there and EDUCATE people on Autism!!! Break down the stereotypes. Teach that it is like everything else and affects different people in different ways. Teach that if you've met one person with Autism, you've met ONE person with Autism. The next person with Autism you meet most probably will present a lot differently! Educate people that it presents differently in females than males. Educate that it often gets missed in girls because they are better at mirroring.

Educate!

Educate!!

EDUCATE!!!