Myth:
All autistic people are the same.
Truth:
“Like a snowflake, no two are the same.” When you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met ONE person with autism.
Myth:
Autistic children have no emotions and are unable to feel or give love.
Truth:
To those that don’t know someone with autism, it could seem that way. For those of us who do, it’s clear that not only can they feel love, they can express it. Just not in the same way that neuro-typical people do.
Myth:
Autism is caused by “cold, distant” mothers.
Truth:
Trust me. I was neither cold nor distant to any of my kids. Years ago, doctors used to tell mothers that autism was their fault. Caused by a failure of the mother to bond with their child. We all know that this isn’t true, but there are still a handful of old fashioned doctors out there who think that a failure to bond causes autism.
Myth:
Autistic children are unable to learn.
Truth:
Quite the contrary. Autistic children are capable of learning new skills. Those that are non-verbal are able to learn to talk in most cases and sometimes, they can even excel at certain subjects.
Myth:
Autism can be cured.
Truth:
While an autistic person can make progress with certain issues they may have, there is no cure for autism. A non-verbal child leaning to talk doesn’t mean they’ve been cured and getting older and being able to handle certain situations better doesn’t mean they’ve “grown out of it”. Fortunately, a large percentage of those with autism will be able to live relatively normal lives. With the right therapies and teaching, independent living is a reasonable goal. A small number will need care throughout their lives, usually those who have other conditions or have a lower functioning form of autism.
Myth:
Autism is the same as mental retardation.
Truth:
Autism is a neurological disorder resulting in a developmental disability causing difficulties in social interaction, language acquisition, and attention to the normal range of environmental events. Those with mental retardation can sometimes also have autism, which is why the two are sometimes confused as one single issue.
Myth:
If your child has autism, it means you did something wrong as a parent.
Truth:
While the cause of autism isn’t known, what we do know is that no particular parenting style or lifestyle causes it. While there are groups out there who think that lack of discipline, certain eating habits and other environmental factors can result in having an autistic child, there is no evidence whatsoever that proves their outlandish accusations.
Myth:
When you’re child turns two, they’ll stop responding and “forget” how to talk.
Truth:
A recent news segment I saw that was supposed to be bringing “awareness” to autism, told parents that you’re child would develop normally until age two, when they’d suddenly forget how to talk, interact and make eye contact. For a reputable news station, I don’t know where they got their “facts”. While it is common for children to develop totally normal for awhile, none of the signs just happen. There are “red flags” and other signs all the way up until you get a diagnosis. Also, as in our case, Bella didn’t learn to talk and then stop. She never developed the ability at all. Regressive is more common but it is possible for a child to have a non-regressive form of autism.
These, along with many other, “facts” have been falsely reported in the news, TV and movies. We all know that drama makes a better story sometimes, but it can also create a false sense of knowledge for people. In order for people to better understand such a complicated disorder, it’s best to spread information that’s honest and true. I’m sure as time goes on, there will be a part 2 and 3 to this post.
Correcting those that might repeat one of these myths, can only go to help get the right information out there.
REMEMBER
