Autism Awareness Month

As April roles around it is once again Autism Awareness month. In 2010 what does this actually mean? From my perspective it is a way to inform, educate and demystify the realities of what autism is AND what it's not! There has been a tremendous amount of confusion over the years of how autism is defined. Many see it as it is portrayed in popular culture with such films as "Rain Man" or hearing celebrities like Jenny McCarthy who claims that autism can be cured.

The reality is that autism is a spectrum and there is no one single definition. It is in constant flux and that has been clearly seen by the medical communities stance that the diagnosis of aspergers will no longer be a criteria in the new Diagnostic Statistical Manual. It will be brought into the fold of autism spectrum disorder.

More recently we are seeing a radical change in how autism is viewed. Very much on the heals of the Disability Civil Rights Movements people with autism (particularly those with high functioning autism and aspergers) have stated that there is true value in neurodiversity & that difference is not a disability - just difference!

This new approach will have a significant impact on the cultural ramifications of autism and disability as a whole. This harkens back to the basic socio-cultural model of disability and the struggle for equality.

As the second decade of the 21st Century is upon us it maybe time to see that the human expierence is broad and that the concept of "normalcy" or acceptable can be redefined.