Having a special needs child is difficult. Until you walk in those shoes you can never really understand what parents of a special needs child go through. April is Autism Awareness month and we thought we’d provide you with a few links to help you better get to know the people who face this disorder.
Robert MacNeil of PBS has an Autistic grandson. Please take a few minutes to watch Nick’s story.
One of the most important statements the story says is, “Researchers now believe there is no simple genetic cause, that autism may involve multiple genetic pathways, and toxic materials in the environment may trigger the symptoms of autism. Autism once was considered only a brain disorder. Now, more doctors say it often involves serious physical illness.”
There is still a ton of research that needs to be done. Is Autism affecting more children or have doctors widened their net when diagnosing kids with Autism? There is no simple answer and Autistic children are not all alike. Some can function like their friends and siblings (high functioning), others are like the Dustin Hoffman character in Rainman (more towards mid to low) and some Autistic kids need around the clock care with a brain that can function but a body that won’t listen to commands.
Carly’s Voice is another touching piece from ABC news. This is an amazing story that we hope with today’s technology will help Autistic children communicate with the outside world.
Do you have a link to a special story? Let us know by responding to this post. Autism is not going away. Let’s help teach adults with typical kids that special needs does not mean weird or dumb. If they teach their children to reach out and help special needs kids, then they’ll feel great about themselves.