My dad is on the spectrum. He’s in his mid-60’s now but was only recently diagnosed. During the times he grew up in, the understanding of ASD was very minimal. The mentality was that autism only applied to severe cases, such as those with debilitating physical difficulties or those who were nonverbal. His parents had taken him to a doctor when he was a kid, but it was written off as anxiety, with the only suggested treatment being a prescription of tranquilizers. Understanding of the autism community has grown, and each day we’re finding new ways to expand our knowledge, both inside and outside of the community.
Now, professionals view autism as being a spectrum. There are key traits that thread us all together, but there’s now room to acknowledge (and celebrate!) the differences of individuals on the spectrum. Everyone has their own unique spot– we have our shared struggles but we also have the ability to recognize that there is no one else quite like us. We’re all pieces of the same puzzle, just different shaped pieces. But they’re all important to creating that final picture.
My dad is finally in a place where he realizes he didn’t need to adhere to certain criteria to be recognized on the spectrum. He sees me, and he sees my brother, both of us on the spectrum and I know he has started to realize what links us together but what separates us from each other and what makes us all so unique. There are of course challenges that come with it, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
~Anonymous Writer
#brandonsvoice #autisticgold #autismacceptance #autism #autismfamily #autismlove #differentnotless #specialeducation #raffle #beavoiceforautism #autismblog #blogpost
