Because autism is a spectrum, no two people with it are exactly alike; for example, my sister is severely autistic, and can't do normal things alone like go to the bathroom, brush her teeth, or make herself food, while some of the students in her class can do all of that. Aspergers is on the spectrum as well. Many people think that if someone has autism or Aspergers, they automatically have some sort of incredible talent that makes them a genius. While this is true in some cases, it is definitely not all. My sister Jamie is a good example of that. While she may have the mind of a child, there are some things she does that continue to shock me; she can solve puzzles extremely fast, most likely from memory. She also has obsessive compulsive tendencies, which makes her flick the lights on and off a billion times, close all the doors, and put things back a certain way.
Autism is something that has affected my life immensely. I am the middle child, so I grew up having an older sister that seemed normal to me. However, as I got older, I realized just how different she was. There comes a time when you grow up that you begin to notice how people view you; for so long none of my friends cared about how my sister made noises all the time and I talked about her like she was any average sister. Once you hit maybe fourth grade, that starts to change, and everything seems to embarrass you. I thought everyone thought I was weird, that my family was weird for having a girl in the family be autistic. My own sister embarrassed me; it embarrassed me how she wore pull ups to bed, and how she made too much noise so she couldn't be in public, and how she watched Sesame Street as a teenager. But just as quickly as the embarrassment comes, it leaves. I made solid friends, the kind of people that couldn't care less that my sister was loud and that I had to take her to the bathroom or the fact that she gets food in her hair.
Autism is also something that can change over time. Jamie learns new things all the time, and to think about how far she has come is incredible. She went from a girl that was upset so often, making it difficult to be around her, to someone that everyone loves, even strangers. She is so happy 90% of the time, and people love to be around her. Although you can't have full conversations with her, and there are things some people won't be able to understand ever, like how she doesn't understand what a favorite color is or know what clothes she likes, it doesn't change the emotional connection you can make. All children and adults with autism are unique is all ways, and it can affects more than just mental health.
While there is no cure for autism, there are ways to significantly improve the lives of those affected. This includes education, medical assistance, and other effective interventions. It takes people like us to help people with autism, and other special needs. Educating the public about how to approach autism and how to help is important; my high school did a great job of incorporating students willing to help with the students with special needs, and it was amazing to see. I have worked with so many students that are all different, and I have seen how happy my sister is to be around people.
http://www.autism-society.org
https://www.autismspeaks.org
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml?utm_source=rss_readersutm_medium=rssutm_campaign=rss_full
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