I cannot even begin to tell you how many misconceptions there are about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). I listed the most common misconceptions about ASD here:
Children with autism grow out of their autistic traits when they are older.
All autistic people live with savant syndrome.
Autistic people never listen because they do not show eye contact.
All individuals with autism have co-occurring disabilities.
Autism is caused by vaccines.
Autistic people do not feel love and are unwilling to form social relationships.
These are some of the many misconceptions about ASD, but I shared the most common ones around today. Now let me tell you the truth about ASD from my own experiences and for others in the autism community:
People can be diagnosed with autism at any age, and autism never goes away. Autism is part of an individual once diagnosed for life.
The causes of autism are still not known directly today, but more research is coming out about its development as early as a person's birth.
It is possible that an autistic person will live with more than one disability, but not everyone does. It varies from one individual to another. The point is that autism is a spectrum, so people with autism live with different challenges and abilities.
By telling an autistic individual that they are not listening just because they are not showing eye contact and that they are unable to feel love and form social relationships can cause negative impacts on an individual's life. Let's understand and accept how autistic people adapt in the world as much they learn how to adapt in our world from us.
What are your thoughts on these misconceptions? Do you still hear them today like I do? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments section!
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