My brother is autistic, so obviously, I've heard of the Autism Awareness movement and I know their missions and goals. The problem is, I've never felt like the whole "awareness" thing really helped anybody.
Parents and their autistic children receive support from groups or organizations affiliated with the Autism Awareness community. However, instead of actively searching for answers or even ways to improve their child's quality of life, I see so many parents in my community scream out for acceptance or even for things that they feel entitled to.
The idea of "awareness" is overused and in my honest opinion, mediocre. If we want to get anywhere as a nation or even a species, we need to abandon the idea that our children are "OK" or "perfect" when they are obviously suffering. Autism, at least to me, is not really a blessing or a gift from God. I want nothing more than to have a full blown conversation with my brother or even for him to go to school and make friends his age.
We're already aware of autism; we've recognized it. It's time for parents to grow out of this delusion that their love and acceptance of their children's condition is all that their child really needs. Of course, I'm not saying to completely resent your child based off of their condition, but instead, parents need to fight for recovery as well as nurture their kids. A diagnosis does not have to be forever. It takes action and dedication to heal a child. Every child is perfect in their own God-given way, however, that perfection should never be based on a diagnosis from a doctor.
Additionally, parents should recognize that a condition such as autism, or any form of ASD, has the potential of being "cured." The Autism Awareness movement, as far as I have seen in my own experiences, hardly addresses any of the core medical reasons why a child has been affected by Autism. Instead, the Autism Awareness Movement sort of profits off of the "autism aesthetic" that perforates America. Everyone is always focused on making their child comfortable or getting the opportunity to wear a shirt that says "Autism Warrior," yet the mission to heal a child is clouded.
However, I wholeheartedly support organizations that get disabled children into sports or stimulating activities. It's when an organization, group, or even a faction of a well-intended organization attempt to profit off of others shortcomings instead of offering extremely needed services or information. We live in an Instagram society, where healing is a low ranked priority compared to creating a facade of "acceptance."
In my family, we encourage healthy eating (within our budget). My brother, Tristian, is pushed to communicate and do things for himself. We supplement for things we're deficient in, as well as research different ways to heal. When Tristian was around 2, he was diagnosed with low-functioning, non-verbal autism. Today, at 7 1/2 years old, he can hold up a simple conversation, read, spell, and can even make jokes. The road to recovery has been long, strenuous, and nothing short of draining.
Despite all of the stress and constant regressions, it's still rewarding to see him become what he should have been without his diagnosis. I understand the mission of Autism Awareness; however, is it really helping our children's future? If we had bought a cute Autism T-shirt, or decorated a jersey with "#TeamTristian," would we still be where we are now?
