Around two weeks ago, I watched a news story about a 17-year-old autistic child who was gunned down by four police officers in his front yard. The 911 caller reported that he thought was drunk, acting erratically, and holding a knife. The police arrived with only that information, and when they saw him still acting the same way, they opened fire—nine shots in total.
Now, this is not a debate on gun violence or excessive use of police force because that’s a touchy subject and beyond the scope of this article. For now, please consider this question.
If the caller or police officers knew he was autistic, would he have been shot?
In this case, there is plenty of blame, but also a massive lack of education and understanding. If one of these people had realized he was having a meltdown and not drunk, it would’ve gone down differently. This is why Autism Awareness Month exists in April. So, we can all get a better idea of what autism entails and stop horrible incidents like that from ever happening again.
I’m stepping away from my usual content to discuss something dear to my heart.
What Is Autism?
Imagine being born into this world where you feel nothing is wrong with you, but people look at you strangely and shy away. People say you shouldn’t act this way, but it soothes you. Then, you soon realize society didn’t build its systems with you in mind.
Welcome to Autism Spectrum Disorder.
ASD is a condition that affects how people think, learn, communicate, and interact with the world around them. It’s a “spectrum” because people with it can experience it to varying degrees.
My 20-year-old son is on the autism spectrum, and now he is doing great, but that wasn’t always the case. When he was born, I realized he was developing slower than other kids his age.
This is how my crash course for ASD began.
Throughout most of his toddler years, my wife and I resisted getting him diagnosed because we knew that once someone labeled him, that label would follow him the rest of his life. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the greatest decision, but we were flying blind as new parents.
When you’re in denial about what’s happening to your child and clinging to how you wish things would turn out, you end up making mistakes.
The doctors diagnosed him, and that’s when the fun began. Due to his learning challenges, the first meeting at my son’s school didn’t go as planned. Because they didn’t recognize autism, they had to classify him as mentally disabled to receive services.
Let’s say I was a little upset as I walked out to the car afterward.
When a school and social system lack education, compassion, and understanding, things like this happen.
My ASD Struggle
My son, for almost his whole life, has been in some sort of therapy. As a young child, he had endless tests, as if he were some crash test dummy. Between the treatment and the tests meant driving him to and from appointments, endless school meetings about his limitations and behaviors, and battling a system that lacks compassion.
I love my son, but I also lacked the compassion and understanding of what he was going through. For some reason, and I have no idea why in hindsight given all I knew, I decided to treat him like a child without autism. I didn’t want the world to pick on him, and I was suffering from a hefty dose of denial.
My intentions were pure, but it didn’t improve his life or mine. So, like the people involved in the shooting, I, too, needed some re-education. Going to therapy has helped me better understand my son and what he continues to battle.
I wish this month had existed sooner as I would’ve been better informed. Autism affects guardians and individuals with the condition, as well as their interactions with the world and the people around them. Autism requires the loved ones caring for them to be all in to ensure they live a fulfilling life.
It is hard work for all involved to battle against a system that still lacks knowledge about autism. That’s why the month is so important.
To learn more about Autism Awareness Month, please click here.
Please be kind today and every day.
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