While decades of professional research have increased our awareness of autism or ASD in recent years, there are still a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding it. Thus, it is vital that we and the people around us keep ourselves educated about what is and isn’t true about autism.
In this blog we will debunk 5 common myths about autism and lay out the corresponding truths behind them:
MYTH # 1: Autism is an Illness.
Truth: Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a “cure”. It is a neurological disorder where an individual’s brain works in a different way from other people. Autism can manifest itself in challenges or impairments in communication and social interactions. While some people with autism need support to help them with certain things, others can live completely independently, especially with the aid of professional intervention and therapy.
MYTH # 2: People with autism cannot enjoy life.
Truth: This is absolutely false! People with autism can live a full and happy life. Just like everybody else, people with autism have their own strengths and skills as well as things they struggle with. Having autism does not stop people from participating in fun activities. However, some of them may need extra support when it comes to the logistics or practicalities of said activities.
MYTH # 3: Individuals with autism cannot feel love and are unable to form social relationships.
Truth: People with autism are capable of feeling all emotions. Although many people with autism experience difficulty in communicating and making social interactions, they can still make friends and form social relationships. However, some individuals on the spectrum find it difficult to interpret other people’s emotions, body language and expressions which might impact their ability to connect and socialise. We must be mindful, however, that this does not mean that they are simply disinterested or unwilling. Professional intervention and therapy can help an individual with autism to carry out their innate human nature to connect.
MYTH # 4: Autism used to be rare, but now it’s common.
Truth: While it is true that the statistics of individuals diagnosed with autism has increased over the last three decades, we must take into account that this is actually a reflection of increased understanding and awareness of ASD. Decades of scientific development and research centred on ASD have also increased specialists’ abilities to diagnose autism. Thus, individuals who previously may not have been identified to have autism are now being diagnosed and are receiving the support and care they need.
MYTH # 5: People with autism cannot learn.
Truth: This is simply not true. Individuals on the autism spectrum are unique and have a wide range of learning abilities. As with all people, educating a person with autism requires a complete understanding of their needs, challenges, abilities and learning style. Effective professional intervention or therapy can help individuals with autism who have learning difficulties to progress with their learning and development at their own unique pace.
Don’t stop learning about ASD
People with autism deserve complete acceptance and understanding and it is important to continually educate ourselves and build our awareness of autism in support of the community. If you would like to learn some strategies on how to support individuals with autism personally, click here as we have a blog specifically written for this purpose. Also be sure to keep posted on our upcoming blogs to learn more about the ins and outs of ASD.
Sensation Station Centre is proud to have worked with hundreds of children on the autism spectrum throughout the years by providing speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and an early intervention day programme. If you wish to know more about our services, call us at +971 4 277 6769 or +971 56 123 5002 and we will be happy to assist you.
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