'We are children and adults of the future generation'

'We are children and adults of the future generation’

Sharing the voices of CHEO’s autism community on World Autism Day

Each year in April, we recognize World Autism Month and World Autism  Day – an opportunity to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorder and the individuals, families and caregivers in the autism community.  

What is something you wish people knew about autism?

“I wish people would understand that autism is a way of learning and if not provided properly it will leave an individual lonely and left out of society. They have fundamental needs to belong, to feel accepted, heard and integrated into our communities.”

How can others show support for people with autism?

“The best way to show compassion to people with autism is to be very patient, soft spoken and re-iterate what they are trying to say or show you to ensure they have been understood.  Autistic people are very intelligent, passionate individuals who need specific directions and lots of patience. They need to have time to register the information provided to them.”

What is something you wish people knew about autism?

“As a parent of two Autistic children with autism and complex care needs, I wish more people understood that my sons experience the world differently than most others. And sometimes that results in additional support and service needs that regularly go unmet. They both love the outdoors and family and, at seven years old, my eldest plays piano with both hands and can read sheet music. Unfortunately, we live in a world where an Autistic child regularly does not receive the care and support they need to be their best selves – so everyday my wife and I are fighting for our children so the world they interact with is more inclusive by design."

How can others show support for people with autism?

“People can show compassion to Autistic people by being kind. Try to forget any preconceived notions of what Autism is that have been reinforced by a singular experience or by popular culture. If you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism. Each Autistic person has their own personality, their own life experiences and their own communication abilities which differ from one person to the next, as you would expect in meeting anyone generally. If a need is expressed, try to accommodate that need.”

How can others show support for people with autism?

"People can show compassion to people with autism by understanding that everyone is different and that is not something to fear but rather to embrace. People need to learn to accept differences and help everyone to thrive. Less judgement and more compassion would help society change for the better for the benefit of every individual in our communities.”

What is something you wish people knew about autism?

“I wish that people would understand that autism is normal people with different learning abilities.  They are intelligent, creative people that should not be known as being a disappointment.  Autistic people want to be part of the whole, society but their brain doesn’t learn the same way you do. We are children and adults of the future generation.”

How can others show support for people with autism?

“Show compassion to people with autism by not being opiniated and putting them all in the same box. Never use force or yell to get better results.  Frustration comes from not being understood."

What is something you wish people knew about autism?

“As a parent of a child with autism and complex care needs, I wish more people understood that even a nonverbal child has a voice, it might just look a little different!”

What is something you wish people knew about autism?

“I wish that people would understand that autism includes all kinds of normal people at different maturity levels due to their learning abilities.  Social skills need to be taught so they can improve their understanding.  It’s a different way of learning but people evolve and process learned lessons at their own rhythm.”

How can others show support for people with autism?

“The best way to support people with autism is to be patient, take the time to understand how they act and process information, how they communicate by voice, body language or other means.  Show them love, compassion, get to know them before judging.  Provide them with multiple ways of learning for them to get to their goals.”

What is something you wish people knew about autism?

“As a parent of a child with autism and complex care needs, I wish more people understood that it is only a part of who a child is. “

How can others show support for people with autism?

“People can show compassion to people with autism by being supportive, by continuing to treat my child the same as before they knew.”

How can others support people with autism?

“You can show compassion to people with autism by taking a moment to realize that we all hear, see, and feel the world in different ways …. and isn’t that AMAZING!”

What is something you wish people understood about autism?

“Autism is a family disorder. We have an older son who has been adversely affected by his challenging behaviours as well. It has tendrils that reach into every single aspect of our lives. It affects our mental health, relationships, home life and our work lives as well. It determines where we live, how we live and everything we do. A simple trip to the store requires a risk assessment. Much planning, time and energy are spent on doing simple things that many people take for granted. We are often isolated, stressed, misunderstood and exhausted.”

Resources and support

While the past two years have been hard on everyone, families of children and youth with autism have been particularly impacted by pandemic life.  If you need information or support, CHEO’s Autism Program is always here for you. Please reach out to us at  autismemail@cheo.on.ca  or call (613) 249 9355.

You can also find a list of CHEO-recommended resources including videos, local contacts and fact sheets on our website.