5 common Myths about Autism
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about Autism. Misinformation about autism can be damaging to the community and lead to negative assumptions.
- Myth 1"Everyone is a little bit Autistic “
The Reality: While many people can relate to some experiences or understand some of the experiences of Autistic people, that does not make them autistic. Autistic people experience the world differently.
This assumption can be damaging and often diminishes the challenges faced by Autistic people.
- Myth 2"Everyone with autism has Savant Syndrome”
The Reality: While there are some autistic people that have incredible skills in specialised areas (aka Savant Syndrome), this popular culture idea is a misleading stereotype. Every autistic person has a unique set of strengths and challenges, just like anyone else. We should celebrate people for who they are, not just for what they can "do." Regardless of special skill, every individual deserves the chance to life a full and purposeful lie.
- Myth 3” Autism is caused by Vaccine or Bad Parenting”
The reality: Neither vaccination and parenting style contribute to or cause autism. These misconceptions hold no weight and are extremely damaging.
Autism is a neurodevelopment disorder which typically involved a fundamental difference in thinking patterns, sensory processing, communication and social interactions.
- Myth 4” Autism can be cured”
The reality: Autism is not an illness or a disease that can be cured with treatment or medications. It is a disability and a different way of experiencing the world. The goal shouldn't be to "cure" someone or make them act "normal." Instead, the focus must be on providing the right support, care, sensory adjustments, and opportunities so that every individual can thrive.
- Myth 5” There is an autism epidemic”
The reality: There has been an increase of Autism diagnosis’ due to several factors:
- Greater recognition
- Increased medical expertise
- Changes to diagnostic criteria
- Reduced stigma
Previous diagnostic criteria vastly underrepresented minority communities and woman. Improvement in identifying distinguishing characteristics of autism in different groups had led to an increase.
Misconceptions around this increase can lead to mitigating the processive strides that have been taken to better support those with autism.
It is a collective responsibility to negate these harmful myths and continue to educate ourselves and those around us.
