14 Apr A Strengths-Based Approach to Autism
April is National Autism Awareness Month. I agree that it is important to be aware of Autistic individuals in our communities, but I believe that Autism acceptance is much more important. When you watch the media speak about Autism, they specifically look at all of the negative traits and outcomes associated with it, so it is easy for the public to become afraid of an Autism diagnosis. As a mother of an Autistic son, I will admit that Autism makes life challenging on a daily basis. At the same time, as a typically developing adult, I can tell you that I have my own set of challenges I deal with every day, and I also have strengths. Just as I attempt to focus on my strengths in my day to day life, we need to begin to highlight the strengths associated with Autism in order to better understand those who have the diagnosis.
First, I would like to start by saying that since Autism is a spectrum disorder, each Autistic child and adult have a different set of traits. Many people will tell you that if you have met one Autistic person, then you have ONLY met one Autistic person. There is not enough similarity to stereotype each person in the same manner. However, when you look at all of the Autistic community, you can definitely see trends in the strengths that they possess. One thing to keep in mind about Autism is that the brain is wired differently than the brain of someone that is typically developing. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just different. You could compare these differences to two different computer operating systems, like a Mac compared to a PC computer. These differences allow for both strengths and weaknesses. The strengths include:
— Attention to detail
— Asking deep questions
— Mentally able to picture 3D objects
— Creativity and innovation
— Mathematical skills
— Ability to recognize patterns
— Improved memory
— Logical and analytical thinking
— Honesty
— Persistance
— Increased skills in technology
Not every Autistic person has each of these characteristics, but these are traits that you often see in Autistic children and adults. The key to many of these strengths is that since the Autistic brain operates slightly differently than the typical brain, it allows for Autistic people to think outside of the box and come to conclusions that others may not have. Throughout history we have seen Autistic people that have been able to use that innovative and creative thinking to make huge advancements like Albert Einstein, Michelangelo, or Nikola Tesla.
People-First Language vs Identity-First Language
It has become the norm to use people-first language when referring to someone with a disability. This means that instead of saying “an Epileptic woman,” you would use the terminology “a woman with Epilepsy” putting the person before the disability. This language was created because most people with a disability don’t want that disability to be their defining characteristic. Despite the preference of many others with disabilities, a growing number of the Autism community prefers identity-first language, which would mean saying “an Autistic person’ instead of saying the person first. This change in preference has come for two different reasons:
— Many people in the Autism community feel their diagnosis is an essential part of who they are.
— With a focus on strengths AND challenges of the diagnosis (instead of just challenges), there isn’t the same need to hide the condition.
Again, although many people in the Autism community prefer identify-first language, that is not everyone’s preference, so it is important to ask people what they prefer.
The most important thing to remember about Autistic children and adults is to be aware of their strengths. Do not form an opinion about anyone solely based on their challenges, whether or not they are Autistic. I challenge each reader to attempt to find the strengths in everyone that you come across, with or without a disability, and that shift in perspective may have a powerful impact on how you see the world.