Autism Acceptance

Thank you for your participation during the 2013-14 Governor's Project for autism awareness. For the 2014-15 year, our attention has evolved into autism acceptance.

Let me try to explain the difference. Autism acceptance is about accepting autistic individuals for who they are and not what you perceive them to be.

Accept them for what they can do and do not discriminate against them. Currently there is a campaign for making information easily understandable to foster participation, choice and protect human rights.

Here are some tips to share, taken from the article "Ten Tips to Support Me" written by Dr. Joaquin Fuentes and published in the November, 2014, issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry:

1. I am not "autistic". First and foremost I am a person who has autism. The term autism should not be used in a negative way. I deserve to be respected.
2. I am an individual. Having autism does not make me the same as other people with autism. Make an effort to know me as an individual.
3. I belong with other children. Do not separate me from them. I should be placed in regular settings and special support should be provided as needed.
4. I belong in society. Engage me in vocational training. I want to contribute. The services needed should be guided by inclusion in all activities in my community. The goal should be to adapt the environment and attitudes I have to face.
5. I belong in the world and I have a role to play.

Think of autism not as a tragic epidemic but as a part of life with both challenges and abilities that deserve to be accommodated.

Please share this information at a club meeting. You can help by supporting efforts for inclusion in job training and job placement. By doing so you can make a world of difference.

In December, I had the opportunity to attend the premiere screening of the documentary "Autistic Like Me". The documentary provided a unique look at the father's perspective for raising and caring for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. To say the least, this documentary really hit home. It is the first of its kind that shows the father's emotional aspect of having a child with autism.

At first the father blames himself for his child's condition but as time goes on he comes to terms with the situation. This documentary really opens your eyes towards the father's perspective. Please check out their website at autisticlikeme.net and hopefully it will be available for screening soon. Thank you to writer and director Charles Jones for making this film and to Past International President Tom DeJulio for arranging the screening in New York.

Please feel free to contact me at knkamper@gmail.com for any further information and thank you for your support.

Column Posted on Web Site February 1, 2015