There’s a lot of dialogue happening right now about autism in the United States– but what do the people who work closely with autistic children want you to know?
The MSU Autism Lab surveyed 181 early intervention providers in Michigan to find out. These providers work with children between the ages of zero and three on the autism spectrum for a variety of reasons.
Here’s what they had to say.
Autism looks different in every child.
One theme that repeatedly came up in the survey is that autism can present differently in every single child.
“Autism is not one size fits all. If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. It is a spectrum,” said one provider. “We don’t know exactly what causes it, but it can cause social emotional and communication struggles. A lot of parents have heard about autism but may not be entirely sure what it is.”
Throughout their responses, providers highlighted how these differences can make it difficult to understand what autism is and what autism means for children and their families.
We need to adapt our approaches and practices, not the children.
Participants stressed that providers, caregivers, neighbors, and friends should reflect on how to adapt interactions to create space for everyone to thrive, especially because there is already a negative stigma around autism.
“As providers and parents, it is up to each of us to learn and support each child's unique way of learning and developing,” said one provider.
“These children and families that are getting early intervention can get ahead of certain challenges and work towards a more positive mindset,” one provider added.
Another said, “Patience, empathy, and a strength-based lens can make a world of difference.”
Challenge negative stigma.
Providers consistently stressed in the survey that autistic people have their own unique strengths that facilitate leading a meaningful and accomplished life.
To put it clearly, one provider said, “These children do not need to be fixed and are capable of so much.”
Differences should be celebrated.
In the survey, providers stressed that all autistic people are unique, and our differences are what make us stronger as a society.
This final quote from a provider says it all:
“There are so many wonderful things about autism—from unique perspectives and deep interests to creative problem-solving and strong memory skills. I think the most important thing to know is our goal as educators isn’t to change who a child is, but to celebrate and support their strengths while helping them connect, learn, and grow in ways that work for them."
The MSU Autism Lab focuses on the development, dissemination, and implementation of evidence-based, community-viable interventions for children on the autism spectrum and their families, with the goal of improving meaningful outcomes. Learn more about this work here.