Autism is fairly misunderstood. A lot of people look at my brother Eli when he doesn't like something or is having a meltdown and think, “Wow, this child clearly needs to be punished for his bad behavior.” When some kids try to interact with Eli, he will simply ignore them or not say anything. They will ask me, “Why isn't he talking to me?” and I try to explain, but they don't understand. This makes me sad because Eli is a really kind and loving boy! For the most part people hardly know anything about autism. They simply assume everyone is exactly the same as themselves, which is totally wrong, because there are tons of disabilities in this world. Other kids may act strange around a different kid, or try to stay away, or say, “Mommy, why does he look that way?” or even sometimes, “Mommy, he's scary!” I want everyone to see the good in Eli, not just the way he acts or behaves.
Sometimes when Eli has a meltdown we get stared at and we don't want to say, “Oh, he has autism,” or use his disability as an excuse for how he's behaving. But we also don't want to say nothing, because then they'll think, “You just don't discipline your child.” This all makes me sad because Eli is a wonderful brother and he is very happy and cute! I hope and pray that when Eli goes off to public school he won't be judged or misunderstood. I want people to understand Eli, comfort him when he's sad, embrace him when he does or says something new, and be joyful with him when he's happy. Eli might not want to be hugged or squeezed but don't assume that means he doesn't like you. Don't judge a kid by their looks!
Unique is a great way to describe autism. Autistic kids have different perspectives as well. You may open your oven or fridge and just take out whatever it is in there, while Eli may look at it and think about how it may have been made or how it works. Most people assume Eli is just “different” which isn't right since he really is very smart! When Eli grows up, he might help people see and understand what he sees. He may even discover a new type of substance or animal species! Sadly, some people may not like this or they might say, “I don't want this autistic person helping me or fixing my house.” Some people have different perspectives about autism. Some see it as a disability and some may even see it as an advantage. What I hope is that people won't judge Eli by his looks and behavior, or judge him by their own ideas. I hope they will listen and try to learn from what his ideas may mean or from what he may do. Maybe someday the world will have changed for the better, just because of one autistic child.
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