Even though it has been a long road to Autism to be understood, an yet it still in some way a mystery, we have now much more information, studies and associations related and committed to Autism. However society in many cases, has been deaf to autism. Educators, parents, Ministries of Education and Health in many countries, and I will sadly talk about my country Mexico, have a very few understanding of autism. I will use a term introduced by Dr. Mel Levine. The term I must say, isn’t used for Autism itself but for the Learning Disabilities (LD): Demystification. One of the key parts in the Demystification process is that the child, parents and educators are informed about the problem and work together as a team in order to provide useful and successful support. The child then will realize of his difficulties and strengths. Labels are banished, and the kid will be aware of his problems and his advantages to raise self-confidence and improve his performance.
The Autism Spectrum Disorder should be demystified as well. Many people when they hear the word autism get clueless. They do not know what is it about, what are the signs, what is it. Some call about the “people in their own world”, some others misunderstood it with pejorative labels. Sadly many others educators and parents relate it as an intellectual disability, a “condition that can and must be cured”, an illness, a product of trauma: all myths. Autism should be fully understood, with its strengths and its weaknesses. How can parents or educators provide assessment in something they are not even well informed? And in many other cases, they are full of myths and false popular- and we hope soon enough unpopular- beliefs. We need to create awareness to bring better interventions in emotional, academic and social fields. Today through advocacy of many researchers, institutions, profit and non-profit organizations are lighting the path of Autism, we are being benefited and enriching our knowledge and resources when dealing with Autism.
On April 2nd, 2013 the world’s largest organization that promotes research, advocacy, awareness and more pro ASD, Autism Speaks is calling us to Light It Up Blue!
The Light It Up Blue is celebrating every year on that date the World Autism Awareness Day. This day, many buildings around the world will light up blue. This celebration aims to get funds to Autism Speaks and to create a global awareness. In the page “Light it Up Blue” you can find ways of supporting the cause, banners for web pages, merchandise, and creative ideas for houses, buildings, stores, restaurants and schools. You can wear blue clothes or a pin. You can also share your events in World Autism Awareness Day page on Facebook and submit your events by posting the information on the wall.
Let’s Light Up it Blue for Autism this day! Creating Awareness and Demystifying AUTISM!!
The Journey Into Self 