Changing Our Mindsets About Autism
Written by Dr. Pia Boben Fenimore
There is a movement afoot to change the way we think about people who are on the Autistic Spectrum. The concept of Neurodiversity is one that is gaining strength both in the medical and psychological care world as well as in the mainstream.
According to the Symposium on Neurodiveristy, this is the idea that "neurological differences are to be recognized and respected as any other human variation." This supports the idea that Autistic people do not represent a disease that needs to be cured or even a puzzle that needs to be solved; on the contrary, they simply represent a "variation in human wiring" that produces a different thinker, communicator, or problem solver. I for one think this movement is absolutely on the right track.
You can see this mindset change slowly seeping into society. A recent article in the Economist spoke about changes needed to ensure that persons with autism are able to be a productive part of the workforce. The article is full of examples of how those who think differently need often very small changes to become huge contributors.
If the business world can get there, then we need to ensure that we get there in our schools, our communities, and our medical facilities. You see, neurodiversity means that we cannot teach everyone the same way, we cannot parent everyone the same way, and we cannot doctor everyone the same way. We need equality, yes, but just as much we need flexibility. If we can change our mindset about those who are different from the mainstream, we will likely find a more productive, peaceful, and, dare I say, more interesting world than the one we live in right now.
My only addition to the concept of neurodiversity would be to extend it well beyond the autism spectrum. For example, if we can teach our children that people who are different from them are opportunities not problems, maybe we would get to the root of bullying. Since bullying often correlates with depression in children, think of the results of this change! Or if we arm our school guidance counselors with multiple options for different learners, they will never have to struggle again to fit a child into a box they don't belong in. What if we stop telling children with ADD to focus and start asking them what they are focused on? Perhaps allowing them to chase that flight of ideas either in writing or in speech would provide the focus that all crave. These are some ways adopting the concept of neurodiversity could bring positive change.
In the below article, you will read how the statistics show many children are not getting adequate support services, despite increases every year in the amount we spend. The first step to improve this problem is to stop mandating that a child carry a certain diagnosis in order to receive developmental interventions. The concept of neurodiversity does not need ICD10 codes. The second step is to mandate communication among all caregivers, therapists, and educators to really make sure this child is receiving what they need. Too often I hear parents tell me: “Speech on Mondays, PT on Thursdays, and tutoring on the weekends, but we feel like he is not making progress and, worse, he is not happy.” I think this is because we are trying to mold this child into what we accept as the correct version of an American 7-year-old. Maybe if we first consider the child, their strengths, their talents, and then address the weaknesses that may be holding them back, we will find our interventions to be more successful.
We need the thinkers of the world to give this idea some wings. Now, I know that I am biased, but I continue to be in awe of our Lancaster community. We manage to be worldly and tight knit at the same time. We believe in fight and forgiveness. There are people in this county who are curing diseases, making our world safer, building green structures, revitalizing poverty-stricken neighborhoods, all locally and all with little fanfare. So, let's take this gold mine of skills, intellect, and creativity and come up with ways to promote neurodiversity awareness. For starters, maybe it needs a new name, something that says "Our world needs all thinkers regardless of how different we are" but takes it one step further and says "because we know this: we are first and foremost committed to collaboration, compromise, and nonjudgmental ways in our schools, our communities, and our workplaces." Phew... How do you say that in one word? But we don't really need a name to start working towards it.
For example, parents, teachers, and school administrators, let's decide right now that we understand that we are the mirror that children look to for their own reflection. Our response to them and their strengths directly correlates with how they see themselves. Let's commit ourselves to being more creative and more open in school to kids who learn differently, socialize differently, and contribute differently. And parents, we must stop complaining about things in our schools without offering solutions and compromise. I think it is clear that our schools can't do it without us. Let's decide that in addition to a no tolerance policy to bullying that we are going to get to the heart of the matter as to why some children pick on others and help both kids. Let's stop ignoring the statistics and start teaching mindfulness and stress management in our schools. Let's start promoting mental health, daily physical fitness time, and more outdoors time. Let's focus on each child's strengths and assign work accordingly. And let's meet each child's weaknesses with support and solutions. And let's do it all within our public schools without spending more tax dollars. Impossible? No not really. It just requires a change of mindset.
Business owners, let's commit to hiring someone who can do the job regardless of age, diagnosis, or disability. Let's stop punching time clocks and start rewarding based on real productivity. Let's start putting higher value into characteristics such as loyalty, problem solving, and efficacy rather than facetime or popularity. And let's start building our companies on diversity within a team of not just people who appear to be team players but are following status quo.
Community members, let's decide that there is not one perfect person, and that differences really do make us stronger. Let's stop judging children and their parents based on norms that were never actually the normal. Let's praise our introverts and our extroverts and especially praise them when they work together. Let's stop giving everyone a trophy and start rewarding hard work, resilience, and creativity.
Neurodiversity is here and always has been, but somewhere along the line, we stopped embracing it and started trying to cure it. I hope the amazing minds of Lancaster will take this idea and apply it to the problems of our town, our children, and our world. Please send in your ideas about making the world a better place for all of our kids.
Resources:
www.psychologytoday.com/blog/my-life-aspergers/201310/what-is-Neurodiversity
www.neurodiversitysymposium.wordpress.com
www.economist.com/news/leaders/21696944-beautiful-minds-wasted
