Autism is not a trend

For those who didn't know already; I have a child with a mild case of Autism called Pdd-nos or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. In short; His brain is full of thoughts sometimes. So full that he has difficulty functioning in 'normal' situations or in school and with tasks. He however would say that; he's a normal 17 year old and there's absolutely nothing wrong with him. He also has ADHD or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder which makes life with him quite 'interesting' to say the least. He is my barometer; one can always count on him to predict the weather. He is very hyperactive when the weather is changing for example, due to the air pressure I've always suspected. 
We have come a long way my son and I. The schools he was on never understood what he had and never wanted to deal with his autism. All my life I have fought for him and his place in this world as a mum would do. 

After his dad and I got a divorce and I met someone else it turned out he also has the same as my son. No autism is the same and hub's is different from son's, less mild and just different. Maybe it's the way his mum handled it, or not handled it I guess. 

What bothers me a lot lately is that everyone is using the term Autism in sentences or sayings as if it is normal to call a random person you don't know autistic. As if someone who is different or a bit withdrawn immediatelly is an autistic person and furthermore, if it's okay to call them autistic! It is not! It never is! Not everyone is and the ones who are have often more feelings in there pinky than the people who call others names. Just because they are autistic doesn't mean they don't have feelings! They have very much so! They are very emphatic, emotional, and yes often very social or they try to be! The whole image of autism is so wrong it hurts. 
Plus what people forget as well is that it's a struggle every day, not only for the people with Autism but for the parents and the partners. 

It really is great that autism get's a lot of attention and that people would be more aware of what it means but let's not over do it. I won't get into the wild west stories coming from the US about how you can 'get' autism or worse how you can 'cure' it. I think it's awful enough people believe those stories. It's genetic it always has been. I don't want to put my boys through any of those horror stories. They have a tough enough life as it is trying to fitt in. 

In an ideal world everyone is accepted with what they have no matter what. In an ideal world no one feels the need to call people names for what they have. Nobody is perfect anyway. But this isn't an ideal world and we have to make do with what we have and what we are. But what we all can do is try to make it a better world and start with ourselves and try to convince everyone that calling someone something isn't the way to that Ideal World. A better world starts with ourself. 

Please share if you agree. Thank you.

© KH