Last week, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced that the chances of a child being born with autism were much higher than previously thought. The number skyrocketed from approximately one in 160 births to one in 88.

One in 88.

Those numbers should put an end to the idea that autism is something affecting other people.

As a teacher in both general and special education, I taught hundreds of different children, including many with autism. A question I often got was “What are they like?” They referred to the students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It was impossible for me to give a response. Explaining what my students with autism were like would be about as easy as telling someone about my students with brown hair. Each one was unique, special, and intrinsically special and different than every other student.

ASD has been in the news recently, both because of the announcement by the CDC, and the fact that April 2nd was World Autism Awareness Day. Like any news story, these will be passing headlines, likely forgotten about by most people in the coming days. But now, there is even more worth remembering.

Most reactions to the newly released statistic have been shock and fear. People are shocked by the drastic increase, and fearful because most Americans still don’t know much about ASD, aside from the stereotypes. These reactions are understandable, but I think there are a few important things to keep in mind:

1. Autism Spectrum Disorder is just that – a spectrum. This means that while no two individuals with autism are exactly alike, there are similarities that occur in varying degrees and intensities. These can include communication difficulties, sensory issues, and challenges with social interactions. Asperger Syndrome, Rett Syndrome and Autistic disorder are just a few categories on the spectrum.
2. Don’t fear the unfamiliar. Many adults never interacted with an individual with autism when they were growing up. But times have changed, and chances are your child has a classmate with ASD. This is the result of a continued push for the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general classroom. In fact, this is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students with disabilities need to be educated in the least restrictive environment possible.  This is a good thing, because young children are inherently friendly and accepting – making it easy for kids with disabilities to be accepted throughout school if they form friendships at a young age.  
3. People first language is the law. In many states, there are acts in place that all public institutions must use people first language. This means saying, “a girl with autism ” instead of “an autistic girl.” This emphasizes that people are unique individuals – people are NOT their disabilities. Use people first language with your children, and they will learn to use it too.
4. Be open to learning about Autism. A teacher in my district does a unit on disabilities every year. The kids read young adult books where one of the main characters has a disability, and later have a panel of students with disabilities and experts who speak and answer questions. It’s a fantastic opportunity to educate kids about autism and other exceptionalities. The books are also great for parents to read. A few titles I recommend are Rules by Cynthia Lord and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon.

Sources for this article include www.autismspeaks.org and the Center for Disease Control.