By Mike Matejka
WJBC Forum
April is autism awareness month. A new initiative is being launched in our community, with the ambitious goal to make McLean County an Autism Friendly Community.
Autism is a very unique disability. There is no physical characteristic of people with autism. Some have multiple disabilities. Some individuals on the autism spectrum are very quiet, shy and reticent. Others are very talkative. Some individuals are extremely intelligent. That’s why it’s called an autism spectrum – there is a wide variety of abilities and disabilities.
What does it mean to be autism friendly? It most especially means being sensitive and not pre-judging an individual. Someone who doesn’t make eye contact might not be threatening, they might have autism. Someone who nervously flaps their hands or repeats a particular body movement might be more than nervous, they might have autism. Someone who comes in for a job interview and seems very shy and difficult to connect might make a great worker, but their autism makes it difficult for them to relay what they CAN do.
The diagnostic numbers continue to grow. The Center for Disease Control now says that one in 45 U.S. school children are on the autism spectrum. Just four years ago, the number from the same agency was one in 88. It will take scientific work to explain this rise in diagnosis, but the numbers continue to rise.
So what can we do to make McLean County an Autism Friendly community? Number one, learn about autism. Many people still stereotype people on the autism spectrum as either someone rocking in the corner or as a savant. There are many communication, speech and social difficulties that come under the autism label. Learn about that variety. Be open to people with autism – sometimes a little patience goes a long way. Underneath that social hesitancy is often a very delightful individual. People with autism often are very insightful, as they see the world around them very literally and will speak honestly. Their perceptions can aid us all.
My adult daughter is a very intelligent individual with autism. She once made a fascinating comparison to Alice in Wonderland. Alice falls into the rabbit hole into a world that lacks logic, totally confusing Alice. My daughter noted that is how she feels every day. Because she has trouble with nuances of speech, inflection and body language, she is often confused by what others communicate. But if you take the time to communicate clearly, you’ll find a very thoughtful young woman. Let’s make McLean County Autism Friendly. Welcoming and getting to know this population can enrich us all.
Mike Matejka is the Governmental Affairs director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council, covering 11,000 union Laborers in northern Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. He lives in Normal. He served on the Bloomington City Council for 18 years, is a past president of the McLean County Historical Society and Vice-President of the Illinois Labor History Society.