Social media used in positive way to share and dispel autism myths

Through the popular social media site Twitter, under the hashtag #AutismMyths, friends, family members and carers have been sharing their experiences of the untrue and often derogatory things said about people with autism.

From employability to emotional capabilities, myths about autism are still believed but campaigns such as this are changing the public perception of autism and dispelling the assumptions which are still made.

Here are five autism myths which have been shared by the people who really know about what it is like - people with autism and their family, friends and carers.

People with autism are not employable

Shared by many is the myth that people with autism are unable to work or be employed. The National Autistic Society (NAS) has published figures showing although only 15 per cent of people with autism are in full time employment, 79 per cent of autistic people who receive out of work benefits want the opportunity to work.

One blogger wrote: “My most hated ‘myth’ is, ‘they're not employable.’ I beg to differ. My son is 26 and he has a job, he's very affectionate, he will not grow out of it and no, he doesn't need discipline. Until these people have a child of their own, they will never understand.”

Remploy is a leading provider of disability employment services with branches across the UK and an in-depth online service for people with a wide range of disabilities to visit to receive help finding employment.

Young people with autism can receive training and support from Remploy during the transition into adulthood and the workplace, whether help is needed to write a CV or to gain extra qualifications among other options.

Autism is only a childhood illness

Autism does not only affect children and regardless of the timing of the diagnosis it can be of great benefit to the life of a person with autism. Autism is a lifelong learning disability which has no cure. Advice from NHS Choices says: “A lot of adults say their diagnosis has helped them to understand why they find certain things difficult, and also why they are especially good at some things.

“Having a diagnosis also means you can get easier access to support and benefits. However, the process of getting a diagnosis can be difficult for adults.

“The usual way to get a formal diagnosis is to go to your GP and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist, preferably one with experience of diagnosing autism.

“Some people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) grow up without their condition being recognised, sometimes through choice. It is never too late to be diagnosed with ASD, although it is not always easy because some local NHS authorities do not provide NHS funding for diagnosing ASD in adults.”

People with autism are all geniuses

Despite some popular movies where characters with autism are depicted as having extra high intellect, IQ or genius status, the NAS claims only up to one per cent of people with autism have real extraordinary talents. People with this extra ability are referred to as ‘autistic savants.’ Although two to three per cent of the population has a form of disability, only 0.06 per cent of these have been found to have an unusually high level of ability.

Parent Lisa Quinones-Fontanez has a child with autism and writes the blog Autism Hopes for the family website parents.com.

Writing about autism myths, she said: “I think if I had to pick a favourite, the Rain Man/Savant myth would be it. People often ask me if Norrin has a “special talent” and I think they’re disappointed when I tell them Norrin is just as talented as any other six year old kid. “All mums consider their kids to be a rock star genius, and I’m no different. But the reality is only a very small percentage of individuals with autism are considered savants. Don’t get me wrong, there is a small part of me that hopes Norrin could count cards well enough to be whisked off to Vegas.”

Some people aren’t autistic 'enough'

Some people with autism who are high functioning have been told they aren’t that autistic or they are not autistic enough, but people who have been diagnosed as autistic are autistic, regardless of the way they act or appear to others.

No two people with autism are the same as the intellectual abilities of people with autism hugely differ, ranging from severely learning disabled to people with very high levels of intellect. The linguistic skills of people with autism also range from being completely mute to having complex grammatically correct speech. This prevents people with autism from acting and sounding the same making it impossible to create an idea of what a ‘standard’ person with autism is like.

Although there is no typical type of autism, the concept of a ‘triad of impairments’ defines the symptoms generally shared by people with autism. The triad of impairment is an impairment of social interaction, an impairment of social communication and an impairment of social imagination.

People with autism generally share an impaired ability to engage in mutual social interactions, have abnormal communication skills such as eye contact or facial expressions and have difficulty thinking imaginatively. Although autistic people will experience difficulty in these areas, they are not impossible for all people with autism.

Creator of the blog Autism Speaks, Lydia Wayman, an adult with autism said: “People often see my writing and dismiss me as being “too high functioning” to know what autism is really like.

“I find that those of us who are verbal are dismissed as not being able to understand, but, in the same moment, those of us who are nonverbal are dismissed as not having the ability to understand. We cannot exercise judgment or withhold our approval of someone’s personhood because of the way their autism expresses itself.

“People whose autism is well-hidden also face intense challenges because of the way society is structured, and people whose autism is very obvious, of course, have gifts to offer, too. All people deserve respect for who they are, regardless of how readily they fit to to society’s norms and thus how others perceive them.”

Autism prevents feelings and friendships

Responding to a survey which found disabled people are twice as likely to experience bullying than non-disabled people, the National Autistic Society said people with autism often experience bullying not only throughout childhood but into adulthood. The society said people with autism want to create friendships, and are able to experience a range of emotions like anybody else.

Carol Povey, director of the National Autistic Society’s Centre for Autism, said: “We know from our own work that bullying doesn’t always stop when a child leaves school but often continues throughout their lives, whether in the workplace or in the community.

“It is appalling that the social difficulties people with autism experience can lead to them being bullied and harassed.

“Better understanding of the condition and support for people with autism who want to form friendships will go a long way towards ending the social isolation that many feel.

“Bullying anyone, particularly those who are vulnerable, is unacceptable and has no place in modern Britain.”

The #AutismMyths campaign continues and can be added to by visiting twitter. Readers can share any other popular autism myths they have experienced in the comments box below.