If you’ve read more than one or two blog posts on Inappropriate Outburst, you know that my son Will has autism. But really, kids don’t get autism; families get autism. Autism does not exist in a vacuum. It is not an issue that may be shelved for a month…or a week…or a day…or even an hour. It is a 24/7 existence, a constant awareness, a factor in every single aspect of our lives as a family. Because Will struggles, we all struggle. And because we as a family struggle, because families with autism struggle, so too does the community.
When one in every 110 children is afflicted with a lifelong, serious developmental disability (even higher for boys, one in 70), we as a community, as a people, we must protest. We must stand up and advocate for these children. We must enable legislation that supports research funding so that the next generation sees the eradication of this devastating disorder. We must promote legislative, legal, and health-care reforms that enable parents, families, organizations, and state agencies to provide for these children long after childhood.
My blog is not all autism all the time. But my life is. And so I am dedicating this page to autism awareness, to the cause, to my son. I will post general information, resources, websites, articles, and ideas. I will do my little part to raise awareness, because WE have autism.
