Opinion: Support Autism Awareness year-round

April is Autism Awareness month, and although the month has already passed, you can still bring your support into May. As someone who has a brother with severe autism, I have had the privilege of learning about it through his friends, their aides (people who help kids with special needs perform tasks), and of course my own brother.

My brother is older than me, so I have seen him through my whole life. Through him, I have seen a lot of examples of people, including those without any experience in the special needs field, who truly want to help, support, and care about those with Autism.

It means a lot to him and others with autism when people try to engage. He doesn’t always get to connect with others, because most people tend to think they are in his way, or will make things more difficult for him when they interact with my brother.

This is simply due to the fact that much knowledge about autism is very uncommon, and not widely spread. It is important that more people know about individuals on the spectrum, and if you are interested in finding out ways to show your support for people with autism, here are some easy suggestions:

Give a high five. It’s a low commitment and incredibly simple way to connect.
Smile, or say hello in a gentle voice to the person you’re looking to connect with
Observe the person with Autism, and do what they like to do
Read about Autism and how it affects the brain, educate yourself about the condition so you can know a bit more about what people are going through.
If you know about autism, spread awareness! Tell friends and family what you already know or have learned about it.


Even though these might seem like small acts, a bit of kindness goes a long way, and so does information. The more people know and understand about autism, the more likely they are to develop more empathy for people with this special need and a passion for aiding those who need a little extra help for day to day life.