Welcome back to Reading the Research, where I trawl the Internet to find noteworthy research on autism and related subjects, then discuss it in brief with bits from my own life, research, and observations.
Today's article underlines the unheard voices in the autism community. The rates for autism in black and Hispanic communities are at least as high as in the general populace. Historically the rate of diagnosis has lagged, possibly because of the expense of a formal diagnosis. The article also notes cultural differences and communication barriers may play a role. Implementing universal screening, where every child is given a cursory check for autism by a certain age, would help eliminate some of those differences in diagnostic rates.
I have mixed feelings about universal screening. On one hand, getting the answer to "why am I so weird?" young can be extremely helpful. You spend less time wondering and more time actually learning how to co-exist with people who are different than you. You can also get specialized help with your specific issues, rather than being left to flail and succeed or fail without support.
On the other hand, our current school system sometimes decides autistic children have to be segregated for their entire school experience. Even children that would do fine in a standard classroom with just a few or even no accommodations. Part of the reason I got as far into life as I did was because I didn't have that answer to "why am I so weird?" I was simply expected to perform in a general classroom, and I did, because I was fortunate enough to have the family stability and resources to allow that to be an option.
The ideal answer is probably "implement universal screening," "change the schooling system so it teaches relevant and necessary skills as well as academics," and "change the school system so full inclusion is the norm."
That's neither an easy task nor a simple one, so the last thing I'll leave you with is an idea I saw on Twitter in the last couple days.
(Pst! If you like seeing the latest autism-relevant research, visit my Twitter, which has links and brief comments on studies that were interesting, but didn't get a whole Reading the Research article about them.)
Today's article underlines the unheard voices in the autism community. The rates for autism in black and Hispanic communities are at least as high as in the general populace. Historically the rate of diagnosis has lagged, possibly because of the expense of a formal diagnosis. The article also notes cultural differences and communication barriers may play a role. Implementing universal screening, where every child is given a cursory check for autism by a certain age, would help eliminate some of those differences in diagnostic rates.
I have mixed feelings about universal screening. On one hand, getting the answer to "why am I so weird?" young can be extremely helpful. You spend less time wondering and more time actually learning how to co-exist with people who are different than you. You can also get specialized help with your specific issues, rather than being left to flail and succeed or fail without support.
On the other hand, our current school system sometimes decides autistic children have to be segregated for their entire school experience. Even children that would do fine in a standard classroom with just a few or even no accommodations. Part of the reason I got as far into life as I did was because I didn't have that answer to "why am I so weird?" I was simply expected to perform in a general classroom, and I did, because I was fortunate enough to have the family stability and resources to allow that to be an option.
The ideal answer is probably "implement universal screening," "change the schooling system so it teaches relevant and necessary skills as well as academics," and "change the school system so full inclusion is the norm."
That's neither an easy task nor a simple one, so the last thing I'll leave you with is an idea I saw on Twitter in the last couple days.
A friend once shared what she called the Parable of the Choir: A choir can single a beautiful note impossibly long because singers can individually drop out to breathe as necessary and the note goes on.
Social justice activism should be like that, she said.
That's stuck with me.
(Pst! If you like seeing the latest autism-relevant research, visit my Twitter, which has links and brief comments on studies that were interesting, but didn't get a whole Reading the Research article about them.)
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