“Light It Up Blue on April 2!”
Every year, we ‘Light It Up Blue’ at our house. We wear our BLUE shirts, BLUE accessories and even change out lightbulbs to BLUE. So what is the big deal about BLUE?
For each family participating, there are commonalities. We ‘Light It Up BLUE’ to help with Autism Awareness. It gets the conversation started.
Information=Understanding=Compassion=Support
Autism use to be the ‘dirty little secret’ in families. People hid the affected child, sent them away, or denied any problems. Guess what? This still happens today.
In the past 9 years since we got the diagnosis for Ethan, I have met many families with children on the autism spectrum. Working with many of these families has been rewarding and heart breaking at the same time. Their journey of grief, acceptance, and advocacy would bring up all of my emotions through those experiences as well. Their struggles I knew all too well.
“How do we tell people? When do we tell people? What do we tell people? Should we tell people?” These were some of the more common questions.
Then there were these families with these issues…..
“My husband says our twin daughters do not have Autism. My girls are categorized as severely Autistic. If I seek medical help, my husband says he is leaving.”
“My family member says if I were to spank my child every once in a while, he might ‘straighten up and quit being a brat.’ They think I caused this.”
“I am afraid to leave my son at school because I think his teacher is mean to him. I find bruises on his arms sometimes. I don’t know what to do, because I have to work or we won’t have groceries.”
The three previous statements were made in just the last couple of years.
Autism is still thought of by some people as a myth. Some think Autism is not a real diagnosis, but a choice behavior. I can assure you that no person would choose to live in the emotional chaos of Autism. People with Autism are not trying to ‘bother’ family members, care givers, or teachers. They are living in a world that is too much for them. Too much coming at them all at once and they can not effectively filter it. So they learn to cope the best way they can.
So when you see me and others wearing our BLUE, posting #LIUB, or asking others to do the same- here are MY reasons why:
Families living with Autism are fighting every day for their 1 in 68 (1 in 42 boys)* to have a good, productive life. They need help. Want to know what you can do?
- Have Compassion.
- Have Patience.
- Keep them in your Prayers.
- Ask questions about their Autistic family member that does not pertain to their disability.
- Volunteer to help when opportunities arise.
- Speak to your children about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Explain that kids with Autism learn differently and may respond differently (or slower), yet they have the same feelings and desires as the rest of us. Other kids are some of the best advocates for Autistic kids.
- SPEAK UP! Let your voice be their’s if needed. Please do not sit by silent when you know someone is not being fair or kind to a person with Autism. They have rights and others can be held liable (criminally as well) for violating those rights.
So wear your BLUE and know that you doing that simple act will help remove the stigma of a child receiving an Autism diagnosis.
You wearing BLUE lets your friends and family know this- You may not understand Autism that well, but you care. You won’t turn from them or talk bad about them simply because their child gets the Autism label. You won’t think less of them or that they caused this disorder in their child.
And while I’m at it- to all my friends that have been there for us through the years, I can never thank you enough. Every little kindness, I remember them all. I may have only smiled or quickly said thank you….But in my heart, I thanked you a million times. I hope my son has caused you to go home and hug your kids a little tighter. We have fought hard and I wouldn’t trade him for the world. But I would take away all the things that cause him to be afraid. Know that your kindness has eased his pain. Know that I pray for you and thank God for your heart.
* 1 in 68 US children, 1 in 42 boys, have Autism. CDC March 2016
Not Quite What I Ordered 