Author: Andre Velho | April 9th, 2022
I read an article by Max Marnau, a Scottish psychotherapist, artist and poet who is on the autism spectrum. Max writes about autism as a ‘culture’, and how neurotypicals have trouble understanding the autistic world because it is not our culture. As Indians, we may not fully understand the culture of Sri Lanka because we do not have the personal experience of being and growing up Sri Lankan. Sri Lankan people may also not fully understand Indian culture either. Similarly, autistic people have trouble understanding the non-autistic world. It simply is not their culture.
Autism, Max writes, is not a set of challenges or problems, rather a way of experiencing and understanding the world. This ‘diversity’ model (as opposed to the ‘medical deficiency’ model) encourages us to think about autistic people as having a cognitive and sensory processing style that is not the predominant one found in most people. Max believes it is important for autistic people themselves to know this so that they can live their best life and focus on their strengths and capabilities.
If you support, personally or professionally, autistic people, find out how autism impacts their lives – not only in terms of their challenges but more especially in terms of their strengths and interests. And for those who can express themselves, ask them about their experiences and get to know about their autism from the inside.
Want to learn how you can support a child with ASD in a way that suits them best? Contact our Autism Intervention department today!