The World Through the Eyes of a Child With Autism
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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), around 1 in 68 American children have been found on the autism spectrum. That’s a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years, and according to research, this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis and awareness. ASD affects over 3 million individuals in the U.S. and tens of millions worldwide. It’s one of the fastest growing developmental disorders in the world, and we still haven’t found a cure besides brain training programs that can help improve symptoms.
But knowing about autism and understanding what both parents and children go through when they are affected by autism is a good step. Many children and adults affected by autism are also challenged by sensory processing disorder, which makes navigating the world quite difficult. For our last autism awareness post, I wanted to share this video about what it’s like for some children with autism to view the world. In this 1 minute, 24 second video made by the National Autistic Society, you’re placed into the first-person perspective of a small child walking through the mall.
See if you can actually get through it without feeling claustrophobic, overwhelmed or even nauseated. Everything from the sounds of people talking, lights from a television screen and coins rattling can make the world a frightening place for a small child with autism.
The video is available here:
