light bulb

You can post it, say it, wear it, or light it up blue. You can flash your colorful puzzle pieces & catch phrases. But who isn't aware of autism at this point? What I mean is we don't hear people say, for example, that their loved one has been diagnosed with a condition called autism... & then wait for them to elaborate with an explanation of what that means.

Awareness is at the root of understanding & is therefore crucial. But at this point a societal move towards acceptance is long overdue. Progress needs to go beyond movie theaters with sensory-friendly screenings or airport programs with special accommodations for people on the spectrum. People living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not characters on a prime time TV show, they are human beings trying to function in a world that has a lot of room for improvement when it comes to understanding their needs.

Autism is called a hidden disability because it is not immediately apparent. And by that description fragile x syndrome (FXS) falls under the same category. While one is a behavioral diagnosis & the other a genetic condition, they are both spectrum disorders & many of the associated challenges overlap. Other hidden disabilities can be visual, auditory, psychiatric, or seizure disorders to name a few. 

Both ASD & FXS can cause behavioral challenges, difficulty communicating, global developmental delay, & sensory processing disorder. Both can affect sociability, speech, & sense of empathy (either under expressed or heightened). Both disorders often cause repetitions in behavior & reinforce an inherent need for familiar routine.

They are autism & fragile x-- described by many as different pieces within one puzzle. While most people are familiar with ASD, they do not realize how it is scientifically linked to FXS.

Fragile x syndrome is the most common known single gene cause of autism. 

If you know someone with ASD or FXS you're very lucky that you have an opportunity to understand a different perspective in life. Recognizing a date on the calendar reserved for awareness is a great start, but the reality doesn't go away the other 364 days of the year. I hope more people make an effort to turn their awareness into acceptance. Be a participant in someone else's life & allow them the opportunity to participate in yours-- it's a simple reciprocal relationship just like you have with anyone else that you know. 

--