From Awareness to Inclusion: How Autism Awareness Has Changed the World

Autism has a long history, dating back to the year 1908, when the term “autism” was first introduced. Since then, more and more research has come out, providing parents of children with autism with options for behavioral therapy clinics and other resources to help their children thrive in peer-driven environments like school, church, play dates, and everything in between. We’ve come a long way from those early years of autism research. Thanks to the tireless efforts of researchers, scientists, doctors, and autism awareness advocates, we’re in a better place to support children with autism, making sure they have access to a more inclusive world.

Important Moments for Autism Awareness in the U.S. and Around the World

Many important moments in history allowed us to be where we are today when it comes to autism awareness and inclusion, so we’d like to highlight some of the most important pieces of history that you might not know.

• 1908: The term “autism” first coined
• 1943: American child psychiatrist Leo Kanner studies 11 children with “early infantile autism”
• 1944: German scientist, Hans Asperger, coins the term “Asperger’s Syndrome”
• 1991: The government makes autism a special education category
• 2008: Co-Founder of Autism Speaks, Suzanne Wright, gets World Autism Awareness Day (April 2) recognized throughout the world with “Light it Up Blue” movement
• 2019: Autism Cares Act of 2019 is passed and provides federal support for people with autism

So, now that autism is something that most people have heard of, how can we, as parents and caregivers, team up to work toward even further inclusion for children with autism?

Moving from Autism Awareness to Inclusion

Thanks to groups like the Autism Society of America and Autism Speaks, parents of children with autism now have somewhere to turn for not only acceptance but inclusion. Through various autism awareness campaigns, these groups have brought a widespread occurrence (1 out of every 68 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism each year) to light in a new way. They bring about positive changes that educate the public about autism and serve to bring about nation-wide inclusion for children with autism and autism spectrum disorders.

Because of these groups, we are seeing more instances of sensory-friendly events at movie theatres, library storytimes, and children’s museums. Not only does this inclusion allow children with autism to experience mainstream social situations in a way that’s more comfortable for them, but it also fosters a sense of belonging, which is a foundational trait that everyone needs to feel comfortable. Plus, peers can learn how to interact with children with autism by learning empathy and understanding that everyone has both strengths and challenges, and that’s okay!

Your Home for Behavioral Therapy in Novi, Michigan

Did you know that in Michigan, state laws allow insurance to cover behavioral therapy for children with autism? These laws make it even more accessible for families to get into a behavioral therapy clinic for early intervention and treatment, and that is so critical! Here at Blossom Children’s Center, we believe early intervention and behavioral therapy is essential to your child’s ability to improve their social and communication skills, allowing them to be included in typical classrooms while living their daily lives as fully and normally as possible. If you’d like to come in for a consultation to see if ABA therapy is right for your child, contact us today!