Hillary Alexander (sophomore, Theatre)

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Did you know that Autism affects 1 in 110 children in the U.S.? That’s 1% of American children. Autism Spectrum Disorder comes in a variety of severities from real severe to the point where these people are dependent on others for almost everything to as mild as Asperger’s. Common symptoms of Autism are a tendency to avoid social interaction, limited speech (in some cases not being able to speak at all), flapping, uncontrollable vocalization, and seizures (which begin around puberty). Autism awareness a relevant issue and a national public health crisis that many people overlook.

As someone who has a brother with Autism this makes me upset. Every year more and more children are being diagnosed with Autism and yet they remain misunderstood. My family and I have been fighting this battle for as long as I can remember. My brother was diagnosed at age two, the typical age of diagnosis. His particular symptoms include all of the above plus the inability to control his motor skills, meaning his brain can’t make the connection to his body to tell it to throw a baseball or hold a pencil. He needs the support of another person’s hand under his to type out his thoughts and feelings on his keyboard.

However, he is one of the smartest people I know. This is what most people do not understand about people with Autism; just because they can’t talk or act a little funny does not mean they’re retarded. People with Autism are savants in art forms such as music, visual arts, and writing. My brother happens to be a brilliant writer. What is the point of all this you ask? The point is that it is time for people to really understand Autism and the people affected by it. I would like to start an Autism awareness group on campus. If you are interested in starting a group with me please email me, Hillary Alexander at halexander@oxy.edu.

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