Asia Dimitrova
SEN Oaklands School, UK
Title: Autism in the eye of the beholder: A hedgehog or a cactus?
Biography
Biography: Asia Dimitrova
Abstract
While there are many assessments, support systems and practices in place established over the years for autistic children they have been focused on the child exclusively. An admirable campaign on public education has been launched to help for some adjustments and exceptions to be made at schools and promote the settling of a culture of more acceptance. Still, it does not require people to take personal responsibility which still lies with the autistic person. I propose that society’s mindset need to change and urgently. Parents need fresh eyes, and a new perspective that can add another piece of the impossible puzzle they are solving every day, but solutions come naturally only when the questions are clear. An autism therapy is only possible if it’s applied to the collective. We need to understand that autism is not cases of isolated, unfortunate incidents but a collective phenomenon.