April is Autism Awareness Month. If you have school-age children, now is a great time to encourage them to say hello to the kid who never talks to anyone. A good time to explain that someone may have outbursts because normal sounds hurt their ears, or the lighting in the classroom is a constant irritation to them. Some kids may have trouble answering you, but it doesn't mean they don't want to be included.
If you are an employer, consider that autistic adults sometimes have incredible abilities for detail-oriented tasks. They are wonderful people to get to know.
You may not be a parent or an employer, but you probably shop at the grocery store! Next time you see a child behaving inappropriately for their age, say a prayer for their parents. Typical parenting styles backfire with autistic kids. The parents have a big learning curve, and they may have made huge improvements in the last month. They don't need to be discouraged by negative comments and glares.
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Let's make this a friendly world for kids of all kinds.
