Today I'm going to be blogging about Autism and reading and how they kind of go hand-in-hand with one another and how they can relate to each other. I am also going to explain how reading can help people understand Autism a little bit better.
So, I wasn't really that much of a bookworm when I was a kid. But as I grew older, the more I begin to appreciate the fresh book smell, the sound of crisp pages turning, and the words that are typed in Times new Roman font. There's absolutely nothing like it.
I know that not all Autistic people are able to read. I was one of those kids who did not know how to read that well because of my mental disability. But, after a lot of practice, and a lot of tutoring, I began to learn more how to read each day and till I got to the point where I actually could read. Some Autistic people are more severe than I am and they really don't know how to read. But at the same time, there are people out there in the world who have Dyslexia, which is a disability that has you read backwards. See you know those pictures on Facebook that say if you can read this backwards you're very smart? Well, that's an every day issue people with Dyslexia have, and I honestly don't know how they do it or how they handle it.
So how did I, as an Autistic child, learn how to read? It's very simple. Most of my childhood contained picture books with very limited word usage. Autistic people think in pictures and that's how they learn. To this day, I still think in pictures and I have learned about 90% of what I know from pictures. There are some Autistic adults who spend every single day of their life reading books with pictures and very limited word usage, and that's OK.
But how do Autism and reading relate to each other? They relate to each other because now, there are books that serve as resources to help the world understand Autism. Now I wish those books were a little bit more accurate, nevertheless, but it's still serves as a tool to help the world better understand Autism and to help the world become more aware of the disability that I have. Take a look around you. There are Autism related books for children, teens, adults, and even professional doctors. Reading a book about Autism is something that I highly encourage everyone in the world to do. That way, they can understand what all I'm going through and what I do and how they can help me feel like I'm in a safe place at a time where the world is a very scary place right now.
So that's all what I have to say about reading. I did end up making a Lazy Day Video based around the subject, but I wanted to blog about it because I kind of want to go a little bit more in depth about it with you guys as to how it relates to Autism. I really hope you guys are like in the YouTube videos, I hope you guys are still liking the blog, and I really hope that you guys are still liking what I'm doing, because as long as you like what I'm doing I'm going to keep doing it. Even if you don't like it, (which is NOT THE CASE right now with all the positive response I've been receiving), I'm still going to keep doing it because Autism is something nobody understands. I want to help the world better understand Autism and to shine a light on Autism saying that Autism is not a disease. It's only a disability, so stop treating us like we're really really sick. Treat us with open arms, give us the encouragement and the support we really want, give us the acceptance we strive for.
Thank you guys for taking the time to read this, and I'll talk to you guys later! :)
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