April is World Autism Month. In recent years, society has begun referring to this celebration of neurodiversity as Autism Acceptance (rather than Awareness) Month. This moniker reflects the fact that at a time when at least 1 in 36 individuals is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), awareness is presumed. However, most autistics and the people who love them believe “acceptance” should also be assumed. It seems reasonable that individuals who are simply born with a neurological difference that yields unique strengths and challenges would be accepted along with every other minority group. It’s hard for me to view mere “acceptance” as progress when I know how much I learn with and from the neurodiverse daily.

My name is Amy Fritz, and I have been a partner at St. Luke’s since my family moved to Winter Garden nearly 12 years ago. For many years, I facilitated a support group for the parents of young children with ASD as a partnership between St. Luke’s, the University of Central Florida’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (UCF CARD) and my private practice (Cedar Tree Communication Therapy). I am also a member of our church’s DEI committee, facilitator for one of its Purposeful Conversation groups, and member of the Care Visitation Team. As a speech-language pathologist, I have specialized in working with autistics for most of career, and I am the proud mother of an adult daughter named Delaney who is herself autistic.

I am knowledgeable enough about autism to share some thoughts regarding why we have witnessed an epic growth in neurodiversity in recent years. I could explain to you that every person with autism has unique gifts and challenges, so that “when you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism”. I could provide you with information regarding how to include the neurodiverse in your places of work, social circles, service opportunities, and worship experiences. (If you see me around campus, ask me about that information specifically, because diversity, equity and inclusion continue to be valued at St. Luke’s and vital to the growth and fulfillment of autistics.) However, I believe it’s more appropriate for me to allow the words of a few of my clients to serve as the voice of autistic pride. I asked them to share what they would want members of a faith community to know about autism. Here are their responses:

• L. (age 16) joked that “not all of us love trains; some of us love airplanes!”
• W. (age 17) said, “You might think of autism as being people who cannot talk and need a lot of help. But in reality, there’s a reason why they call it a spectrum. There are also kids that don’t need a lot of help. They’re very independent and have high functioning autism and practically don’t need any help at all except emotionally, and that’s OK.”
• M. (age 60) “Everyone is different. Autistics are just another type of different.”
• S. (age 10) said, “Autism is fun. It’s like having your own little superpower. Like I am really good at noticing stuff. We can have special interests that are the same as neurotypical people, but we usually know a lot more about the topic. When we tell them stuff that no one else really knows, they go so crazy. It’s also a little bit hard too. I can overreact a little bit and it feels like I am an alien basically. Be patient with people who have autism. Give them a little bit of space if they are upset. Let them have a little break, and they’ll be right back there soon ready to do whatever they were doing before.”
• M. (age 14) wrote, “Autistic people are caring people who want to have relationships with others and be helpful members of their community.  There are ways to support autistic people in their community.  For example, have someone to help explain hidden rules in social situations because sometimes autistic people have a hard time understanding these hidden rules.  Have someone be sort of a guide to help them be able to be more involved.  Using visuals or images can help make things easier to understand and have patience when they make mistakes.  Recognize that autistic people have lots of talents to contribute to a community and can be very loyal and faithful friends.”

One of my favorite verses comes from Matthew 25:40 when Jesus says, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” As followers of Christ, we are called to treat marginalized people with the respect and servitude we would offer our Lord. The verse comes from a parable about the final judgment that focuses on the eternal significance of our actions. As long as so many of my autistic friends are getting bullied at school and work, as long as “autistic” is being used as a slur (and the “new r-word”) among our youth, as long as autistics at large remain grossly disenfranchised and underemployed as adults, the neurodiverse population is part of the “least of these” among us. As children of God, do we settle for simply “accepting” Christ or do we strive to celebrate, honor, and love Him fully? I am hopeful you’ll make time this April to consider people with ASD in this light. You might just find some “very loyal and faithful friends” among them.

Dr. Amy Fritz, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist at Cedar Tree Communication Therapy & St. Luke’s Partner

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Dr. Amy Fritz, CCC-SLP
amy@cedartreeslp.com
Cedar Tree Communication Therapy