See what a kid with autism sees for 90 eye-opening seconds

 
Related

More people get divorced in March and August

Everything
438 points

Interscatter contact lenses talk to phone via Wi-Fi

Everything
868 points



Most recent

Smile.CX GAIA la revolución de la IA en el turismo

Yesid Aguilar
14 points

Sophos y Pax8 anuncian alianza para optimizar la ciberseguridad

Prensa
16 points

A mi querida vieja.

Alcibiades Nuñez
30 points

Vacaciones sin despertador: los mejores destinos en Colombia para descansar de verdad

Prensa
28 points

Honda Forza 350 2025: Innovación y potencia en la nueva scooter GT

MaríaGeek
18 points

Johnson Controls presenta solución para control y protección en el acceso a empresas

Yesid Aguilar
22 points

Se descubre que la IA nos hace más tontos si no sabemos usarla

ANONIMO
24 points

Sophos nombra a Chris Bell como vicepresidente de Canal Global, Alianzas y Desarrollo Corporativo

Prensa
18 points

La hipocresía del movimiento feminista

La verdad importa
28 points

Una inusual alianza surge entre Putin y el partido comunista de México

La verdad importa
48 points
SHARE
TWEET
"Imagine everything you'd experience while strolling through a mall — the smells, the sights, the things to touch...



See what a kid with autism sees for 90 eye-opening seconds

Now imagine all of those feelings and sensations times, like, a hundred.

It might sort of feel like this:

Too much information is right.

For many people with autism, overstimulation is their reality.

Being over- or undersensitive when processing sensory information (like sights and smells) is common for people on the autism spectrum.

So an everyday thing that many people might not even notice at the mall, like the spraying of a perfume bottle...

... can be overwhelming for someone with autism.

To Jo Wincup, whose 15-year-old son, Ben, has autism, this reality hits close to home.

“Four years ago, my son had a meltdown in a shopping center after becoming overloaded by the crowds, bright lights, and smells. He started kicking me, shouting, and swearing. We tried to get him outside to help him calm down, but the people [lining up] for buses just stared, some even said really hurtful things. This upset Ben even more. He ran off into the bushes and refused to come out. I just wanted to cry, for the ground to swallow us up."

The National Autistic Society is hoping to give viewers a peek into this reality with a new and gripping PSA.

Seen through the eyes of a boy with autism, the video by the U.K.-based group takes viewers through a shopping center, allowing them to experience what living on the spectrum can feel like.

After he's overwhelmed by his surroundings and struggling with his mother (as onlookers gape at what appears to be a child acting out), the boy explains to viewers: "I’m not naughty, I’m autistic."
Share

Photo courtesy of the National Autistic Society Society, used with permission.
It's important that we all understand what autism can feel like so that we can build a more empathetic world.

Although a large majority of people have heard of autism, a very small number of people actually understand how living on the spectrum can affect behavior. Many kids aren't necessarily naughty; they're dealing with a condition most of us can't experience firsthand.
Share

Graphic courtesy of The National Autistic Society, used with permission.

A new report from the National Autistic Society found that 87% of families say people stare at their child who has autism, and 84% of people on the spectrum say others perceive them as "strange." Unfortunately, this contributes to the reason why nearly 8 in 10 folks with autism report feeling socially isolated.

"It isn’t that the public sets out to be judgmental towards autistic people," Mark Lever, chief executive of the organization, said in a statement, noting the research provided "shocking" results.

"They tell us that they want to be understanding but often just don’t ‘see’ the autism. They see a ‘strange’ man pacing back and forth in a shopping center, or a ‘naughty’ girl having a tantrum on a bus, and don’t know how to respond."

It doesn't have to be this way, though.
The more we all understand autism, the more people on the spectrum can feel OK about being themselves.

“Autism is complex and autistic people and their families don’t expect or want people to be experts," Lever explained. But a "basic understanding could transform lives".

Share this!!!
SHARE
TWEET
To comment you must log in with your account or sign up!
Featured content