Past, Present, and Future

While recently exploring the outer rungs of internet archives, I came across this article from 10 years ago that describes the challenges faced by autistics in finding (and keeping) employment.

From the article:

For many of us, the word "autism" evokes frightening images of children shut off from the world, rocking, screaming or banging their heads. And if we think of autistic adults at all, we are likely to picture Dustin Hoffman playing the odd, card-counting "savant" in the 1988 movie Rain Man.
While not inaccurate, those perceptions fail to account for thousands ofautistic adults whose special ways of thinking make them quite well-suited for jobs in programming and computer graphics. Autism often leaves those people with poor social and communication skills while bestowing gifts of extraordinary concentration and creativity.
Unfortunately, for every autistic person who succeeds in the workplace, there are eight or nine who fail.

10 years later not much has changed. There's plenty more "awareness" out there yet obstacles still exist that prohibit autistics from reaching their potential in the workplace. That is if they're given a chance in the first place. Stigma and ignorance reign supereme. So sad that this could be changed with enough determination by enough of us. Instead of a unified voice, we remain scattered beyond recognition in our efforts - varied as they may be.

Let me explain.

My children are still young and many of the circles we run in are full of other parents with children around the age of ours. Most but not all have a child on the spectrum. Discussions usually revolve around treatments, therapies, meds, and school - but mostly about treatments and meds. We are usually just observers as ours has never taken meds and our therapies are just boring ol' speech and OT. There is not much discussion about employment issues unless me or my wife bring them up, and even then, they are short-lived. I know we're thinking a good bit down the road, and I'll admit I'm nervous about where we'll be in 10 years in regards to societal understanding of autism. I don't think it's ever too early to start correcting problems that are known to exist. But procrastination IS the American way plus there are countless rainbows to chase, thanks to numerous predatory alternative therapy pitchmen.

One of my nagging fears is that the same misconceptions will prevail 10 years from now. I think it falls on our shoulders as parents to shape the future world our children will inherit. It is discouraging to say the least when I hear parents endlessly discussing new therapies with nothing more than anecdotal evidence to support it. It's frightening to know their resolve and eagerness to try the next great miracle cure. So focused they are on the efforts to "fix" their kids before time runs out on them. I am worried that when they come around and accept (hopefully) that their children are who they are, time will have indeed run out to prepare a world that is more enlightened and willing to give our kids a chance to be productive members of society. We (my generation) will have failed our children.

My dream is that 10 years from now, articles about autistics and employment won't need to exist and that sometime between now and then, we wake up and change things we certainly have the ability to. We've got a long way to go.