Public Notice
If our adult son has a major meltdown in the grocery store, how do we let people know that his issues are related to autism? If a dad needs to assist his adolescent daughter with autism into a public bathroom, how can he let people know that, although she looks like a typical teen, she needs his help because of issues related to autism?
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One parent has come up with a great system for communicating with the general public about autism. Because her son looks like a typical young adult, people are often very puzzled by his spurts of rather bizarre behaviors. More than once, well-meaning strangers have contacted store security or called 911.
His mom solved that issue by carrying custom business cards. The cards say something to this effect: “Thank you for your interest in my son, a young man with autism. You can find more information on the Autism Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet by clicking on www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/autism.html.”
Mom passes out the cards to surrounding folks when her son had an outburst in public. The cards allow her to inform the general public quickly about her son’s condition. By providing discreet, printed information rather than just blurting out, “My son has autism,” she is able to respect her son’s dignity as well. The mom found this system works very well, and encourages other family members to give it a try.
We welcome your input. Share your stories about embarrassing public moments and about ideas for dealing with them. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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