I get this. I do.
Many people assume that because Jonah doesn’t really do a lot of ‘rocking’ or ‘stimming’, makes eye contact, smiles and returns smiles, interacts with peers, and is generally a “happy” boy, he doesn’t have REAL autism…
They compare what they “think they know” about autism, (usually from some movie or TV program) and generalize it to represent EVERYONE with autism.
What they are doing is discounting very REAL autistic journeys because they don’t fit the “mold” of what they THINK autism should “look like.”
They compare journeys and minimize Jojo’s challenges because he doesn’t “look AS autistic” as “this” other person they saw.
The inference is that we are using autism as an excuse for his “bad behavior.” (Usually because of one behavior or another, and then they instead blame his challenges on “poor parenting”)
Autism is a HUGE spectrum. Severity is not represented by individual character traits.
Our journey is our journey. Each person has their own challenges they are facing.
Please don’t minimize our journey because you think he doesn’t “look autistic.”
[From Seasons of Autism]