It’s now April, which means heavy rain, spring weather, and impending due dates for students here at Drury. It’s also Autism Awareness Month. For many individuals, it is very easy to let your whole world become your own perception and experience. Take a moment to learn about the disability and why it needs awareness, as over 3.5 million Americans are somewhere on the autism spectrum.

Ed Derr is the director of Counseling, Testing, and Disability Services at Drury. He is with the Disability Support Services and works to accommodate students of different needs and disabilities. He explained the varying degrees of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how his office does what it can to support those that need it.

“Autism is a huge topic and has a really big continuum. There are people with severe autism that hinders their speech, ability to live independently, work, etc. People with autism to this magnitude can suffer physical as well as emotional and mental health effects from their condition. [Disability Support Services] cannot accommodate students at this level” said Derr.

“A milder condition of autism that we have been successful at accommodating is a condition once called Asperger Syndrome.  Technically it is not called that anymore, but it still is most times referred to as Asperger Syndrome or AS for short.  We have a handful of students with AS on campus this spring. I’m sure there are more students on campus I don’t know about.”

It is important to be aware and to educate oneself about this disability. As Derr explained, the disability can present itself by affecting individuals in different ways and to many different degrees. For some, ASD means that 1/3 of individuals will remain nonverbal, for others it might mean accompanying health issues such as seizures, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, according to the organization Autism Speaks.

Sophomore Christina Beard is Miss River City 2018. Her platform is “See the Able Not the Label” which focuses on discussion, education, awareness and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder. She works to bring awareness to ASD and has a family connection that drives her forward.

“My brother was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder at the age of three. I have witnessed first-hand how stigma and lack of solutions has complicated the efforts of autistic kids to learn and succeed. It is no longer acceptable to turn the other cheek because of a label but to rather see others’ abilities. Over the years I’ve worked to address this by serving as an advocate for those with autism. I didn’t need to look far for inspiration on my platform. My brother Brian has been inspiring me the last 18 years and will for the rest of my life,” said Beard.

Businesses have found their own place in Autism Awareness month. Chuck-E-Cheese’s and AMC movie theaters are now offering sensory friendly events. At these events, light and sound are managed and staff is there for assistance. This is all to prevent sensory overload and to be more accommodating for individuals on the autism spectrum.

“There are more than one billion people with physical and mental disabilities in the world who must overcome challenges every day.  One of those challenges is encountering other people.  As a society, we are all different and must recognize the importance of acceptance,” said Derr.

Don’t become another challenge for an individual with ASD, become aware and learn more about this increasingly prevalent disability.

Article written by Ciara DuBan