Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
“It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a child with autism to raise the consciousness of that village.” – Elaine Hall. Globally, it's estimated that approximately 1 in 100 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism is significantly more common in boys than in girls. This skewed sex ratio has been recognized since the first cases of autism were described in the 1940s. One of the most comprehensive analyses of autism’s sex ratio, published in 2017, drew on data from 54 prevalence studies worldwide. That analysis estimated about 4.2 boys with autism for every girl. Each story regarding autism is unique. While we must accept the similarities concerning autism, equally important are the uniqueness within this community. Many individuals with autism are misunderstood. This lack of understanding results from an overload of information, much of which contains myths and misconceptions surrounding this behavioural condition. Raising a child with autism requir...