HAMPSTEAD, N.C. (WECT) – April 2nd is World Autism Awareness and Acceptance Day, a day meant to build understanding, challenge misconceptions, and spotlight the resources families need year-round.
For one Hampstead mom and author, that mission is personal.
“It’s a love note to my children,” said children’s book author Emily Barnhill.
She says she wrote her book after her son Orion was diagnosed with autism, both to process her family’s journey and to help other kids understand inclusion early.
“The idea behind my book came from my son, Orion, newly diagnosed with autism. It was a way for me to process the grief of my son having a different life path ahead of him,” said Barnhill.
Barnhill says the story began with a single doodle, then grew into a larger universe centered on her children as space characters, including Orion’s character “Bubbs.”
“When you are a sibling of a special needs child, there’s a lot of waiting. It’s given my children a level of resilience. They know how to wait and have this very empathetic nature,” said Barnhill.
Barnhill says she first noticed developmental differences when Orion was a toddler.
“One of the first things that I noticed was a lack of eye contact. Games like peek-a-boo were gone, and speech went away as well,” said Barnhill.
She credits early intervention with helping her family access support and a diagnosis.
“Early intervention is a great way to start because it allows you to start getting those resources. We were able to get Orion’s autism diagnosis at two and a half years old,” said Barnhill.
At the statewide level, the Autism Society of North Carolina says World Autism Day is also a chance to correct misinformation and connect families with help.
“It’s a day to draw attention to what autism is, what autism is not. There’s still some misinformation, so we try to help the community learn more,” said David Laxton with the Autism Society of NC
Laxton says one major concern is the continuing need for funding to support services, especially as families face long waitlists.
He points to Medicaid Innovations Waiver funding, which can provide support services such as one-on-one assistance that helps people build independence and potentially find employment.
“We have about 12,000 people receiving those types of services across North Carolina and a wait list of about 20,000,” said Laxton.
And for some families, he says the wait can stretch years.
“The wait list could be as long as a decade or more to receive those services,” said Laxton.
Laxton adds that maintaining and expanding support services matters not only for individuals but also for families trying to stay afloat.
“Oftentimes, having services is what enables a mom or dad to continue to keep their job versus staying at home as the only source of care,” said Laxton.
Barnhill says that’s why she hopes her books can help kids learn earlier what inclusion should look like.
“People who are different than you oftentimes are the most enriching and can teach you the most,” said Barnhill.
Laxton says World Autism Day is only the beginning, and that support should be accessible every day of the year.
“Every day is an opportunity to increase autism awareness and acceptance because nobody should go this journey alone,” said Laxton.
The Autism Society of North Carolina’s resources and information are available at autismsociety-nc.org.