“You’re not allowed to talk about your experiences with disability if you’re black!”

BY PAUL JUNOR

The launch of a Black Parent Support for children with autism could not have come at a better time. Sherron Grant initiated this group to address issues, challenges and needs of black parents. She and her husband, Clovis, the CEO of 360° Kids, has a son, Isaiah, who was diagnosed with autism at age four.

According to www.autismspeaks.org autism refers to “a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication.”

Often times when talking about autism, it refers to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) which according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
(cdc.gov) is “a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioural challenges. There is nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may interact, learn in ways that are different from most people. The learning, thinking and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.”

Janet Williams is the Outreach Director for Autism speaks whose mission is, “to promote solutions across the spectrum and throughout the life span for the needs of people with autism and their families.”

She openly has shared her own personal story. As a black single parent with a child on the spectrum, she knows what it is like to live life a little differently than other parents. She knows that it is difficult for parents in our communities to reach out for help because they have trust issues. We talked about what some of her suggestions are:

• Learn the signs of autism, and use the two-minute autism screening questionnaire
• Learn what to do after your child has been diagnosed with autism. Download our 100-day kit for families of young children or school-age children. These kits offer guidance and helpful resources for families
• Find out about treatments; there’s no one-size-fits-all approach
• Use our school-based resources; like our new digital Guide to Individualized Education Plan
• Get involved

Sherron Grant was persistent in seeking help for her son. She recalls, “I was pretty much the only person of colour in the support group rooms. I pushed through because I focused on what we had in common. I had a child with autism. Autism doesn’t know colour, religion or anything like that. I really took as much from it as I could. However, there really is a connection you have with people of your culture.”