7
EDUCATION
MYTHS ABOUT AUTISM
That Parents Want You
to Know
By Robin LaBARBERA, PhD
A
s an educator of future special education
teachers, my job is to present the best re-
search-based strategies that are designed
to meet the academic and social needs of
children with autism spectrum disorder
(ASD). I find, though, that it is just as or
more important to teach my students to
know and love the people they will teach (the chil-
dren and their families) more than know the inter-
ventions they employ. “The best way to love the chil-
28 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 72
dren you serve,” I tell them, “is to develop a sense of
understanding and empathy for the family.”
I have researched considerably to promote an under-
standing of the parent perspective in raising a child
with autism because it is something I care about
very deeply. Concerned parents have expressed
their frustrations and joys over the years, and here I
present just a short list of what some of the parents
in my research have shared. Parents want their chil-