Great victory for the collective of associations which bears the name “Together for autism”, autism is declared “great national cause”. The collective gathers in France nearly 1000 associations concerned by this disease. You should know that 600,000 people suffer from autism in our territory. Note that the fight against loneliness had this label in 2011.
What does this label mean and what will it change??
Thanks to this label, associations will be able to fight against the prejudices that too often surround this disease. They will be able to organize major information and fundraising campaigns and broadcast spots on radio and TV for free. Autism is very unknown and suffers from a bad image: too many people still think that this disease is inevitable or that all the responsibility lies with the mother.
But how do you define autism?
It is difficult and even scientists do not all define it the same. They are still today more or less in agreement to take autism out of pure psychiatric illness and consider it as a disorder of cerebral development, therefore as a deficiency, a handicap. A handicap which would concern one birth in 150; and diagnosing it early can significantly slow its progression. However, currently, children are diagnosed at 6 years on average instead of 2 years.
So thanks to this “Great National Cause” label, the state is committed to strengthening its participation in the diagnosis and care of these children?
Children and adults, because adults also pose addiction problems. The “Great Cause” label represents hope for affected families, hope for improved care both in education and later, throughout the life of the autistic. France’s delay in this matter is glaring. Because for many autistic children, the door to the school of the Republic remains closed, despite the Handicap law of 2005.
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