Autism

To hear from mothers and grandmothers how they watched in horror as their beautiful, verbal and loving toddlers withdrew into their own world that was now devoid of emotion and language, seemingly overnight, is to share their enormous pain.  Those are the stories Alison Singer and Suzanne Wright of Autism Speaks shared with us as we began working together on the Autism Awareness campaign that launches today.  Who wouldn’t want to help?

Incredibly, 1 in 166 children are diagnosed with Autism today.  This startling statistic provided a key insight for the creative team at BBDO New York who developed this campaign pro bono. They learned when parents knew how prevalent Autism is, they were motivated to learn their children’s developmental milestones to recognize early warning signs.  And early intervention has proven to help.

You can view these PSAs:  “Broadway”, “Baseball” and “Car Seat” which utilize images of toddlers and contrasts their odds of starring on Broadway, playing professional baseball or being injured in a car accident –in the tens or hundreds of thousands to one – with the odds of being diagnosed with Autism.  The PSAs also created for radio, print and the internet; provide a website and 800# to learn more.

The campaign will benefit from the support of Autism Speaks founders Bob and Suzanne Wright (Chairman and CEO,NBC/Universal).  But I’m sure the prevalence of this issue, coupled with the wonderful creative will attract wide donated media support.

What makes me so sure?  What we discovered is the number of people who have been touched by Autism.  Throughout the campaign’s development, we learned of children of the Agency Creative Team, The Ad Council Staff and many, many more people with relatives or friends who have received a diagnosis of Autism.  And when they understand the pain this disease causes, who wouldn’t want to help? 

Comments

[Camille]

I'm really shocked at the sloppy and misleading use of statistics in your ads.

The numbers you compare 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 166 are like comparing sheep and oranges according to the worlds foremost authority in autism epidemiology.

Dr. Fommbone, that authority is organizing the International Meeting for Autism Research in Montreal this year. All, and I do mean ALL credible autism researchers now believe that there hasn't been anything like an epidemic in autism, which is what your numbers imply.

I am grateful that you didn't use the words "epidemic" or "skyrocketing rates." But your ads are shockingly misleading, and for that I am very sad. You have destroyed your credibility.

Autism Speaks never had any to begin with with real scientists.

[ARLA]

Autism is not a tragedy. Given appropriate support autistic people, like other disabled people, can have fulfilling lives. Far more useful to spend monay helping the autistics already in the world than trying to prevent autism happening. We are different not dangerous, and we are definitely not a tragedy.

[alyric]

"Incredibly, 1 in 166 children are diagnosed with Autism today."

That's certainly incredibly misleading as well as inaccurate. Of the 1 in 166 diagnosed as somewhere on the autistic spectrum, the vast majority will be PDD NOS or Aspergers Syndrome. According to Eric Fombonne 1.8 per 1000 will be labelled as Autistic Disorder. If you also factor in that these days (Fombonne again), only 40% of those carrying the full autism label will attract the additional descriptor - 'profound' and at the age of 3 that doesn't mean all that much as a predictor. There's every reason to not bring out the violins too soon.

[mike stanton]

I am sure that you were deeply moved by the personal experience of those mothers. But it would be a mistake to generalize from their experience and apply it to all of those affected by autism. The figure of 1 in 166 refers to the entire autistic spectrum, most of whom are of normal or above average intelligence and are able to speak and express their emotions.

My son is one such person. He suffered terribly as a child from other children who bullied and teased him because of his difference; from teachers who did not believe that someone so intelligent could be so autistic; and from a father who listened to experts rather than to his son and caused endless grief by trying to force him to be normal. My pain and guilt are still with me.

Autism is not just about children who regress and need intensive help to make progress. It is mainly about people who live with a life long condition who need accommodations for their difficulties and help to realise their strengths. An unremittingly negative media image that refers to people like my son as 'diseased,''lost' and 'without emotion' does us no favours at all.

[Jane Meyerding]

Autism is not a disease. I, as an autistic person, am not diseased.

Autism is "different wiring" of the brain. Difficult for parents to accept, sure. But misrepresenting it as a "disease" to be "cured" (rather than a difference to be understood and accommodated) is not helping the parents and is doing a major disservice to autistic children and adults.

[Otir]

I think this is a very powerful campaign in order to raise funds and awareness. I didn't see that the ads were talking about a disease, or the necessity to cure the people with autism.

I understand that concern because I disagree about the fact that autism is a tragedy. What is a tragedy is the condition some people are left in, broke and desperate, needy, or ostracised.

Insurance companies denying support for therapies when needed, school districts unable to put up programs that are suited for children with special needs and the like.

The more autism is spoken about, the better it is. I regret that voices are getting angrier when there is no need to be angry at families trying to do their best (even if personnally I would not use the same words to describe my own reality, this is the case for everyone). I also think that being autistic is being different, and being different is not a tragedy. But it needs to be accepted and recognized.

I think these ads were excellent. Thanks.