I’m thinking of taking a poll. I’ve noticed recently that quite a few of my pals have had collective small startling experience. I have not had this experience as I do not shop. My pals who do shop, have ambled along to a check out and the assistant asks during the transaction ‘would you like to give $1 to help Autism Awareness?’ My pals with their autistic child[ren] in tow, have baulked at this request.

I expect they were all just caught of their guard because on the whole autism, like some other disabilities is invisible, or maybe unnoticeable to people not paying attention. Some disabilities are more noticeable than others. It seems unlikely that a similar request for "Visual Impairment Awareness" would be made to someone accompanied by a ‘seeing eye dog.’

It seems unfair to single out any one campaign for criticism. Since the whole object of the exercise is to raise awareness, maybe we might view such encounters as an opportunity to raise awareness right then and there. Not many of us would be brave enough to tackle the issue straight on whilst accompanied by our autistic children, or maybe that’s just me?

There again, if I ever had the freedom to be alone in a shop, I might just find the inner strength to pounce; “How much for autism awareness did you say? A dollar? O.k. tell me all you know about autism and I’ll give you a dollar. You don’t know anything about autism? Fair enough, tell you what, I’ll tell you all I know about autism and you can give me a dollar, deal?”

Or maybe not?

"Cheers dears"