An average online news search for "Autism" turns up about 6,000 results. I complete this search on a regular basis as I search for positive news stories to feature in my newsletter. I look for stories that focus on the accomplishments of people with autism (artistic, academic, philanthropic, and the like), success stories from work or school, and the positive characteristics of autism. My goal is to bring my reader's attention from all of the "gloom and doom" portrayals of autism to focus on what individuals can do when given the right opportunities.

Sadly, I usually only find two or three articles each month that meet my criteria. Most of the articles focus on how children with Autism struggle, how awful it was to receive an autism diagnosis, or how to raise money to help cure the "devastating disorder" of autism.

I do think that these types of articles have their place. They focus on real families and individuals, and the challenges they face. This is important for the public to be aware of. However, I think it is equally important for the public to be aware of the potential of individuals with autism. We also need to see them as people who are capable, able to think outside the box, and are often very bright. For us to truly embrace people with autism and welcome them into our schools, workplaces, and communities, this balanced perspective is vital. If we only view people with autism as incapable of learning in school or functioning in society, we will only continue to deny them opportunities to share their gifts and learn valuable life skills in these environments.

As this is the Positively Autism blog, we'll focus on the positive. This month, I've already found four positive articles, and I'm still searching. If you come across a great positive article, or read one in www.PositivelyAutism.com 's newsletter, please send a short e-mail thanking the journalist for writing the article. Their e-mail address is usually found somewhere on each article. I'm hoping that if they get positive feedback, they will continue to write more positive articles, and we can increase the number even more.

"By raising our voices together, we are creating a world that celebrates children for their abilities." - Diane Bubel