Autism Awareness Month ended in April but keeping people informed about the disorder should be ongoing. For years, advocates made efforts to educate the public about autism but not everyone usually gets what autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is.
In ensuring public awareness and education, especially among children, animator Alex Amelines from the U.K. created a video called "Amazing Things Happen" to explain autism in simpler ways. Today's Parent cited the video as an effective tool for learning about ASD as it presents relatable situations and the visuals and voices appeal to younger kids.
"Amazing Things Happen" opens with the narrator explaining how every person is different from one another, both inside and outside. It also introduces the idea that sometimes, these differences are not easily determined just by looking at appearances.
The video then explains the uniqueness of how people perceive things and how the brain processes information. The video tries to break down how the brain of a person with autism works, citing they experience a sensory overload. The video then segues from the perspective of a child with autism to further drive the point of how much stimulation they get from their surroundings.
"Amazing Things Happen" shows how people with autism manage their condition differently as well and the narrator leaves an encouraging message in the end. "People with autism are not ill or broken, they simply have a unique view of the world," the narrator tells the audience, according to Huffington Post. "And with a little support from their friends, they might be able to share their view of the world with us."
The Azalea Film Festival 2017 recognized "Amazing Things Happen" as a Finalist of The Autism Uncut Film Competition 2017, Autism Awareness reported. Its creator encouraged parents and teachers to watch the video with "non-autistic audiences" to forge a more accepting society. Watch the said video below.
