Lexington Student Advocates for Autistic Adults

According to Natalie Palumbo, a 17-year-old high school student from Lexington, the media's portrayal of autism is skewed, too often defining the disorder by concentrating on high-functioning children who for the most part seem normal.

But Palumbo's reality is starkly different. Her 21-year-old brother, Anthony, suffers from a form of autism that pretty much ensures that he will never be able to care for himself. She reckons that once her parents' ability to care for Anthony has been exhausted, it will inevitably fall to her exclusively.

Compounding what she sees is a problem with the public's myopic perception of autism, and the media's skewed portrayal of the epidemic, the first wave of adults that suffer from more debilitating forms of the disorder are beginning to age out of Special Education, a fact that will place huge strains on families and the sufferers themselves.

"Many will not be able to live on their own, and will have little to no support services available to them. This is the reality I face having a brother with low verbal autism…," she says.

To raise awareness, Palumbo created an art project on the predicament for a class. That project, entitled "NOT Born This Way," is now gaining attention in the autistic community nationwide, as evidenced in this compelling interview with Palumbo by the website, "Age of Autism."

"The savant skills of high functioning autism can be compelling, but the high end of the spectrum is just one facet," she says in the interview. "

"Ignoring moderate and severe cases hinders medical progress, and much needed research," she continues. "The counter campaigns against a cure for autism breaks my heart. They believe their high functioning status in the spectrum defines the condition. It would be like focusing on only the mildest forms of any illness, condition, or disease because they seem more media friendly, and ignore the fate of those more intensely affected. It would be shameful for its neglect. If you can argue against a cure, you obviously don't need one. 

"For those who can't fight for themselves, they need us to never give up."