World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is celebrated annually on April 2 to promote and advocate for the freedom and rights of autistic individuals around the world.
Established in 2007, World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) kicks off a month-long awareness campaign (World Autism Month) to build acceptance, inclusion and understanding of people on the autism spectrum.
The theme for the World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) 2026 is ‘Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value’ which aims to affirm and celebrate the dignity and worth of all autistic people, stretching beyond any limiting narratives around them.
To mark World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) 2026, we dive into the myths and misconceptions around autism with expert inputs.
Darin King, Clinical Director at Darin King Counseling says, “There are still a lot of misconceptions about autism, and many of them come from viewing it through a narrow or outdated lens. One of the most common myths is that autism looks the same in everyone. In reality, autism is a spectrum, and people can present very differently in how they communicate, process emotions, and interact with the world.”
Green Jones, a Neuro-Affirming Parenting Coach who is also to married to someone autistic and raising an autistic-ADHD son, adds, “One word (Autism) has many worlds. Although this world can be helpful, it also looks wildly different for every individual. Each autistic person has their own needs, triggers, and perspectives- just like any individual.”
Myth : Autistic people lack empathy
One misconception he says is that people often believe autistic individuals lack empathy. Darin explains, “What I see more often is not a lack of empathy, but differences in how it’s expressed or understood. Many autistic individuals feel things very deeply but may communicate or respond in ways that don’t always match social expectations.”
Greer also points out that her lived experience is in contrast to the lack of emotion and empathy that people presume in autism. She says, “Something we have seen time and time again is the idea that autistic people are cold and distant. We have seen the opposite, both my husband and my son feel things deeply and cares deeply too. It might be different from what people expect, and it is expressed in different ways.”
Myth : Autistic people have more struggles than strengths
Darin also highlights that people often overlook how many autistic individuals have strong attention to detail, deep focus, creativity, and unique ways of thinking.
This sort of detailed planning is something that Greer notes people can overlook. She says, “People don’t realise all the planning before leaving the house, the sensory load, the emotional toll, and the recovery time it takes when doing an outing. People miss the energy it takes just to get through ordinary things- like leaving the house for school or a “quick trip” to the grocery store.”
Greer further adds, “A myth around autism in a family dynamic is that it only affects one person, when in reality everyone has to learn to communicate in a different way, experience new and different stresses and build different routines. A neurodivergent family is not broken or harder in a negative sense. For us, it has simply meant learning new ways to understand one another, communicate with more intention, and build a life that actually fits who we are.”
Myth : Autistic people need to “fixed”
As Darin notes, “From a mental health perspective, a lot of distress comes not from the autism itself but feeling from misunderstood, unsupported or pressured to fit into systems that weren’t designed with neurodiversity in mind.”
He says, “I also think it’s important to move away from the idea that autism is something that needs to be “fixed.” A more helpful approach is understanding, support, and adapting environments so people can function in ways that work for them.”
All these nuanced challenges and experiences is what makes this year’s theme of “Every Life Has Value” so important. Darin emphasises, “When we shift from trying to change the person to better understanding them, we create space for people to thrive rather than just cope.”
And for Greer, this theme has a lot of personal importance. She says, “So much of our life as a neurodivergent family is measured against standards that weren’t built for us in mind. Inclusion isn’t just a nice idea but allows neurodivergent people to be welcomed, understood, and supported to be themselves. This means recognising that support isn’t about fixing people but making room for them and how they experience the world around them. Every person matters as they are, not how they perform or behave.”
(Featured Image via Canva)
What myths and misconceptions about autism would you like to break? Visit Lyrical Muse for more inclusive coverage.
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