James McClean, a football player, has revealed he has been diagnosed with autism. He claims he is sharing his “experience” in part for his daughter, who also has autism.
The 33-year-old Republic of Ireland international posted on his Instagram page on Tuesday, “As you all know, my daughter Willow-Ivy is autistic.”
“The last four years have been life changing in the most amazing way, but also very difficult at times as her dad watching her overcome so many challenges in her life and learning how to manage the challenges she faces on a daily basis,” he disclosed, making the admission during World Autism Acceptance Week.
Wigan Athletic’s McClean said that as he and his wife discovered more about their daughter’s autism, he began to see some of her characteristics in himself. As a result, he made the decision to acquire a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
In light of the diagnosis, he said, “I feel it’s time to share it, for the week that’s in it. It’s been a bit of a journey.”
“I have debated for a while going public in sharing this as I’ve done this for Willow-Ivy, to let her know that I understand and that being autistic won’t and shouldn’t ever hold her back from achieving her goals and dreams,” he wrote.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately one in 100 children worldwide have autism, which is used to describe “a diverse group of conditions related to development of the brain” and are “characterized by some degree”.
The organization notes that further traits include “atypical patterns of activities and behaviors, such as trouble with transition from one activity to another, a focus on minutiae, and unexpected reactions to stimuli.”
The author Jon Barbuti, a parent of two autistic children, wrote on LinkedIn that James “is a reminder that autistic youngsters may achieve in any subject.”
The myth that autistic children will gravitate toward math, coding, or some other solitary activity is still prevalent. Many will, and more power to them, but all disciplines, including sports, are open.
The path to following one’s own passion may now be a little clearer for some autistic children, due to James, Barbuti continued.
