Sigh. When I just start liking someone and then they come up with a lovely thing like this. Tell me what does Autism look like? Please tell me because I do not know. Stereotypes can be very harmful to the autistic community. Especially those that insist on using 'functioning' labels. Everyone with Autism is different. You class us as low functioning and we are treated like small children. High functioning and people expect you to be like Rain Man or Dr Sheldon Cooper. I have said this before and I will say it again. These are not accurate representations of Autism. A problem my and my friends can sometimes get is that people see Autism as a young boy rocking in the corner reading a scientific journal and refusing to talk or make eye contact. Now I am sure that there are people like that out there but there are plenty that are not. If you have met one person with Autism, you've met one person with Autism. What may be calming for one could send someone else into a meltdown. I hate bright lights but a good friend of mine loves hiding in his room filled with fairy lights. Everyone is different.
So please tell me what does Autism look like. Why are people even concerned about this? Why cant we all just live our lives without everyone being forced into boxes.
I have a 19 year old son who has aspergers. His first two or three years of primary school were hell. His teachers could not understand his behaviour. They would constantly complain to me and his father. They were convinced he had adhd, or tourettes. Finally, when my son did get diagnosed with aspergers, things at school got better. His teachers read up on aspergers and attended seminars on autism. If he wasn't coping in the class room, he was allowed to put head phones on and listen to music through a cd player. Or he could sit in the book corner and read books. They also hired a teacher's aide, who was a great help. Sometimes, when he wasn't coping, she would take him to the staff room, and they would bake cup cakes for the whole class. He loved this. Apart from his first few years in primary school, my son has never been looked upon by his peers as "the kid with a disability". They are all great mates, in spite of their differences. A lot of people don't even realise that he has aspergers. But my 28 year old son, who lives with me, and I still see it from time to time. My son handles stress a little differently. When he's upset, he likes to be left alone for a while, but he also calms down after a while if I just gently stroke the back of his hands. He has liked this since he was little.
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