AUTISM IS HERE TO STAY,
IT IS NOT A DISEASE
or anything bad!
We simply need to understand and adapt!!
Autism is not a label!! It is a simple diagnosis that makes it easier for professionals, teachers parents and co-workers/fellow students to know and understand the autistic person, in order to allow the autistic person to reach his/her full potential.
Autism is not a disease. No cure is needed! It is simply a different neurological operating system. As Tania Melnyczuk explains Autism, it like the difference between the petrol and diesel automobiles. Both are motor’s, they just operate differently!
Autism is not a DISABILITY, though it sure offers challenges. Autism is as unique, as the Autistic person you meet! There is no one box to pack us all into! Some of us have more severe challenges than others – just like those not on the spectrum. We are uniquely different, not less. We all have unique strengths and challenges.
Autism is most certainly not a disability, but rather being differently able. All of us, Autistic or not, can reach unthinkable heights, if those around us allow us to be who are born to be!
Autism is part of a greater neurological diversity. Neurodiversity is needed to make our planet a better place. When you want the task done, call on your Autistic friends. When you want the party to rock, call on your neurotypical friends!
From birth, humans are social beings. Through social development and interaction humans learn and grow. Sometimes, however; that social development seems to halt or takes a non neurotypical direction. More and more children are diagnosed with Autism, Aspergers, or other attention/ sensory disorders. Often kids are not diagnosed at all, due to a lack of information amongst Medical Professionals and often the parent-self. Autistic kids get labelled as naughty / brat / difficult and so much more unfair labels due to a lack of understanding and knowledge.
Neurodiversity reach into all facets of the human-race. It is not picky about race, color, religion or even social status.
By understanding and accepting neurodiversity, we as a society will grow to be more than we ever thought possible.
Until the next blog, Keep smiling!
Ah,Willa! 27 July 2013 (originally on the Bee-You-Blogged now removed)
Two days ago we were driving home from an assessment session for Theo at SNAP. About a kilometre from home, the car overheated and we had to stop. I opened the bonnet and checked the radiator water. There were no water in the engine.
Willa and Theo stayed in the car and Theo climbed to the front to sit behind the steering wheel as he normally does when he gets half a chance.
We keep a plastic 2L cold drink bottle in the car filled with water for this kind of emergency and I fetched the bottle of water from the boot of the car and started to pour small amounts of water into the water reservoir of the car. This was a lengthy process as we had to wait for the engine to cool down to a point where the water will not boil and escape as steam.
When I was able to get some water into the engine that did not evaporate, I got into the car again, started the engine and let it run for a few seconds to let the waterpump circulate some water to get the air out of the system. I did this two or 3 times. I had to go and ask people living nearby to refill the bottle at some stage as 2L was not enough.
Eventually we had enough water in the car to drive the last bit to home. The next morning I patched the leaking water reservoir up so we could take Theo to school.
This morning, Theo opened the garage and found an empty 2L cold drink bottle. He brought it to me and indicated that he wanted some water in it, so I put a little water in it. He took it outside and placed it in front of the car and tried to open the bonnet. Failing that, he came to fetch me to help him with the bonnet and I complied, being curious as to what he wanted to do.
With the bonnet open, he tried to open the cap of the water reservoir. He knew exactly where the water must go. The cap was too tight for him, so he placed my hand on the cap and I unscrewed it for him. He proceeded to pour some water into the reservoir. I told him that there was now enough water and I closed the cap again.
He then ran around the car to get in the drivers seat. After a few seconds he was out again and wanted to open the reservoir again, but I then showed him the reservoir of the window washer (You cannot over-fill the reservoir of the radiator as it needs some space for pressurisation).
He then proceeded to pour some water in the window washer reservoir, then asked me to put some more water in the bottle and after I did that, he poured it into the reservoir again.
So he was mimicking what I did 2 days ago, and he knew exactly which cap to open. He got all this from sitting in the car and watching me through the gap the open bonnet makes. I never realised that he was even aware of what I was doing as he was not sitting still in the car, he was pretending to drive. Willa had to keep him from playing with the gear lever and instrument controls, so he was quite busy in the car.
Quite amazing that he could follow my process while entertaining himself and giving his mother grey hair. 🙂
The Autistic mind amazes me. 🙂
JanDink…