Reflecting on Autism First-hand
Sharing this heartfelt memory, explore an eye-opening account of living with autism from the unique perspective of my adult son when he was in 5th grade. Read his perspective of autism's impact on communication, social interactions, sensory experiences, and special skills. This firsthand account serves as a valuable resource for parents, educators, and anyone interested in understanding autism more deeply. Keep in mind, this is written and planned by a 10-year-old. I think it's fascinating to see his thought processes and how he expresses himself, even today! Plus, he's cute.
Autism By Me
[read the book The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss]
Moral: No matter how different you are (or if you have stars like the Sneetches do), you should be treated as regular people would be treated, too. Everyone is different in some way, but still, we’re all the same people.
Autism in My Own Words
Autism affects three things: communication (talking), social (making friends), and behavior (how people act). Also, they mess up your five senses (hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, and tasting) a little. For me, autism improves my brain and thinking ability. (And speaking of my autism, I’ll tell you more about this side-effect later.)
Diagnosis Effects
Sometimes when I talk with other people in a conversation, I usually think while I talk and I stutter between words. I also misunderstand some of the meaning of sentences that people say occasionally. I sometimes act shy and don’t make any new friends when I could. I like being alone and sometimes don’t want to be disturbed when I’m concentrating. The main events that happen in my life that get me mad are when something doesn’t really go right for me and I get stressed and freak out about it. I also get stressed when I have to do something that I don’t like. These things just pop occasionally, and I have to do something that I don’t want to.
Sense Disorder
Hearing: Sometimes I hear real clear and follow directions, but sometimes I misunderstand the instructions instead. When I hear things that are loud, my ears usually overhear and I go a little wacky. Seeing: I hate seeing the sun because there is too much light in the sun and my eyes are sensitive, too. Tasting: My taste buds sometimes hate the taste in some foods and I sometimes even spit it out or puke.
Hyperlexia: Similar to Autism
Hyperlexia is an early and advanced reading ability. I learned to read when I was only two. At that time I was still in diapers! Gross! Today I still like math a lot and it comes easy to me. With a little help on some of my favorite math books, I should later be able to figure out the deadliest math yet.
Some Recent Math I did for Fun
A Funny Autism Story
“Good morning, class,” said Miss Wilson. “The bell has rung. Please take your seats.”
“Where should I take my seat?” asked Amelia Bedelia. “Should I take it out to the playground?”
Sometimes, people with autism misunderstand what people MEAN even though they heard what they SAID. This is Amelia Bedelia’s problem, too!
The Difference Between Naughty and Clueless
I’m not usually NAUGHTY, I’m CLUELESS! I sometimes just don’t know what I’m supposed to do and I make silly mistakes!
This is a chart I made
You Can Help!
By now you should understand why I act so weird. It’s like I’m just a Star-Bellied Sneetch! There are a few ways that you can help me. You could tell me to calm down a little when I get a little tense, but that probably wouldn’t work. I sometimes need a little time to calm down and talk about the problem later. Maybe if someone would go up to me at recess and say, “Hey Isaak, you wanna play something with me?”, I may accept so I can learn to increase the bondage of my friends and have fun with them. If no one would like me, I would probably ask myself, “Why doesn’t anyone like me and treat me like a nobody? Why am I a little less popular than other kids?” That’s why I need you. Like the Sneetches in the book, just because I’m different doesn’t mean that I should be treated less important than the other kids. Do you see my point why I need help now?
And I’ll Help You, Too!
I would be a great friend and like to have fun. I may give you some hints on some projects, but not some big stuff like the WASL or the Semester Test. Occasionally, I maybe will help you with math using some shortcuts. You can count on me! I crack people up sometimes and amaze them with my knowledge, and maybe also teach you to know these things. So, if you help me calm down and just continue on the assignment or whatever it is, I’ll help you with some regular knowledge activities. That sounds fair, doesn’t it?
