Have you watched the movies "Rain Man" and "Mercury Rising"? The movies depict the life of people with autism.
Autism, how odd the people with this exceptionality are. They often prefer interacting with inanimate objects and have difficulty forming attachments with people. One of the many mysteries surrounding the phenomenon of autism is the extraordinary talents and abilities demonstrated by some individuals.
Temple Grandin, PhD in animal science and a faculty member at Colorado State University, has published over 100 articles on topics including animal behavior, facilities management, and autism. Temple Grandin has autism.
I will not go deeper here, you can research everything about people with autism from the internet. The Diagnostics and Statistical Manual IV (DSM IV) still is a very good source when you want to know about their characteristics.
According to CEC Smart Brief, "A study published in this week's American Journal of Epidemiology finds children have a higher risk of developing autism if they were born at least two weeks premature, were delivered in the breech position or had a parent with schizophrenia-like psychosis or depression. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention epidemiologist Diana Schendel, who worked on the study, said researchers need to further study the role of genetic and environmental factors in autism."
I remember when I was pregnant with my daughter, I was both scared and excited with my childbirth. Scared because of so much fear of being opened up and of not being aware if she will come out normal; and excited because I wanted to see and touch her and relieve myself of waddling like a duck for more or less 9 months. My little girl turned out to be normal, but if she didn't, we still would whole heartedly accept her as our child, treat her like a normal kid, and give her the best in this world. Easier said than done I know. From my profession, I encountered parents who are struggling and suffering from stress of raising up a very hyperactive child, spinning around restlessly in a world of his own. The speech therapy, occupational therapy and other related services for special children are very costly too.
If given an autistic child, what would you do?
6 comments:
God gives us what we have because He knows that we can manage with whatever He gives. It is a difficult job to raise an autistic child because one of my barkadas has his firstborn as autistic. I praised God so many times because my kids were healthy kids when they come out of this world but if i have an autistic child, I would try my very best to be a good mother no matter what. I salute the loving parents of these special children!
BING, hats off to parents of special children for they have a special gift from heaven. These kids wouldn't know anymore how cruel this world they are in, they would be forever happy playing with the angels in their own world. My professor in MA in Clinical Psychology once asked: "Ever wonder why they would giggle most of the time and would seem to be playing with somebody else?" We don't know the answer.
SCHATZLI, I will blog about Down's Syndrome one day, watch out for it. Based from experience, from being a teacher of different cases of exceptionality and having a brother with Down's Syndrome, I would say that they are the most fragile, the sweetest, the most harmless of them all. For a parent to be able to help a special child, acceptance is the first step in the process, which is the hardest thing to do.
My wife has been a teacher for autistic children for about 4 years. She loves helping them but hates the school system with all the bureaucracy and bs... Take care and know that you are doing good things.
ZACH, I appreciate your comments here, post anytime! I linked up your blog, hope you don't mind. I am just learning the "tricks of the trade" here, I'm a new comer in this country. But I am not too pleased with the Educational system either.
SHA, thanks for the correction, it's too hard for me to pronounce the first word :) Have fun on your trip, don't worry about my entries, it will still be here when you come back. It's nice of you to let me know...salamat sa pagpapaalam mo. Have fun!
All children...whether born normal or not...are blessings...gifts from God. We should not love them any less even if they are challenged in some way. :-)
RONALD ALLAN, that is very well said, they deserve to be treated and loved like the rest of the other kids.
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