In honor of Autism Awareness Day I interviewed my grandson. Me: Hey, did you know it is Autism Awareness Day/Month? Alden: (gnawing on a turkey leg) Grshropiks Me: I will take that as “yes.” Me: Are you aware that you have autism? Alden: Yes. Me: Do you know what autism is? Alden: Ummm. (Chewing a mouthful of turkey and leaning his head to one side in deep thought.) Me: It IS complicated isn’t it? Alden: Yes, it’s complicated. (He shrugs and finishes his turkey leg then tunes me out so that he can watch Youtube videos.) Later, while standing in the checkout line to buy a yard gnome to go with the bowling pin he bought last week, we listened to the cashier ask each person in line ahead of us if they would like to donate their change to Autism Speaks. When it’s our turn, Alden hands the cashier his money and accepts the change. She does not ask him if he would like to donate. Maybe it was the flapping. He gets flappy when he gets happy and let’s face it, buying a yard gnome is exciting for any of us! Maybe it was the lateral rocking from one foot to the other-- a technique he uses to figure out where his body is in space--that gave it away. It could have been the vocal stim he uses to rein in his mental focus the way some of us do when we have to read directions aloud to really “get” them. Most likely it was the combination of the three. Earlier when we were leaving World Market he looked at the cashier and announced “It smells like a fart in here.” He was non-verbal for so many years and so frustrated at his own inability to communicate that the inappropriateness of what he says is overshadowed by the sheer joy that he now has the ability to speak his mind. We are working on developing filters, but it’s difficult to not speak the absolute truth when your brain is straight-wired. And honestly it did smell a little funky in that store. I’m not that big on “awareness” days, weeks, or months because I think people are aware. And money that goes to “awareness” campaigns would be better spent on research. We should be accepting and accommodating to everyone in our society whether we know what’s going on with them or not. As for my grandson, he is a typical 10 year old boy who happens to stim occasionally to focus. He is happy and healthy and beautiful. I couldn’t be prouder of him and if I loved him any more I would probably spontaneously combust.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 03:54:01 +0000
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