|
2007-06 - Dodi Morrison Some time ago a BC teacher was disciplined for taping a child's head to his desk. I read on in horror. "Well, he was a hyper child, a behavior problem."
Then I read that he kept hitting his head on the desk, over and over, and something clicked. That child, perhaps diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) very likely has Autism.
What is Autism? Too many still do not know. The pamphlet lying beside me says: "A part of our world, not a world apart." And every year, almost every month, I find out that it is a much larger part of our world than most of us realize. Whereas fifty years ago it seems to have been rare, it has now become almost epidemic in scope.
The pattern often starts with a normal child, perhaps a very bright, verbal child, who begins, about the age of two, to exhibit certain symptoms. He (Autism is most often found in boys, so I shall use the male pronoun) may seem to drift away from his surroundings. Already acquired good language skills may disappear. He may play with small objects endlessly, -becoming extremely agitated if he is interrupted. He does not relate to his peers, and may, at times, seem deaf.
Good academic progress may contrast with his lagging social skills. All this may begin very slowly. This is probably a child with Aspberger's Syndrome--high level autism.
Then there is the Kanners' child, whose autism takes a more difficult form. He may not talk at all, but scream in his frustration to be unable to communicate. Because of his obvious problems, he is more likely to be diagnosed and treated sooner.
As a baby, he struggles against being cuddled. Tantrums occur, often for no discernable reason. He seems to live in a world of his own. He shows repetitive behavior, often self-abusive - such as rocking or head banging. Perhaps he seems insensitive to cold, or pain. He may laugh suddenly for no apparent reason. He may have no fear of real dangers. Some children are ultra-sensitive to noise while many avoid eye contact. Often extreme resistance occurs to any change in routine.
One very common symptom is "spinning", filling the kitchen floor with twirling lids from the pot-cupboard, perhaps!
Autism is often genetic. Families may show a pattern through several generations. And it may exist "in degrees". At a conference I met a young mother whose six year old had been diagnosed.
"I didn't understand this genetic thing," she told me. I love my husband dearly, he's a wonderful man, but he has some habits that drive me up the wall! I now realize, it's a slight example of the Autism gene. I can relate to that now. It helps so much!"
Temple Grandin, the famous American scientist, is an example of an autistic person whose behavior as a child seemed uncontrollable. But she was fortunate enough to have parents with money, who were able to engage a nurse-companion for her who understood her needs .As an adult she is still autistic, that does not change --but with help has become an esteemed animal-scientist; has obtained her PhD and lectures widely on Autism. Her books "Emergence" and "Thinking in Pictures" are extremely illuminating, and very readable. Another book I highly recommend is Mark Haddon's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time." To my surprise, this book stayed on the best-seller lists for weeks. Its narrator, Christopher, knows all the countries of the world and their capitals, and every prime number up to 7, 057. He is what many would call a mathematical genius, historically referred to as an Autistic-Savant.
He is writing a mystery, he tells us, because he likes mysteries. The book is an amazing read. It contains Christopher's fascinating take on science and math, and is also a beautiful piece of writing. (Only dedicated Math students should attempt to follow Christopher's complicated thinking!)
Luckily more is being learned about Autism daily, but that does not mean it is now well understood. Governments seem unable to comprehend that Autism, if treated early and vigorously enough, can turn dysfunctional individuals into useful, productive, often happy members of society. Starting early, as soon as it manifests itself, is a must. That is why newspapers so often tell of parents desperately seeking treatment for a child who appeared "normal" until about the age of two. There are various methods recommended, but the main thing is to keep the child "engaged", not allowing the autistic drifting off into another world. Parents, with coaching, can do a great deal here but working with a specialist is imperative.
Autistic people can succeed in life, but they need diagnosis and support, and above all, understanding. Remember, that screaming child you see in the supermarket may be autistic. |
