Being Around Children with Autism

I do not consider myself experienced at all when it comes to being around children with Autism. I have a really good friend whose baby has Autism but he is still so young to really be able to notice certain reactions from him. The baby is 2 years old and I have been around since my good friend started to notice strange symptoms and till this day she fights and fights to do what is best for her child. I will never forget when she called me crying to tell me that her baby didn't smile anymore and that he stared off in to space and would not listen to her. He was born a normal baby like most children with autism but then he started having different reactions. She has probably gone to a 100 doctors in Houston. They all gave her different diagnosis at first, one even went to the extreme to tell her that what he had was fatal, that crushed her but she refused to believe that and kept on trying till finally someone was able to bring up autism. He is currently in therapy and has made huge progress, unfortunately he also has epilepsy so he has gone through many surgeries. I saw a picture of him not to long ago where he was enjoying a vacation and smiling, it really brought a tear to my eyes.

I watched the special on Autism that Oprah had. It was a great show, I really only wanted to watch it because I felt a little clueless about Autism. After watching it I felt like I had a much better understanding and I could relate to what my friend was going through with her baby. It was really sad and interesting to see how all the parents went through similar things. They all claimed that their children were completely normal and gone the next. It was also interesting how not many doctors single out the problems and many parents just like my friend have to search and search for answers. The guest doctor on the show has to children with Autism and I can tell that has really made her involved with her practice and children. I have posted a video with part of the show, if you would like to watch the rest they are on youtube. It is really heart breaking to see and hear how the parents just ask for a smile or a simple word like daddy.



When I started my field experience I was not sure on how I should treat the children with Autism. I guess a felt uneasy because I once watched the movie Mercury Rising with the young boy who had Autism and that made me wonder if there was a certain way to treat them or talk to them. At my field study I asked Mrs. Flores about my concerns and she pretty much just told me to treat them like you would want to be treated. It can be difficult for them to interact, but it does not always mean that they do not want to. Remember that they can have sensory issues, some that make it difficult to look at you and talk at the same time. Light and sound may be an issue. Ask them what helps them and what things cause them problems but most importantly treat them like people....that really made me feel better but I little bad that I was thinking it would be much worse.

When I met the children I first thought it would be obvious to tell which one had what difficulty but it was not like that at all. From the distance they all look like normal children. Of course the down syndrome where the ones you could notice a bit more but all together they seemed like a normal classroom. I would talk to them and they would all listen, some would not look at me but I knew they were listening. It was a really nice experience and cant wait to share more of it with you.

In order to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism, the Autism Society has been celebrating National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. The United States recognizes April as a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community.

Want to get involved with the autism community this April? Show your support by joining the Autism Society in wearing the ribbon, bouncing for autism, texting, and more!

Put on the Puzzle! The Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon is the most recognized symbol of the autism community in the world. Autism prevalence is now one in every 110 children in America - that’s 13 million families and growing who live with autism today. Show your support for people with autism by wearing the Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon in April– as a pin on your shirt, a magnet on your car, a badge on your blog, or even your Facebook profile picture - and educate folks on the potential of people with autism! For suggestions and resources, visit www.autism-society.org/ribbon. (www.autism-society.org)