Everyone is discussing Autism today. People are discussing ways to cure Autism, ways to prevent Autism, the signs of Autism, even how to eradicate Autism all together. Well, I believe that everyone who reads this needs to rethink what they think of Autism. People often believe that Autism causes people with it to not be very smart and need to be in a psychiatric wards in hospitals. That is an incorrect assumption of Autism. Autism is the generic name of the versions of Autism that is found on what is called the Autism Spectrum. I believe that if you want to know what Autism is, you should not look in a book or online, but to seek someone out who has a form of Autism or knows someone who has a form of Autism. That is the only way to know what Autism is like and how people handle it. Not every person with Autism has the assumption everyone believes. For example, yours truly.
I have what's called Asperger Syndrome, better known as Aspergers. In the 'smartness' category, I'm have what's called 'High-Functioning Autism.'The result of this is that I have a keen interest, and knowledge in trains, but not much knowledge in other topics. I also tend to cut my food into mutiples of preferably eight, but sometimes I'll have to cut them by multiples of four. Those are some of the most noticeable signs of Aspergers. I was also one of six other people with some form of Autism or has signs of Autism to graduate from the high school I was going to with Honors; this is reserved for the more brilliant students. I always knew that I was different, but it wasn't until I was in high school that I learned that I have Autism. I also beat out several other students throughout the county I live in to represent my county in the 'state level' of National Geographic's Geography Bee, better known as the Geo Bee. I was eliminated in one of the first rounds of conpetition, but still it was a once-in-a-lifetime experiance. Beginning in middle school, I volunteered at the school's library placing returned books back on the shelves they came from. After that library closed for renovation, I went on to taking care of a small garden at the school. I won a beautification award for the work I did. In high school, I also volunteered in the library before it too closed for renovation. Instead of taking care of a garden, I manned a small group of tables that was set up for selling library books that the librarians choose to get rid of.
Beginning late in high school, I began participating in Special Olympics, an Olympics for people with disabilities. It began with volunteering at the 'county-level' Special Olympics. Next I began being an athlete in both the Summer and Winter 'regional' Special Olympics. I did Slalom in the Winter Olympics, while swimming in the Summer Olympics. I changed from swimming in the Summer Olympics to 5K walk in Fall Olympics. Now I'm doing Masters' Bowling, which is a Special Olympics competition.
Also, one more thing for those of you have just discovered that one of your children or one of your relatives have a child with some form of Autism, here's some advice:
You're told by someone in the medical field that your child has Autism and that he/she should be put in a psychiatric ward, and that it would be the best thing for them. Here's something you should ask before you make your decision:
1. Will they or not be confined to a bed?
2. Will they be confined to a straitjacket for any amount of time?
3. What kind of punishment will they get if they misbehave?
4. Will they ever go outside the building or will they be confined inside the building?
5. Will they experiance some sort of education (i.e. what you learn in school) or learn how to do things (i.e. things they would learn to do) while in there?
6. Will they be taken on trips to places such as a zoo? Will they be allowed to have a relative take them on trips to see family?
7. Do you have the option of taking their children out of the psychiatric ward and live at a family member's house?
DON'T PUT YOUR AUTISTIC CHILD IN A PSYCHATRIC WARD. TAKE THEM HOME. LET THEM GROW UP WITH YOU. LET THEM BLOSSOM LIKE A FLOWER. LET THEM SHOW YOU THEIR OWN PERSONALITIES. IT WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU, BUT IT'LL BE BETTER FOR YOUR CHILD FOR THEM TO BE WITH YOU, OUTSIDE OF A PSYCHATRIC WARD, THAN INSIDE.
I have what's called Asperger Syndrome, better known as Aspergers. In the 'smartness' category, I'm have what's called 'High-Functioning Autism.'The result of this is that I have a keen interest, and knowledge in trains, but not much knowledge in other topics. I also tend to cut my food into mutiples of preferably eight, but sometimes I'll have to cut them by multiples of four. Those are some of the most noticeable signs of Aspergers. I was also one of six other people with some form of Autism or has signs of Autism to graduate from the high school I was going to with Honors; this is reserved for the more brilliant students. I always knew that I was different, but it wasn't until I was in high school that I learned that I have Autism. I also beat out several other students throughout the county I live in to represent my county in the 'state level' of National Geographic's Geography Bee, better known as the Geo Bee. I was eliminated in one of the first rounds of conpetition, but still it was a once-in-a-lifetime experiance. Beginning in middle school, I volunteered at the school's library placing returned books back on the shelves they came from. After that library closed for renovation, I went on to taking care of a small garden at the school. I won a beautification award for the work I did. In high school, I also volunteered in the library before it too closed for renovation. Instead of taking care of a garden, I manned a small group of tables that was set up for selling library books that the librarians choose to get rid of.
Beginning late in high school, I began participating in Special Olympics, an Olympics for people with disabilities. It began with volunteering at the 'county-level' Special Olympics. Next I began being an athlete in both the Summer and Winter 'regional' Special Olympics. I did Slalom in the Winter Olympics, while swimming in the Summer Olympics. I changed from swimming in the Summer Olympics to 5K walk in Fall Olympics. Now I'm doing Masters' Bowling, which is a Special Olympics competition.
Also, one more thing for those of you have just discovered that one of your children or one of your relatives have a child with some form of Autism, here's some advice:
You're told by someone in the medical field that your child has Autism and that he/she should be put in a psychiatric ward, and that it would be the best thing for them. Here's something you should ask before you make your decision:
1. Will they or not be confined to a bed?
2. Will they be confined to a straitjacket for any amount of time?
3. What kind of punishment will they get if they misbehave?
4. Will they ever go outside the building or will they be confined inside the building?
5. Will they experiance some sort of education (i.e. what you learn in school) or learn how to do things (i.e. things they would learn to do) while in there?
6. Will they be taken on trips to places such as a zoo? Will they be allowed to have a relative take them on trips to see family?
7. Do you have the option of taking their children out of the psychiatric ward and live at a family member's house?
DON'T PUT YOUR AUTISTIC CHILD IN A PSYCHATRIC WARD. TAKE THEM HOME. LET THEM GROW UP WITH YOU. LET THEM BLOSSOM LIKE A FLOWER. LET THEM SHOW YOU THEIR OWN PERSONALITIES. IT WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU, BUT IT'LL BE BETTER FOR YOUR CHILD FOR THEM TO BE WITH YOU, OUTSIDE OF A PSYCHATRIC WARD, THAN INSIDE.
