05-17-2008, 02:22 PM
Dear parents,Teachers,Friends, Family and supporters,
I want you to know that I am autistic.I need you to know that I am no disease,I am not sick, I am not ill.There is nothing "wrong" with me.
I feel just as much as any person, even if i do not display in it the "conventional" way.I never "relentlessly sucked the marrow" out of my family.
I have my problems,My quirks, little odd habits that i do, But doesn't anyone have these?
And just who gets to decide what is "normal" and "Abnormal"? and most importantly, who is or is not normal?
"normal" the way I see it, Is very different from person to person.
If a person says "heh" after every sentence,then that would be what they "normally" do.If the same person does not say "heh" after one sentence, then this would be "abnormal behaviour" for that person.
So, if your autistic kid usually flaps there hands for half an hour after watching television, then that is "normal" for them.If they stop for what ever reason,then this would be "abnormal" or "unusual" for that particular child.
But then there are social cues.
As a so-called "normal" human being, you were probably taught very early on to look people in the eye when you speak with them, or to not belch after eating..
But in some parts of japan it is considered impolite to look a person straight in the eye, and in certain areas of Europe you compliment the chef by belching after a meal.
So would it not be fair to say that all those social cues you spend time teaching ANY child, not just an autistic one, that all those social cues would be useless if you left the country or if you were talking to a person from a completly different culture?
Now, i assume you, as a decent and hardworking person would not be racist to such a person, and that you would not mock a different culture or a different belief system and its so called "odd" social rules.
Now, let us imagine that the autism spectrum in itself, is a different culture.A culture where there is an absence of little forgettable social rules, or so much emphasis on the meaning and tone of the voice in words.
wouldn't that be a nice break from the usual social drama?
But any culture has its rules, even if they are not "social" rules, they are still rules.Just these rules are more individual rules.
For example..if your child screams if he/she is touched then its common sense to NOT touch them or try to make them LIKE being touched.
So if you follow those little rules, and those "odd" interest,then soon you'll find your kid is amazing.
It doesn't matter what level of functioning they are at.They could be an LFA with the mentality of two year old,it could be an aspergers prodigy, it doesn't matter.Your kid is amazing.i don't have to even see your kid to know that he or she is amazing.They all are amazing, no matter what.
Now, i suppose that maybe your super fantastic amazing kid has some communication problems.
don't worry so much about body language.you can learn what they do when they are happy or sad just by watching them.as for teachers, you may always right down what happens if they are happy or sad.
try and focus more on the actual words.This way it might make more sense to your kid.
So now that you have entered the realm and culture of autism, don't worry so much about what other people are saying.
Its not their kid.it's yours.
and lastly,
I truly wish you and your child the best of luck.no matter if you agree or disagree.just remember...autism is a culture.
It's not a deformity.
----------
Yeah...I put it on the oprah.com website.
I was hoping to hit a nerve but nothing happened.>-<
Just wanted to let you guys know.
I want you to know that I am autistic.I need you to know that I am no disease,I am not sick, I am not ill.There is nothing "wrong" with me.
I feel just as much as any person, even if i do not display in it the "conventional" way.I never "relentlessly sucked the marrow" out of my family.
I have my problems,My quirks, little odd habits that i do, But doesn't anyone have these?
And just who gets to decide what is "normal" and "Abnormal"? and most importantly, who is or is not normal?
"normal" the way I see it, Is very different from person to person.
If a person says "heh" after every sentence,then that would be what they "normally" do.If the same person does not say "heh" after one sentence, then this would be "abnormal behaviour" for that person.
So, if your autistic kid usually flaps there hands for half an hour after watching television, then that is "normal" for them.If they stop for what ever reason,then this would be "abnormal" or "unusual" for that particular child.
But then there are social cues.
As a so-called "normal" human being, you were probably taught very early on to look people in the eye when you speak with them, or to not belch after eating..
But in some parts of japan it is considered impolite to look a person straight in the eye, and in certain areas of Europe you compliment the chef by belching after a meal.
So would it not be fair to say that all those social cues you spend time teaching ANY child, not just an autistic one, that all those social cues would be useless if you left the country or if you were talking to a person from a completly different culture?
Now, i assume you, as a decent and hardworking person would not be racist to such a person, and that you would not mock a different culture or a different belief system and its so called "odd" social rules.
Now, let us imagine that the autism spectrum in itself, is a different culture.A culture where there is an absence of little forgettable social rules, or so much emphasis on the meaning and tone of the voice in words.
wouldn't that be a nice break from the usual social drama?
But any culture has its rules, even if they are not "social" rules, they are still rules.Just these rules are more individual rules.
For example..if your child screams if he/she is touched then its common sense to NOT touch them or try to make them LIKE being touched.
So if you follow those little rules, and those "odd" interest,then soon you'll find your kid is amazing.
It doesn't matter what level of functioning they are at.They could be an LFA with the mentality of two year old,it could be an aspergers prodigy, it doesn't matter.Your kid is amazing.i don't have to even see your kid to know that he or she is amazing.They all are amazing, no matter what.
Now, i suppose that maybe your super fantastic amazing kid has some communication problems.
don't worry so much about body language.you can learn what they do when they are happy or sad just by watching them.as for teachers, you may always right down what happens if they are happy or sad.
try and focus more on the actual words.This way it might make more sense to your kid.
So now that you have entered the realm and culture of autism, don't worry so much about what other people are saying.
Its not their kid.it's yours.
and lastly,
I truly wish you and your child the best of luck.no matter if you agree or disagree.just remember...autism is a culture.
It's not a deformity.
----------
Yeah...I put it on the oprah.com website.
I was hoping to hit a nerve but nothing happened.>-<
Just wanted to let you guys know.
