Do you know what autism/autistic is?

Question

So I found my son is autistic, age 4. Classic autism however he can talk and does say what he wants but no sentences like the other children we meet, it still blows my mind when I hear a 4 year old talking to someone! He is currently in reception (first year of school) and he’s doing a few hours rather than a whole day like the other children, he stays away from them, runs out of the room and plays outside on his own even in the rain. It breaks my heart. 
I feel more awareness is needed, there’s plenty of people that know or have someone in the family with ASD and yet it still seems like it’s a unknown thing. A friend Iv known for years said she had no idea what it was, given it’s not been overly long since we have recognised it. I’m probably lucky that he’s been diagnosed so early. If you have ever watched “what’s eating Gilbert grape” my son is very much like Leo’s character but at 4 years old but less speech (he is 4) 
He is amazing, he could do his numbers (10) and the whole alphabet at age 2 which amazed us since he didn’t really speak to us. 
Anyway my poll is just to see who knows or doesn’t know about autism/autistic people as I am just curious.

Answer

It's hard to "know" autism because it's a spectrum... There are as many types as there are people. The issue is that the severity is calculated on how people experience the person on the spectrum while the whole issue is within, how does the person on the spectrum experience the world. And to be fair the world can be a scary thing where nothing makes sense to most of us anyways.

Answer

My nephew is blind and autistic, he’s 18 now, but I raised him, music is the best way to communicate with them, let them know what is coming, stick with the same patterns, same schedule, to avoid stemming, they can have many things from food issues, food aversions, textures, sounds, things overly stimulate them. I’m not sure where you are or what state you’re in or what country you’re in but in the United States we have programs like early intervention and Headstart. The state provides occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, or whatever the child needs. And with autistic kids it needs to be one on one attention and activities and things of repetition, with my nephew no one ever taught me what to do, I just came naturally, I have been babysitting kids and as a mother‘s helper etc. since I was eight years old. But with him music is the best way to communicate, so if I was going to be cleaning his face after he finished his meal, I did everything to the tune of ring around the Rosie, so it was cleaning up the baby, cleaning up the baby, cleaning up, cleaning up, cleaning up the baby. Everything was to music, To like cheerleading cheers,￼ When we were potty training him, it would be get those poopies out, clap clap, clap clap clap. We had him singing‘s fall songs in English and in Spanish, he was in the newspaper salsa dancing with my mom at a festival, nobody would believe that he was blind and autistic, music is the best way to learn a language, to communicate, and repetition, the same songs over and over again, they like to do things with their hands, my nephew would love Bendy straws, anything he could manipulate with his hands, and anything that made noise, so talking toys, things that make crinkling sounds, those books that you push the button and if they make noise, my nephew would love coat hangers, the most random things, meanwhile you spend 50 bucks for a toy and he would rather tear up the box. But things with sensory, yoga ball, those balls that have the little spikes that come out of it but they’re not pokey, fidget spinners, the one that has the cube with a different on and off switches and things on it, he never liked stuffed animals, he liked things that he could move like action figures with his hands, anything that they can have that repetition of arms moving back-and-forth etc. he’s really good at art, coloring, obviously he doesn’t stay in the lines as a blind child but he likes art, painting, my mother actually framed a bunch of his artwork, where he would take cookie cutters and different shapes, finger paint, somebody actually bought it years ago when he was a kid, it was called after the storm my mother in titled it, and it had rainbows and it was a nice piece my mother had a really nicely framed. But it’s their hands on excessively that you need to have with your child, attention, affection, constant assistance, but also letting them learn how to do things on their own. Yes your child may be delayed, yes they may be overly stimulated, but you make the effort with Gymboree classes or spending time with other kids who are Both in similar situations and other children as well. There is a school district in Mercer County New Jersey, is the number one school district in the nation for children with special needs, I had a client who sold everything in Florida and move to New Jersey just saw that her daughter could go to that school, it’s Mercer County special needs school district. I had a client who the daughter was so in need of assistance, all she could do was cry, drool, completely nonverbal, and the school has worked miracles with this little girl, I believe she’s on their website.￼

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Answer

I am on the autism spectrum and your son sounds similar socially to how I was as a kid! I would refuse to step foot on the playground if there was even one other kid there, but if it was empty I had the time if my life. Raising awareness and educating yourself are the best things you can do, so good on you mama!! 💞

Answer

My eldest has autism and she is 10 and I’m still learning… 😅 it’s always something new!! But if there was someone I love so purely it is my daughter with autism. I love all of my children the same. But something about her. She is special.

Answer

My husband is on the autism spectrum, we found out pretty recently but it's been a huge relief for him as he can understand himself way better now.

Answer

I’m a teacher so know a lot of students with it. It presents itself differently from what person to the next so it depends on the kiddo how it can look. I think, generally, people know about it.

Answer

I work with kids who have ASD and love them to death. They’re amazing ♥️

Answer

Have you seen Atypical on Netflix? It’s just a fictional show about a boy who’s autistic. I love shows like this that bring awareness. It’s comedy, but I like that it’s informational at the same time. 
I’m starting my credential in January to be a special education teacher. So I know what it is. I’ve also worked with adults with developmental disabilities in a day program with behavioral issues ranging from mild to severe.  
They were the best years ever! 
Which led me on My journey to want to be a SPED teacher.
I want to fight for more inclusivity within our schools and communities. I think our county currently does a good job, but it can be better.

Answer

I think there’s a ton of awareness about autism, at least where I live. Now, that doesn’t mean people have a clear or thorough understanding of how it presents, but there’s awareness of the diagnosis.

Answer

I work with children with autism. I absolutely love it! Have you heard of ABA therapy? It would help him with working on his deficits in communication, social skills and play skills.

Do you know what autism/autistic is?

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