Personal Narrative: Helping Autistic Children

What Taught Me to Get Back Up I was diagnosed with Autism when I was 2 years old and it has affected my entire life more than anything else I have experienced. It has impacted the way I socialize and communicate with people, the way I think and understand the world,and it also affected my speech and development when I was younger. Autism also affects the way other people see me and I’m often misunderstood. I don’t remember everything about my life at that time, but I do know that I struggled a lot to get to where I am today. I’m also aware that it will impact my future and force me to work harder than my peers. Even though I have Autism, I will always know that it doesn’t define who I am and that I will improve no matter what.

2.3. Identify other conditions which may be associated with an autistic spectrum conditions Sensory Problems Mental Retardation Seizures Fragile X Syndrome Tuberous Sclerosis 2.4. Outline the sensory difficulties experienced by many individuals with an autistic spectrum condition The way information is processed can be described as hypersensitive or hyposensitive. The sensory system can be viewed as having seven components:

Autism is a developmental disorder, which is characterized by a dyad of difficulties in a) communication and social interaction and b) restricted interests and imagination (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Individuals on the Autism Spectrum might find it challenging to understand what other people think or what the reasons for their behaviours are, as their ‘theory of mind’ may not be well developed (Schuwerk, Vuori & Sodian, 2015). It is possible that this is why they might behave in socially inappropriate ways, being unable to differentiate between different contexts, while they might also find it difficult to make friends. Moreover, it is likely that they are fond of routines, repetition and structure (Carnahan, Musti-Rao, & Bailey, 2009), as they might be nervous with unknown, new situations. In addition, some of them might not do eye contact with other people, whereas some others might not endure to be touched and might have a difficulty developing speech (Jordan, 2005). Individuals on the Autism Spectrum might sometimes be prohibited to initiate conversations and might struggle with finding different ways to play and behave, due to the possible deficit of imagination, which in some cases might result in them having a narrow sphere of interests. Nevertheless, it should be noted that this group of people is rather heterogeneous, as characteristics of autism may differ from one individual to another (Gwynette, 2013). Another point is that people with Autism

Many people have dreams and aspirations for the future. Some want to be rich, have their dream home, be famous or travel the world. While these are all great goals and aspirations, they are not a wish of mine. My dream is to open a non-profit organization that assists in finding employment for disabled adults, specifically autistic adults. Before beginning this establishment I must have a solid vision, the mission of the non-profit, the goals I am aspiring to reach and a firm set of policies in place all while ensuring the correct management style is utilized.

In Catherine Maurice’s novel “Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family’s Triumph Over Autism” Marc and Catherine Maurice are the parents of three children, two of which, Anne Marie and Michel, have autism, whereas the eldest of the three children, Daniel, does not. Catherine Maurice first had Daniel, and all

Originally, I was drawn to speech pathology after my sister’s diagnosis of Autism at the age of three. Watching Diane struggle with language development and acquisition while other children seemed to grasp these skills naturally is what initially sparked my interest in helping families like my own. At the start of my junior year, I set out to obtain experiences working with different populations. Toward the latter half of junior year, I became involved as a clerical volunteer at the Sacramento Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center. By senior year, I was balancing a full course load alongside three volunteer experiences. In addition to Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center, I divided my time between tutoring at a neighboring elementary school in the Twin Rivers School District and serving as an intern at the Autism Center for Excellence (ACE). During my undergraduate experience, I welcomed the opportunity to work with students that struggled with literacy, language, and pragmatic skills. After graduation, it was my goal to obtain additional experience in the field as a speech-language pathology assistant.

Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism spectrum disorder has become the most common neurological and developmental disorder diagnosed in children today. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) estimate that 1 out of every 88 American children have been properly diagnosed. There is no known cure for autism, and the inconsistencies of the symptoms of autism in each case make it difficult to target a particular set of effective treatments. However some behavior management therapies, specifically physical therapy, may help to significantly control the unwanted symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorder.

Most parents wonder what is the next chapter for their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after they graduate from high school. For some individuals, it is to move onto higher education. As stated by Cai and Richdale (2015), the USA has one of the lowest rates of college enrollment

After completing my graduate training I plan to continue researching these areas while performing neuropsychological assessments in order to help families and educators identify appropriate programs for the child. The experiences I have accumulated and my passion for the field have allowed me to develop into a highly suitable candidate

I worked in the corporate world for 28 years and left to work with families with children with developmental disabilities. When my son was diagnosed, I considered it a starting point. I came to The Autism Project and they helped me in so many ways and I always said, “Once I can get my son situated and successful, I want to give back”. Now, I can do just that and it is such a great feeling.

I have never told anyone my story until now. During Hurricane Katrina, my family moved to Houston, Texas, as Jared, my little brother, entered his toddler years. As my little brother progressed in age, my mother realized he developed slowly in comparison to my younger cousin, so she began to research answers for my brother’s out-of-the-ordinary behavior before a psychologist tested him. When she received the news that my little three-year-old brother was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, she started to search frantically for help from doctors and educational programs. When I discovered Jared’s diagnosis, I was nine-years-old and confused. As a child myself, I did not know how to react to my brother’s condition and felt entirely helpless;

Teaching Children with Autism There has been an increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism or other autism spectrum disorders. It is likely as an educator that you will have at least one child with this diagnosis in your classroom. This paper explores some of the methods used to teach autistic children.

Children With Autism Children with autism have the possibility to improve greatly, and some even overcome the effects of autism if appropriate therapies are begun early enough. A multifaceted disorder, autism has long baffled professionals and parents alike. At a point in

A. Based on the case study, Sara has many elements and character traits that can identify with her diagnosis of autism. I do strongly believe Sara diagnosis is appropriate and in line with IDEA definition and the revised criteria for ASD in the DSM-5.

Jaylin Haley Mrs. Szopinski English III 29 April 2016 Autism Scientifically, autism and autism spectrum disorder, also known as ASD, are commonly used names for difficult disorders that have to do with brain development. Disorders like these are grouped by someone’s difficulty in social interaction, repetitive behaviors, and nonverbal communication. To the people