A Post on Autism...

April is Autism Awareness Month. Because of that, and because at this point you're probably sick of hearing me meander, I thought I'd bring you a guest post by my cousin Amy. Amy has a Master's degree in Special Education and has been working with students with Autism for fourteen years. She also once got hit in the nose with a dart but that's a blog for another time. She thinks that if people knew how rewarding knowing and working with kids with Autism was "everyone would want to do it!" 


From the desk of Amy: 


April is Autism Awareness Month. For some of you that will mean adding a dollar to your grocery bill to raise awareness and money for people on the Autism Spectrum. Others will participate in planning the 
Walk for Autism in their area and many will simply attend. Some people will join the Autism Society.


Some of you will have intentions to do all of these things, but then the next thing you know, it's May, and you realize you just didn't do anything. Hey, I'm not judging, BELIEVE ME! My "to do" list that "I didn't do" is long!


But to so many, Autism isn't just an April event. It's a lifelong series of highs and lows, problems and solutions, challenges and triumphs. 

Let's take for instance, my friend Morgan:

He is awesome. When he was four years old, he only spoke 3 words consistently. When he turned five his vocabulary had increased to fifty words. Fast forward nine years, and he talks all the time. He likes the computer, Indiana Jones and Disney World. He has a particular interest, at the moment, in the movie Jesus of Nazareth. My daughter Anna had this to say about him, "Morgan is really smart. He remembers things that most people forget."

Morgan is very interested in the details of things, often describing people by their physical characteristics. Last summer he began referring to Anna and Abigail, my daughters as the, "two shorts". They are 7 and 9 and that is short compared to him. One day when they were arguing he expanded that and said they were the "short louds". They were not offended at all. They love just about anything Morgan says.
When his Mom asks him, "who loves Amy?" (Amy being me) Morgan raises his hand and shouts enthusiastically "I DO!!" Yes, I proudly admit to being a total sucker for him.

Then there's Tyler. He is awesome too. When he was three, his parents were told that he would never talk. HA!! Well, the Doctors were totally wrong! Tyler watches the food network and loves to cook. He made a pecan pie for me last Christmas and it was delicious. 

When Tyler came to my house last summer he scolded me for calling my seven year old, Abigail, 'sweetie'. In his opinion that was name calling. Incidentally the penalty for name calling, according to Tyler, is cleaning out the cellar. Thankfully I don't have a cellar! He is a bit sensitive where Abigail is concerned. The summer she was two, she ran out into the church parking lot, as I screamed hysterically at her. Fear does not bring out my parenting strengths! Tyler saw me scold her. He cried all the way home and will occasionally talk about the day Abigail got in trouble, while giving me a disapproving look. 

Tyler is very good at Math. So good, that his classmates clamor to be on his team when they play Math Jeopardy! I am a big fan of his also!

I am nuts about these boys and many others like them. They are amazing and interesting, kind and loving. 

There is much focus during April on raising money for Autism prevention, support and awareness, and rightfully so. The money raised goes to help provide education and support for families who are in need of it. 


But this year, it would be great if we opened more than our pocketbooks. Living with autism is often isolating for families and individuals. So, if you haven't befriended someone with Autism, make it your goal. Talk with them about what they like. Get to know their parents, walk alongside them, pray for them and cheer them on! Volunteer to babysit. If you have kids, invite a child with Autism to your house to play. Broaden your awareness in the BEST way, by extending the hand of friendship. You will be richly blessed and very thankful that you did it!

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Stories used with expressed/written permission from the parents.


Clip art used with permission. 


Permission to reference dart throwing event was not sought.