The following is courtesy of a BFF who works with autistic kids. My younger sister also works with autistic kids, and she also shares with me some stories of her kids. To me, it's humbling and such pure joy to know that they have such a passion to help these kids and they love them to bits. They really love them to bits. :-)
The BFF shared with us about some stories told by a wonderful Canadian therapist, who was training her and her colleagues.
Story 1: The therapist did some work with streetkids some years back. There was this particular boy, the meanest fellow, who came in for six hours every day. He just sat there and said nothing. She was thinking like "okay, I better say something." So to fill the silence, she talked to him about everything except his life. She told him about her childhood, her dreams, her family and so on. Five years later, she saw him again. She tried to remain calm and walked towards him. He called out to her in a low voice "Blondie". She acted cool and said: "Yes, how are you?" He said: "I'm alive. Those five months every day in your office; those were the only times I felt safe and didn't want to put a gun to my head. Thanks."
Lesson learnt: Unless you try, you never know what kind of an impact you may have.
Story 2: The therapist once led a group to see the Inuits. They are nomadic with no nationality. The group went to see this woman, who was not at home. At the back of the house, there was a fence and in the middle, there was a stick and tied to the stick on a leash was her son. And there was a dog guarding the child. "Child abuse!" "Call the cops!" Far from that. It's about survival. The woman was a single parent and they lived in the wilderness. That method was the only way she knew to protect the child whenever she was out begging for food.
Lesson learnt: Suspend judgment until you have heard the full story.
Story 3: The therapist shared that once she took Temple Grandin to a steakhouse. Temple loves cows - the animal, not the meat. When she reached the restaurant, she thought "oh dear, Temple's going to throw a tantrum." But Temple regulated herself and ordered a salad.
PS: Temple Grandin has Asperger's Syndrome. She designs livestock handling facilities to minimise stress for animals. She is a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University.
Lesson learnt: Autism is a life condition; it is not a life sentence.
Most importantly, the therapist shared that kids with autism are never going to be typical kids. Even when they go into mainstream education, they will always carry a part of that with them. And she meant what she said in a very accepting and non-judgmental way.
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