Not Stupid by Anna Kennedy Read Free Book Online Page A

appearing aloof or indifferent to others; social communication problems would display themselves as difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication such as not understanding gestures, tone of voice or facial expressions; and imaginative difficulties are apparent as an inability to develop play in an imaginative way or a limited range of imaginative activities.
    A child with autism will, like a child with Asperger Syndrome, display resistance to changes in routine or exhibit challenging behaviour; they display indifference to others and will join in play only if an adult insists and assists them.
    An autistic child may display little or no eye contact or speech; is often locked into inappropriate routines; some never become toilet-trained; they will guide an adult’s hand to whatever it is they want; they will not play with other children; they will speak incessantly about a single topic such as a washing machine or vacuum cleaner; they will copy words parrot-fashion; will behave in a bizarre manner; will handle or spin objects, will laugh or giggle inappropriately; but will be able to do some things well and quickly, particularly if the task does not involve social understanding.
    They will require specialised education and structured support if they are to maximise their skills and reach their full potential. They face myriad frustrations in life, particularlywhen they want to say something but someone else stops them from saying it, or when they want to say something but don’t know how to express themselves, or when something doesn’t happen when they expect it to.
    That’s why it’s so important to have strong boundaries and structures in place so they can feel safe and begin to develop trust with others. They need to be taught to be more independent in order to develop their self-confidence and to be reassured that they do have something to offer, and that they can make a difference by reaching their academic, social and emotional potential.
    People with autism have difficulty in displaying empathy and imagination; they often avoid direct eye contact or shaking hands; and may feel uncomfortable being in close proximity to others and are particularly averse to being in crowded places. They may answer rhetorical questions when in class groups with little understanding of colloquialisms.
    When Angelo was diagnosed, my knowledge of other forms of autism such as Asperger Syndrome had been of limited importance to me because, as far as I was concerned, wrongly as it turned out, it didn’t affect our family. My quest for information about Asperger Syndrome following Patrick’s diagnosis uncovered the magnitude of the conditions in the autistic spectrum disorders. We hadn’t realised the scale of autism, but it soon became apparent we were not alone in caring for a loved one whose life is blighted with the associated difficulties.
    I learned that Asperger Syndrome was a form of autism that affected people in the higher-functioning end of the autistic spectrum. The more I found out, the more I began to understandthe difficulties Patrick faces in life. Most people have a natural ability to look at someone else and be able to tell whether they are happy, sad or angry. They can guess their age or their status and read the signals given off by the other person. It’s something most of us take for granted but, for someone with Asperger Syndrome, this is often too difficult to do. As a result, communicating and interacting with others is often beyond them.
    People with Asperger Syndrome rarely have the severe learning difficulties associated with autism, and that’s obvious when comparing Patrick to Angelo. Patrick’s language skills – his vocabulary and more fluent speech – are far superior to Angelo’s, although when people speak to Patrick, as is common with people with Asperger Syndrome, he doesn’t always take much interest in what they say to him.
    Many children with Asperger Syndrome are placed in mainstream