Autistic Children

Hi

Why do we throw them on the scrapheap?

Jacob, one of my pretendies, is Autistic, he attends Special School.

The expectations of him are very low, basically accepting that he will be on NMW , if he ever gets a job.

It is true that he can be difficult at times, his social skills are not good.

He is however a very loving person, once he knows you.

Many autistic kids have amazing skills., particularly in Maths and Art.

Jacob does not communicate well, he watches and is very focused.

He is 9 years old and will make a brilliant mechanic.

He watched me strip down the washing machine and then put it back exactly as it should be, every last screw in the right place.

I think we owe them more.

Re: Autistic Children

My grandson (16) is autistic, he has Asperger's syndrome and is highly intelligent. It is quite likely my husband also has the condition, he has four degrees, including a doctorate, and had a very successful academic career. It is sad that it was halted by the brain damage he sustained when an aneurysm burst. A lot of successful people have high grade autism, Bill Gates is reputed to have it.

Re: Autistic Children

Without social skills an autistic child will suffer but Jacob is only 9. What makes you think he's headed for the scrap heap?

Re: Autistic Children

Hi

His special school Carol.

They have very low expectations and do not develop the individual skills of children.

Re: Autistic Children

Perhaps they do no have the funding to do that for every one of their children.

Could the parents not pay for some extra tuition in that direction?

My 5 year old grandson Josh is autistic & Ady & Paula are paying for him to have extra speech therapy.

Re: Autistic Children

Swim sadly we don't have the money they say to individualise learning, my grace has disabilities in the school system she would have drowned because she can't keep up socially, but we were so lucky getting a bursary to a private school where there are enough teachers and teachers helpers and an expectation all the kids will do really well. They don't accept anyone won't achieve. It's a fabulous attitude but very caring too. I can't see why special ed can't be run like that. Many disabled people have little chance in the system and its not fair.

I think if the parents fought more as a group instead of for their own child and yes that's exactly what we've done for grace I'm as guilty as everyone else for fighting for my own and not the larger picture.


It's not too late though for you little one, ignore the teacher make them feel they can achieve, get them extra tuition if you can in subjects that can help.

Often these kids and adults excel at one or two subjects don't stop them make them excel and then help them get that job they will do well at.

Re: Autistic Children

I remember many years ago watching a television programme about these special children , one was incredible at drawing architecture , one look at a building and he could draw it exactly . Another child could play the piano yet never had tuition , he could hear a piece of music then play it like the masters . They are no doubt gifted .

Re: Autistic Children

My grandson taught himself to play the piano and is an excellent pianist.

Re: Autistic Children

All of these children have abilities, but often different to the abilities of ordinary children. This makes them a minority group so ordinary schools don't have the money to provide for their needs.
I believe that every parent has a responsibility to encourage their children, no matter how restrictive their disabilities are, because surely every parent wants their children to achieve their best. This isn't always about having the money to send them to the right schools, it is also about how much time you are prepared to spend in helping the child improve.

Re: Autistic Children

It very much depends on what level the autism is. I have two friends, one French, who at 12 years old passed exams for Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris. At 10 years old she was anorexic, a problem which plagued her until her mid 20s, she is still very tiny but now happily married with 2 children. Laetitia qualified as an Egyptologist at an early age and worked as such for a few years. The last 15 years or so she has taken part in many studies re autism and now she is very involved in the ways of teaching autistic children. An extremely clever lady indeed.

Another autistic friend is a lawyer in USA, not only is she a lawyer but she can build a computer, strip a car engine and put it back together and is also a member of the Royal Photography Society in England.

One young girl I occasionally worked with, if a colleague was off sick or on holiday, was autistic at a very different level. Amy, at 12 years old was so violent she required two people to be with her when being taken from her care home to appointments. Amy would bite, kick, scratch, punch, there was virtually no verbal communication whatsoever.

There are so many different levels on the spectrum and often it's very difficult to diagnose autism. There is still much to learn about the condition but never enough funding to give these children the time, support and understanding they need.