Thursday, May 17, 2007.
There are a few reasons why people would discriminate against autistic children:
1) You find them irritating.
2) You don't understand why they do certain things and is angry with their behaviour.
3) Your friends do it and you join in for fun.
4) You're sadist.
5) You have an allergic reaction to them.
6) You need to rub off the bad mood to someone.
7) You had past bad experiences with them.
8) You're jealous of them.
In any case, most reasons are irrational. I think one of the root reason of discrimination is the reluctance to embrace difference or misunderstanding. If you are unable to accept their differences, you wouldn't be able to accept them as a fellow human being. When you think they are different, you will never learn from them. And when you are unable to learn from them, you'll never be able to discover all the wonders they could be hiding beneath the surface. I quote form Disney's Pocahontas,
"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew, you never knew."If you are one of those who discrimnate autistic kids, PLEASE STOP. Firstly, these kids are not as fortunate as us who are born 'normal'. Secondly, no one likes to be called names. I had my share of the ordeal to and I really really hate to recall the memories. Even now, I wish the people who were unkind to me would disappear (which is a nicer way of saying die).
If you are one of those who discrimnate and wish to stop, I have come up with some tips for you guys:
1. Before you start calling names, recall a time when you were called a name you extremely hate. How did it feel?
2. If you said it by accident (please, don't cheat yourself) apologise immediately.
3. If you find making people feel bad a favourite, do it in front of a mirror.
4. Before you start calling names, think how what you are going to say is going make you look like. Will it make you look like a uncivilised caveman or a respectable educated youth?
5. All of us have special needs, but you don't call a friend who wears specs 'special needs'
6. Try to accept them as who they are. Learn from them. Do some research on them. Interact with them. Get to know them first, before making your judgement.
If you are the one on the recieving end, I have some tips to help, though it may be a little irrelevant as you may not think tthe same way I do.
1. People who call you names are either jealous of you/ cannot understand you/ insane/ unkind/ less- educated.
2. Ignore the people who call you names. They are just being nasty.
2. If you ignore them long enough, they will stop bothering them. (I'm serious!)
3. Try to tell an adult when you think things are going to get nasty
4. If they hit you, it is okay to hit back, but only when THEY HIT YOU FIRST.
5. Don't let them bring you down. At the end of the day, who do you want to be? We are not defined by how others percieve of us, but how we feel about ourselves. So, be happy, it's your life after all!!!!!!!!!!!
Naomi
hellogoodbye
!traces of loneliness.
6:30 AM
Autism. People who are diagnosed with autism can still lead a normal life like most people, in almost aspect. With an education system specially moulded for them. the autistic can still gain qualifications. In Singapore, we too have specialised schools to cater to the autistic and children who are handicapped in one way or another.
Now, let me give you a brief summary of what the education system is like for the autistic children attending special eduction schools(SPED). Firstly, the children are diagnosed at the young age 2-5. Then, children who are indentified to be autistic will attend lessons at schools for the autistic [links pls go to autistic VIDS]and will complete a basic education up till the age of 12, like other normal children. While the children in mainstream schools undergo PSLE and gets streamed in secondary schools for the secondary education, autistic children are promoted to the next segment of education, where they will study up till the age of 18.
Then, under the SPED programme, they will be sent for vocational training, day activity centres or even be under sheltered emloyment, after the age of 18. Students in the mainstream schools will go to polytechinics, JCs, ITE, and eventually work or further their studies at universities. Autistic people will be given sutiable training and if permitted, may even work in some basic jobs.
In most SPED schools catering to autistic children, subjects auch as language, maths and mother tongue is taught. Lessons such as Life Skills and Physical Education are also conducted to allow students to progress and lead more normal lives. There are even training sessions for some of them to prepare them for employment.
In conclusion, the autistic children are well taken care of in the Singaporean education system, and are not forgetten. Every child, regardless of ability, is given a chance at education and to contribute.
EiLeeN <3
!traces of loneliness.
5:57 AM
And some 'normal' arseheads don't even realise that. How can you scold someone a word you don't understand? It won't be an insult at all!
So anyway, what's the difference between the two? From wikipedia, the defination of spastic is such:
Spasticity is a disorder of the body's motor system in which certain muscles are continuously contracted. This contraction causes stiffness or tightness of the muscles and may interfere with gait, movement, and speech. The person with the spastic muscles may or may not feel it, know about it or want to do something about it. The human motor system is not always linked with the sensory systems, nor the voluntary-muscle systems.
However, Autism is defined as:
Autism is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and American Psychological Association as
a developmental disability that results from a disorder of the human central nervous system.In short, spastic kids cannot fully control their muscle movement and may appear to be twitching/ fidgeting all the time. However, Autistic kids have abnormal movement/ behaviour.
p.S. If you really do wish to see the differences, I reckon you check out Youtube. It's more obvios visually. I can't load any videos now because the library's closing and my home computer is way SLOWWWWWWWWWW.
!traces of loneliness.
12:42 AM
Wednesday, May 16, 2007.
"Autism: The Musical," a documentary which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, chronicles six months in the lives of nearly a dozen autistic children as they prepare to stage a variety show.
The film gives an insider's view of the challenges, heartbreak and despair faced by their families.This is a little snippet of a website I sourced. This is the web address:
http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=2007-05-16T220812Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-298565-1.xml&archived=False
Happy typing. :)
!traces of loneliness.
10:31 PM
Since the other three ladies have been demanding that autistic people should be treated equally, I shall do the same. one way of being treated equally would be employment. But I understand that employers may not want employees with 'special needs' (I'm sorry guys, but it's reality.)Fortunately, as long as you prove as capable or even more capable than your 'normal' peers, I am sure you'll be wanted to.
It is difficult I suppose(I'm in no right to judge)but if you're determined, you'll make it with a little help.
I found this website which I thought would be extremely beneficial for Autistic youths who will sooner or later(like their 'normal' counterparts) find a job to earn a living. It is written by another Autistic adult so it'll be pretty close to heart for the youths. As the website says, "Non-autistics can also feel free to read.". Happy reading!
website: http://iautistic.com/autistic-job-search.php
P.S. It is probably difficult for a 'normal ' person to imagine how an autistic person would be able to get a job but
there are! P.S.S. I'm not IT savvy. I have no idea how to add a link. So I'm sorry but you'll have to type the address in manually!
!traces of loneliness.
10:03 PM
Tuesday, May 15, 2007.
Autism and Visual Thought
"I THINK IN PICTURES. Words are like a second language to me. I translate both spoken and written words into full-color movies, complete with sound, which run like a VCR tape in my head. When somebody speaks to me, his words are instantly translated into pictures. Language-based thinkers often find this phenomenon difficult to understand, but in my job as an equipment designer for the livestock industry, visual thinking is a tremendous advantage. "
http://www.grandin.com/inc/visual.thinking.htmli got this paragraph from this website. i myself feel that autistic people each have their own way of understanding and translating. I feel that this is sort of like a gift that they have, something like spatial ability. So even if they are autistic, they still can understand what we are talking about, and can tell from right to wrong. Autistic people SHOULD be treated as normal people!!!!
***Clarissa***
!traces of loneliness.
11:07 PM
"CURE" is not a four-letter word.
There is no actual cure for autism like a tablet to cure a flu. Children or adults with autism undergo a series of treatment. These treatments do not cure them, but it can bring about sustainable improvement.
Educational/behavioral therapies help as therapists use highly structured and intensive skill-oriented training sessions to help children develop social and language skills. Family counseling for the parents and siblings of children with autism often helps families cope with the particular challenges of living with an autistic child.
'Living life behind glass...'
- Wendy Lawson
person with autism, describing how is autism like.
******Clarissa******(woofwoof:>)
!traces of loneliness.
10:57 PM
