mainAUTISMPOSTS

Discrimnation against Autistic kids

2007-05-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

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

educating the autistic

2007-05-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

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

Autisum does not equal to Spastic

2007-05-17T00:42:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-05-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

"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. :)

Employment tips for Autistics

2007-05-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-05-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

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.html

i 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***

2007-05-15T22:57:00.000-07:00

"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:>)

Naomi's notes

2007-05-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

* NOTE: Christopher Boone will be used here to represent autisum*
Ahh~. I've finally logged into the blog after meeting so many dead ends and roundabouts... (Yeah! Bring out the champagne!!!) So anyway, I have a peculiar thought. It is rather insensitive I feel, not to mention the possibility of the violation of human rights. But here goes: Christopher tendency of hitting people who touch him can be trained. (That's if both my absolutely absurd theory and the book content is right.)

Weird right? However, if we look through the Curious Incident book, we realise that Christopher has a strong recognition sense of system and pattern. Is it possible that if he hits someone(let's say a teacher or perhaps Siobhan), and the person hits him back twice as hard, so on and so for, Christopher would be able to regconise the fact that if he hits someone, he gets injured too? Hopefully, this stops him from hitting people if it works.

Now, I shall state the grounds of the agruement with referance to the above statement. If we say that it is not possible. that's because (1) if it works then wouldn't it make all the world's psychologists look like total dickheads who don't do their work? (2) I haven't discuss any autisum-related person about this (3)I'm not a clever ass who knows a knack about autisum (4) My friends called me crazy (Nope, not the other three lovely ladies who share this blog) when I proposed this ideato them (5) It happened to pop into my head while I was daydreaming(Well, not exactly)

If we say yes, these are the possible reasons. Firstly, if we are able to train a child this way, why not autistic children? From what I know, small kids are being canned when they do something wrong. Overtime, them seem to be able to understand that if take snack just before dinner, they don't get dinner or if they do their homework, Mummy will take the cane out. (The bamboo one.) Since autisum seems to be able to enhance the recognition of patterns, this theory should work. Even if we agrue that it is essentially Christopher's instinct to hit people who touch him, this method have reportedly been able to made people go completely against their instincts. (In this case: Christopher's urge to hit someone who touches him.)

Then again, it is a basic human right (or reaction?) to stop someone who makes you feel uncomfortable. Even if this works, it is not because we have been able to change Christopher's mind but only because we are keeping it in control by using fear.

If you chance upon this article, please reply to the Cbox on your right. :) Your opinion will be very much apprieciated.

P.S. If you're wondering what I was thinking about, it's more like a rip-off idea from the Turks from Final Fantasy VII.

LOVE!!!!!

2007-03-26T03:36:00.000-07:00

Hey!!!
we must really be happy as we have the privilege to feel love and be loved!!!
some autistic kids do not have this special gift. they cannot communicate with their parents because of an emotional barrier.... so .... we must really feel special when we are given a hug.

' Love's gift cannot be given,
it waits to be accepted.'

hope that we will all cherish it...
more behaviour updates from me!!! hehe

***********Clarissa********(woof woof):>

Visit to Autism School

2007-03-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

I researched on schools offering education to the autistic and the results were quite encouraging. There are about 10 or more schools which cater to the autistic children, aged between 4 - 18. Some of the few which seems more "open to the public" are:

Jurong Gardens School
Grace Orchid School
St Andrew's Autism Centre

Some even allow voluntary work on a one off basis, or project basis, and i feel that it would be good for us to do so. =D Maybe we'll discuss it further when we get together on thursday? cheers everyone and STAY happy!!!

Eileen <3

(: bloggie's up !

2007-03-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

Hello ! Just an introduction.
This blog is set up by the GREATEST (haha, just kidding!) four for a literature project in school on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. The four of us are : Eileen, Yee Hui, Clarissa and Naomi. (:
Girls, please indicate your name at the end of each post. (: Thanks!

YeeHui :D