A lot of people tend to think that when their child is first diagnosed with autism is a disaster that has entered their lives, but the reality behind that is that person is just going to have more difficulties in his/her learning with simple tasks, such as tying their shoes, communicating with others, and learning in school. Eventually, they pick up on these tasks and go on with their lives. The real question I ask here is why do we look at autism as a curse on someone? Because I see autistic people go out, and live their everyday lives to the fullest, just like any other human being. I feel awful about how they have trouble interacting with people, and that they don’t have a lot of friends. It truly makes me want to go give them a hug, and tell them “Everything is going to be OK and things will get better in life.”
I personally feel this way because as I previously explained when people with autism first enter school, they have a lot of troubles because it’s something they aren’t currently used to, but as time goes on they get a better handle on their struggles. Autistic people can be very intelligent in some areas that people with a normal learning capacity can’t often understand. The reasoning behind that is because their learning capability can only focus on one thing, and they put all their time and effort into that one subject, and as time goes on they have become their very best in that area. Michael Angelo had Asperger's, which is a high-functioning autism disorder, and that is part of the reason why he was such a great painter. He couldn’t stop performing his art until it was done the right way.
Now, there is low-functioning autism, which is the new identification of mental retardation. This is where their brains will only be able to understand a second grade level for the rest of their lives. Low-functioning autistic people suffer from epilepsy, poor speech impairment, and are lucky if they’ll ever be able to go to the bathroom by themselves. They need help in almost everything they want to do in life. But this shouldn’t ever mean that they don’t have a right to live, and be treated as a human being with feelings, because they serve a special purpose in this world just like everyone else.
From what I’ve learned and experienced, autistic kids are a lot to handle, but this is where the love and support come into play. That unconditional love is priceless, and shows the value of human quality in this world. At the end of my day, I tell myself “There is hope for every person in this world, no matter who they are. They all deserve love and respect. And no one should to make them feel different."
