Autism

Today is Autism Awareness day. I know this because my sister told me; she knows it because her son, Michelangelo has autism. Most of us know someone with autism. We know someone because the number of cases diagnosed for this generation has become a statistical anomaly. I forget the current ratio, but it is alarming.

To commemorate the day, I would like to share my experience with "Micro" as we call him, my sister, and autism. Although Micro is burdened with the challenge of autism, I neither pity him nor his mother and father. Rather, we accept him for who he is, and we celebrate his personality and his talents. Micro doesn't know it yet, he's too young, but the best resource he has is my sister, Dana. She is a special person. She is smart, tenacious, logical, and loving. These attributes allow her to be of great utility to Micro. One of the things that sets her apart from too many parents of an autistic child is her behavior. Her behavior is worth noting because she focuses on what she can do for him; not on what she feels for him. In the end, its what we do to raise our children, not how we feel about them that makes the difference.

Micro is awesome. We say that all the time, and we mean it. He's now in the second grade, and while he may not be the best student, he is very smart. Because of his autism, school and its social aspects are a difficult environment for him. He is in a mainstream class, and what success he has there is dependent upon his full-time aide, and his teacher's ability to adapt the curriculum to Micro's capabilities. His present teacher is struggling with this, but that's another story. Micro can do things most kids his age can't. He has known his way around a pc like few people. When you observe him using a PC, you notice how naturally he has mastered any application he chooses to play with. That's the thing, he plays with the applications. Most people struggle to use them. He has an almost perfect memory; he can remember facts with a facility that scares you. He loves Luca, my dachshund, and Stosh, my brother's dog, and talks about them all the time. He loves his cousins and his family very much, but he expresses his love in ways we have had to adapt to. You see, autism is a social challenge. It affects the way a person is able to interact with others. So, while you may want to have a conversation with him as you would with most children, he is reluctant to indulge you. And when you want to hug him or kiss him because he is so cute, he tends to rebuff your physical affection. Not that I want to come across as an expert, but the root word in autism comes from the greek "auto," in greek afto. The root auto expresses the meaning of self as in I, me, and mine. Those who are autistic are "selfish," I mean to say that they are more aware of themselves than they are of others. To varying degrees, those with autism struggle in dealing with others. That's as clear and simple as I can put it.

Let's get back to my sister, Dana. She impresses me like few people can. I'm impressed with her acceptance of his autism, and her ability provide for him the things that are most beneficial to him. She has had to endure many difficulties obtaining the proper treatment and resources he needs to overcome his challenges. She has had to become a behavioral expert, and she has had to become adept in enforcing the laws which grant him the services he is entitled to. The frustration she has experienced in dealing with his school would be enough to send anyone to the therapist. She's tough, and she doesn't back down from a challenge; she never has. He's lucky to have her as a mom. I don't worry so much about what will become of Micro because I know he has her to guide him through life. Oh, did I mention that my sister is also an advertising executive. You will not be surprised to know she excels at her job too. She's also a great wife, just ask my brother-in-law, Mike. In the end, the best thing about her is that she is my sister. I talk to her everyday, and I look forward to talking to her tomorrow.

So, to commemorate the day, I have shared a little bit of my experience with autism, with Micro, and with Dana. I can't wait to visit them next week in L.A.