Autism....please help me explain.....

[bubba's mom]

Hi buds! Can someone give me an idea of how to explain autism to my almost 8 year old DS?? We were watching House tonight and I was trying to explain the boy in the show had autism, but I couldn't! I know WHAT it is, but what terms/words can I use to explain it to DS8 so that HE would understand it?? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I'm a Mom of an autist 7 year old, and 4 year old with "autistic tendencies" and I have trouble explaining it to adults, let alone a child. But thumbs up to you for trying .
How about just explaining that autistic children have a disability which prevents them from functioning like other children. I guess that might go over his head, since he's only 8. Gosh, I just don't know how you could explain it.

If all else fails, just tell him that people with autism have something wrong that makes them see and experience the world in a different way. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

In know the National Society of Autism has pamplets to give out to relatives of children with autism, including cousins, etc.

 

[HayGan]

As the mother of an autistic child, I often struggle with how to explain autism to others (especially children.) I found this article once and I think it is helpful. While this was written to explain to a child with autism about autism, it can also be helpful in explaining it to others. You can easily modify to explain it to your son.

Disability Information for Someone who has Autism
Contributed by Beverly Vicker

You and over 500,000 other individuals in the United States have a developmental disability which is called "autism."Having this disability means that you are still like everyone else in most ways.

* You eat and sleep.
* You brush your teeth.
* You wear favorite clothes.
* You go places such as the grocery store.
* You visit your doctor for a check up.
* You enjoy special activities like listening to music or working on the computer.
* You learn to do new things.

Having the disability of autism, however, also means that your body and your brain sometimes work differently from that of other people. As a result, you may do or experience things differently from people who do not have autism.

* You may hear sounds that are louder or bothersome only to you.
* You may like to spend long periods of time watching unusual things such as the spinning of a fan or movements made with your fingers.
* You may rock your body to help yourself relax when you feel nervous.
* You may get quite upset when people talk too fast and you do not understand their message. (You may forget that you could ask people to talk more slowly.)
* You may like to make lists of unusual things that are of major importance to you. (Over and over again you may make up or write these same lists.)
* You may have a hard time making friends. (Keeping or being a best friend for several years is even harder.)
* You may have difficulty figuring out how other people feel and why they act a certain way. (Others seem to interpret events and your behavior differently than you do.)
* You may like to talk about topics that other people do not seem to find interesting. (These topics might include things such as mileage between cities, or air conditioners.)
* You may feel more comfortable when things always stay the same. (Of course, things don't stay the same.)

Colds and measles are diseases. Autism is different. Autism is a developmental disability and its effects will always be with you. People with autism live a normal life span. Hopefully, you will live to be 70 years old or more.

How did you become autistic?

No one knows exactly why your brain developed slightly differently. The differences probably occurred while your mom was still pregnant with you, that is, before you were born. She did not do anything wrong; neither did anyone else. The differences just happened. The differences in your brain influence the way you do and understand some things. People identify a certain set of behaviors as autism.

How can you help yourself?

You can be successful at home, school, or work. You may need to use schedules, rule books, communication boards, relaxation and exercise programs, or medication to help you cope or learn better. Many people care about you. They will be glad to help you become a happy person who just happens to have a developmental disability called autism

 

[crazy4disney01]

I am a special education teacher so I will try to help you the best way I can. Autism is such a hard disability to explain.

Autism affects people differently. Autism mainly effects a person's ability to communicate with others and understand things in their environment. Some individuals can learn to communicate and participate with other students in their class while others will never look someone in the eye or say a word as easy as "mama". Things in the environment such as sounds a toy makes, a doorbell, a unlocked door can cause high anxiety in people with autism. I taught a girl one time who watched a door that was normally locked at all times, if the door was ever unlocked she would run out the door and keep running until you caught her. I had a little boy one time who flapped his hands alot at sounds toys would make and when we were working on letters and numbers at the table. These are just a few examples of students I have taught that were autistic.

No one knows why some people are autistic. Normally, parents find out their child is autistic when they don't start talking when they are suppose to (around age 2). Many notice that their child doesn't pay attention to what they are saying, won't look at them, and won't say anything or will not say 3-4 words together when they are at the age they can.

There are many levels of autism and no two people would be alike in trying to teach them. Some seem very normal except for their ability to talk to someone and look them in the eye, while others would always look away and never say anything. People with autism will need help in order to live on their own and work. Some of the students I had will always be in the care of a family member and never work outside the home. It would be better to teach them how to dress themselves, fix a meal, or take a bath than to work at a job. Since people with autism have a hard time understanding things around them, they possibly could not understand things that could hurt them like a hot stove, walking out in front of a car, eating/drinking something too hot, also the correct type of clothes to wear for the weather. This is just a few examples of the problems people with autism face everyday.

 

[bsnyder]

I have an autistic neice. I've explained it to my daughter that our brains are very complicated and complex. Like the most sophisticated "machine" imaginable. I think I even pointed to the back of our computer, with all the different wires leading this way and that, all tangled up. I told her that in Ellie's case, things don't connect in all the ways that would allow her to act and communicate the way most kids would. And that's why she says and does things that are so different.

 

[HayGan]

Here are some helpful links as well...

Autism Society

ABOARD

NAAR

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

I have an autistic 5 year old nephew. His siblings know that he is different, but they obviously don't understand the details. They know that Brian sometimes needs time alone and it is hard for him to tell them how he feels. They know that Brian doesn't like loud noises and bright colors. However, they also know that Brian is special just like them. I think you can explain it him using some examples of what an autistic child might be like. Kudos to you for caring enough to want to explain it.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

This is a very interesting thread. My children and I were having this same conversation a few days ago.

 

[sha_lyn]

Many yrs ago DS had a autistic friend. He was fairly verbal, but usually had to build a sentence 1 word at a time Ie if he was saying "my name is John" (not his real name)
My
My name
My name is
My name is John

He also used body language/touching to convey his emotions etc.
New things/places etc were very hard for him. When over stimulated he would go inot his soothing routine (rocking and humming)

I explained to DS that the boys brain and senses didn't talk to each other the usual way. That sometimes things would get trapped or scambled up a little.

It really amazed me how well all the boys accepted him and pick up from his dad how to help him in situations. When "J" would accomplish something that he was hesitant about, the other boys would really be excited for him.

 

[TurboKitty]

Hi, my beautiful 8 year-old dd has autism. She's non-verbal much like the child actor portrayed (excellently, may I add) on the show last night.

I've always explained to ds' friends like this...

"That part of your brain that makes you want to talk and play with other kids/people, well in her that part doesn't work the same way as it does in you. She's different but that's okay."

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

My DS7 has a neurological disability. I rarely find myself explaining it to others, b/c it is so hard to describe, it's a tough question to answer.

If I had to describe autism to an 8 year old, I would just say that he/she is unique, like all kids. Things that we do easily, don't come easily for him. Maybe things he does well, we have trouble with. It's ok to talk to him though and be friends with him, b/c even though he may look like he doesn't want to play, he still needs friends and for people to be kind to him and accept him for how he is.

I had a spec. ed professor in college tell me that the way she thought of people with disabilities is that they are just like you and me, they just can't communicate in the same way so we have to find a way to communicate with them to include them.

 

[bubba's mom]

thanks guys....you've all been very helpful!

 

[precious pixie]

I just wanted to say that I think its great that you really want to explain what it is to your child and help him to understand it.