Autism and WDW

[tiggerlover1971]

guys I wasnt being disrespectful I am sorry if it came out that way I give you guys alot of credit when the time comes and I have a child I dont know if I would be able to handle it if I had an autistic child. what I was saying that the one parent thought it was normal for the child to repeat word for word what was on elmos world and another parent thought at age five her child could only say nah nah nah

 

[Lokheed]

Looking back at my last post, it may have come across a little more harshly than I really intended. I wasn't offended by anything you wrote, just clarifying what I am talking about. There are a billion and one ways that kids find themselves catagorized as "not normal" that are just everyday variations in human nature. Children with neuraldevelopmental disorders look "normal" when you look at them, but they really and truly aren't. Most discipline tactics that work with typical kids (your basic carrot and stick approach) just don't work with autistics. That's why WDW is so amazing to me -- we finally found something that draws Ben out and gets him to vocalize. It offers a neverending supply of opportunities for teaching social interaction, and the magic is real. I am eternally grateful that such a place exists, and that the vast majority of CMs really do understand. And that's pretty cool.

 

[tiggerlover1971]

i am sorry about what I said too but as a teacher I love to teach the pre k I love any kid and autistic ones that I taught always seem to have alot of love most of them liked hugs but I also know of a couple that hated hugs so each autistic kid is different and I love the fact your child is a Disney kid and will get the chance to use disney as a teaching tool

 

[disneyfanmom]

Hmmmm....Well I was prepared to be really offended by the first response post about what is "normal". Thankfully, it was followed by a response post. Please don't assume I don't know what you're talking about. My son is 10, remember, and I’ve been there, too. I KNOW it's not "normal" for a 10-year-old to pick at the skin on a stranger's foot, not be able to use the toilet independently even though he's verbal, growl at children who try to sit near him on the bus, gag and/or vomit because smells bother him so much that he has to sit at a table by himself in the hotel cafeteria, bite his hand to the point of breaking skin when he becomes upset, watch the same DVD over and over again and be able to recite every word and inflection, and be removed from a school placement because of inappropriate social and behavioral problems. I could go on and on. My son has been between school placements for a month now, waiting for an appropriate one. I'm well aware that he isn't "normal." My point is...who sets the standard for what is normal? The word implies that he is ABnormal, which sounds so harsh. He is NOT neuro-typical. His brain functions differently than yours or mine.
To the sub teacher, perhaps the families you encountered in a preschool setting were still at the first stages of having to process and accept their child's diagnosis. Many people have a hard time accepting that their child has a lifelong developmental disability. Thankfully, I was aware of what was going on with my son, probably before the doctors even gave it a name! I was able to accept it and move on proactively from there, but denial is a stage many people go through.
My hope is that we can learn to see people like my son for their strengths and abilities rather than focus on their disabilities. I love the quote that one little boy with Autism said: "I'm not Autistic any more than I'm green eyes-istic or chicken pox-istic. I have green eyes, I have had the chicken pox, and I happen to have Autism." Autism is a part of my son that makes him unique, and yes, differently abled, but it does not define WHO he is.
And this wasn't meant to sound harsh, and I apologize for getting off of the Disney track (which I love so much!) but I felt as if my acceptance/knowledge of my child's disorder was in question and I felt I needed to respond.