By Victoria Fong and Alyce Thornhill
THE SPECTRUM
“A misconception of autism is that it looks the same in everybody,” says Meredith Loscialpo, the Clinical Manager of Pacific Autism Center for Education (PACE) a special education school in Santa Clara for children with autism. “There’s kind of a well-known quote about autism, which says, ‘If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism’, and we see that a lot in the population that we work with.” Not just at the PACE school, but everywhere, autism looks different, acts different, and feels different in every individual.
Autism is a mental disability that inhibits one’s ability to perceive and socialize with others. Generally, it is associated with three aspects: behavior, communication and social interaction. These characteristics are charted on what is called “the spectrum.”
Those with autism are often diagnosed in their childhood and can be diagnosed as early as two. According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of autism include moving constantly, having trouble maintaining a conversation, speaking abnormally, lacking facial expressions and developing specific routines that can’t be disturbed.
The spectrum starts at the higher end, which many call “high-functioning autism.” Details Loscialpo, “They have pretty strong communication skills. You might not see it present itself as anything other than maybe some quirky social behaviors.”
On the other side, the lower end of the spectrum includes people with severe autism. “The lower end … [is] where you see some more deficits: lack of communication … it’s more visibly apparent in their presentation,” Loscialpo says.
Senior Kim Vo’s brother, who is a sophomore at Hillsdale, mainly experiences symptoms in his speech and actions, landing on the higher end of the spectrum. While Vo’s brother can perform most “normal” daily routines, like getting ready in the morning, he has difficulties with doing more complicated activities. “He does have to work on having full conversations, comprehending situations and … activities that we take for granted sometimes, such as preparing food,” describes Vo.
Another common symptom of autism is “unusual sensory interests,” as the Interactive Autism Network calls it. This symptom includes either ignoring or overreacting to senses, like sight, noises or smell. For example, bright lights and loud noises that may seem normal to others can be uncomfortable for those with autism.
Because of her sensitivity to loud noises from autism, junior Michelle Fong didn’t enjoy music when she was younger and doesn’t attend school rallies. She explains, “I used to hate music of all kinds when I was a little girl because of my hatred of loud noises. I can listen to music now of my own choosing and [at] a certain volume.”
Furthermore, there is a misconception that all those with autism dislike the outdoors, preferring to remain inside. While Fong fits this category and chooses to mainly stay inside, Vo’s brother enjoys spending time outside. Vo combats this assumption and says, “A lot of people with autism love going outside and exploring; they find everything fascinating! From what I can imagine, the view from their eyes is so amazing because they are intrigued by every little thing.”
Because of their trouble communicating, many people with autism are misunderstood. At PACE, they offer their students alternate forms of communication. Some students use technology, sign language and pictures to express themselves. Says Lascialpo, “I think finding the way to communicate and finding a community that accepts their communication style, that’s a really big challenge.”
Fong felt the effects of being misunderstood before high school. Fong was frequently bullied by her classmates and says, “I used to get bullied a lot in 4th grade on the bus because I was weird. I wasn’t as competitive or studious or sociable as the other kids, so I was called bad words … and teased every day on the bus.”
On the other hand, Vo’s brother has had a generally positive experience with school. Even though he takes more time to learn certain subjects, Vo’s brother enjoys attending school. He sees school as his own space, away from home and family. “Unlike us, he asks when Monday is coming so he can go to school. And even when we have a three day weekend, he will still try to get ready for school,” adds Vo. “ When we drop him off, he always waves bye and tells us to go so he can rush in!”
Since her time in elementary and middle school, Fong has worked to develop both academic and social skills that come more naturally to others, like time management, empathy and talking in turn. Learning these skills may seem frustrating, but Fong comments, “To be honest, everyone develops differently. Whatever works best for the person is okay. No comparison needed.”
By learning these skills, Fong has been able to create more friendships and earn better grades in school. Fong believes, “The symptoms of autism have kind of gone away because I’ve put in the work. If you work hard, you can really get out of whatever condition you have. It’s all about the work, and the drive, and determination … that’s really what matters.”
STIGMAS
Karen Kennan, Assistant Executive Director for PACE, has worked for PACE for eleven years. Says Kennan, “A child who has behavior issues or communication issues might limit what that family can do in public — or what that family feels comfortable doing in public.” In the end, it is all about acceptance: “Sometimes the public is not so welcoming to people who are different, or appear different,” Kennan adds.
While some schools may be tailored to people with autism, the world is not. According to the Huffington Post, 90 percent of autistic people are either unemployed or underemployed. Perhaps this low employment rate is due to close-mindedness or the stigmas and misconceptions associated with autism. Many autistic people have trouble finding a job that will accept them.
Even though many people see autism as a lot of “they can’t do this” and “they can’t do that,” there are, in fact, people with autism who are very talented. This is referred to as an “autistic savant,” or an exceptional ability in a specific subject. This might be seen as a gift for data analysis, art, science, music or language.
For instance, Vo’s brother has a knack for directions. “He actually does a have pretty good memory,” Vo adds. “I am the worst with directions, but he can easily track where we are going. Especially when he wants to go somewhere really bad, he will point in the direction to it or point out the exit if we are on a freeway.”
Additionally, Fong approaches life in a more logical than most. “Life, in the end, is just logic,” she says. This thought process lead to Fong’s affinity for science, as she sees everything in causes and effects. “I was a big fan of Magic Systems,” explains Fong. “Basically, the Magic Systems were very close to science and they were all about cause and effect. I eventually discovered that it was very similar to science and real life.”
These skills and perspectives on life are all beneficial to specific jobs. Says Loscialpo, “It would be nice to see more appropriate job placement for them … We can really tailor careers to the skill set they have, because they do have some pretty incredible skill sets.”
THE REALITY
As society continues to be more inclusive of those with autism, more people are learning about the community. “When I started, the awareness in the community about autism was pretty low,” says Kennan, “compared to where we are now, it’s gotten significantly better.” Kennan and Loscialpo both agree that the way our society can be more welcoming towards those with autism is by educating ourselves and becoming more aware.
Although many with autism get brushed off regularly, Vo wants to put the autism community in the spotlight. Even so, she can’t imagine her brother without autism. “I never wish for him to be ‘normal.’ He is unique, pure and a bundle of joy,” Vo continues. “He is the closest form of a perfect person in my eyes. He is my best friend.”
