I AM A BOY NOT AN ANIMAL! I CAN NOT BE TRAINED LIKE AN ANIMAL. I DO NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE I AM STUPID OR BE TREATED LIKE A PERSON THAT DOES NOT HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR FEELINGS. THAT IS THE WAY I WAS TREATED IN INTENSIVE BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTION (IBI) THERAPY AND ABA THERAPY.
I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER WHEN I WAS THREE YEARS OLD. I QUALIFIED FOR GOVERNMENT FUNDED IBI THERAPY BECAUSE I WAS CONSIDERED TO BE ON THE MODERATE TO SEVERE SIDE OF THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. THIS WAS THE WORSE DECISION THE GOVERNMENT COULD HAVE MADE. IT WAS PURE TORTURE TO SIT AND DO ABA AND IBI DRILLS. TO DO BABY WORK WHEN CLEARLY I WAS NOT A BABY. I KNEW ALL THOSE MATERIALS WHEN I WAS A TODDLER.
I HAVE A BRAIN AND BODY DISCONNECT THAT PREVENTS ME FROM SHOWING PEOPLE MOST OF THE TIME THAT I AM SMART. MOST AUTISTICS IF NOT ALL HAVE SOME FORM OF A BRAIN AND BODY DISCONNECT. THIS NEEDS TO BE MORE INVESTIGATED BY RESEARCHERS.
WE NEED TO ASSUME THAT AUTISTICS ARE SMART AND TEACH THEM AGE APPROPRIATE ACADEMICS.
I CAN REMEMBER SITTING IN IBI AND THINKING HOW THIS WAS SUCH TORTURE TO ENDURE AS A CHILD. I KEPT THINKING I SHOULD BE EXPLORING THE WORLD AROUND ME, HAVING MY PARENTS READ AGE APPROPRIATE BOOKS TO ME, GETTING AN EDUCATION LIKE MY SISTERS, HAVING FUN AND LOVING LIFE. INSTEAD I WAS STUCK IN A ROOM DOING DRILLS ON PRESCHOOL WORK AND TOUCH MY NOSE. I HAD NO WAY OF SHOWING HOW SMART I REALLY WAS. I HAD NO WAY TO COMMUNICATE OR EXPRESS MYSELF. IT WASN’T UNTIL MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME RAPID PROMPTING METHOD (RPM) THAT I FOUND MY TRUE VOICE. I WAS FINALLY HAPPY ABOUT MY LIFE AND I WAS FINALLY BEING TAUGHT AGE APPROPRIATE AND ABOVE ACADEMICS.
THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR OUR AUTISTICS.
- LISTEN TO THE AUTISM EXPERTS. THAT WOULD BE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITH AUTISM EVERYDAY. THE AUTISTICS.
- TALK TO THEM LIKE YOU WOULD TO ANY OTHER PERSON. THEY HEAR EVERYTHING AND UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU SAY. DO NOT INSULT THEM BY SPEAKING TO THEM LIKE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE.
- IT IS NOT THAT AUTISTICS CAN NOT FOLLOW DIRECTION, IT IS WE HAVE A BRAIN AND BODY DISCONNECT. OUR BODIES DO NOT ALWAYS WORK WITH OUR BRAINS. THIS IS VITAL TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT AUTISTICS. DOING IBI AND ABA DRILLS DO NOT HELP US ESPECIALLY FOR THE MORE AFFECTED BY THE BRAIN AND BODY DISCONNECT AUTISTICS. THEY NEED TO PRACTICE BUT IN AGE APPROPRIATE ACADEMICS AND AGE APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES.
- COMMUNICATION IS KEY! AUTISTICS NEED A VOICE AND THEY DESERVE A VOICE JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE. RPM IN MY OPINION IS THE ONLY WAY TO GIVE AUTISTICS A VOICE. IT IS PRESENTED FIRST AS TEACHING AGE APPROPRIATE ACADEMICS. THE AUTISTIC IS ALWAYS TREATED WITH RESPECT IN REGARDS TO RPM. THE AUTISTICS ARE ALWAYS TAUGHT NEW AND INTERESTING TOPICS. THEY ARE THOUGHT TO BE INTELLIGENT WHICH THEY ARE.
- AUTISTICS DESERVE AN EDUCATION WHICH IS NOT HAPPENING IN MOST CASES.
- EMBRACE THE FLAPS. AUTISTICS DO NOT LIKE TO STAND OUT. WHY MUST WE FEEL ASHAMED THAT WE ARE DIFFERENT?
- EXCEPT EVERYONE FOR WHO THEY ARE.
IN CONCLUSION, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE TREAT OUR AUTISTICS. WE NEED TO START LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS, THE AUTISTICS. WE NEED TO GIVE AUTISTICS A VOICE BY TEACHING THEM RAPID PROMPTING METHOD (RPM).
NO, WE ARE NOT LOST CHILDREN. WE WILL NOT HAVE A HORRIBLE LIFE IF WE DO NOT HAVE IBI AND ABA THERAPY. WE NEED SOMEONE TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE INTELLIGENT AND WE HAVE ABLE THINKING MINDS. WE NEED PARENTS TO STOP PUTTING THEIR CHILDREN IN IBI AND ABA THERAPY. I WANT PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND AUTISM THROUGH THEIR CHILD’S EYES. AUTISM IS NOT A TRAGEDY. I AM PROUD TO HAVE AUTISM. IT MAKES ME THINK IN A UNIQUE WAY. I SEE THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD IN A WAY NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN SEE. LET’S STOP ABA AND IBI THERAPY AND LET’S START LETTING THESE CHILDREN EXPLORE THEIR WORLD LIKE ANY OTHER CHILD. THAT IS THE BEST THING OR THERAPY ANY CHILD COULD HAVE.
BRAYDEN, 9 YEARS OLD
ONTARIO, CANADA
