What's in a Name?

What's in a name? That which we call Autism or Down Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy by any other name is still not a disease – because you can’t catch it from us.

For example:

• The “A-word”: Autism. An overly simple definition of autism is a brain defect that causes problems in a person's ability to socialize, speak, and focus.
  
• The “D-word”: Down Syndrome. A condition named after a doctor (Dr John Langdon Down) for babies born with an extra chromosome (47 instead of 46).
  
• The “CP-word”: Cerebral Palsy. Simply defined, a combination of a sane mind with a disobedient body.

These names and many others come under the general category of “Developmental Disability,” meaning a mental or physical disability (such as the above) arising before adulthood and usually lasting throughout life.

How did we get it – this thing called developmental disability?
Some of us got it from Mom’s or Dad’s abnormal genes. Some of us got it because Mom drank alcohol or got an infection like rubella in the weeks before we were born. Others didn’t get enough oxygen during Mom’s labor or during birth. Some of us were just fine – until the day we got whooping cough, measles, or meningitis. Maybe we nearly starved to death or maybe we didn’t get to the doctor in time. Maybe we were exposed to poisons like lead or mercury. And maybe – just maybe – we are blind or deaf as well.

So clearly, our problem is not a disease. You can’t catch it from us. It is not a type of mental illness, like depression. There is no cure for it. But we can learn to do many things. It just takes us more time and effort than our “normal” friends.

There may be some things we’ll never learn, but our teachers here are amazing. Today they taught us the “T-word”: TEAMWORK.

Choices

My friends are allowed to choose. They are almost always allowed to choose. It helps them feel like they have some power and control over what they do. It’s a step in growing up. Everything isn’t planned for them. Making good choices is a skill they will use for the rest of their lives.

Our teachers decide ahead of time what choices they will allow my friends to make. They offer choices only when my friends will truly be allowed to choose. They select two or three things and let a friend choose from them such as:

…“Which book would you like to look at?”
…“Would you like to paint or use crayons today?”
…“Would you like a plain banana or a chocolate-covered banana?" (See above photo.)

How else do they give my friends choices?

…They keep toys on low shelves, so my friends can choose what they want.
…They keep books where my friends can reach them.
…They give my friends free play time to choose and play what they want.





Giving my friends choices also helps them feel good about themselves, their parents, and their teachers…especially when it’s time to go to the NC State Fair!

(YAAAAAAYYY!)






A while back I chose to be a friend to my friends at Frankie Lemmon. One of my inspirations was a man named Dick Parsons. Dick passed away this week. When Dick was eighty years old, he chose to volunteer at Fred Olds Elementary School, where the children and staff became the light of his life for ten years! Farewell, Dick. It was good to know you.