Mary, a member of her church
Overlapping the social deficits are communication challenges that are common to all individuals on the spectrum. As noted, some individuals may be quite verbal while many others may be non-verbal, have limited speech, or communicate through the use of pictures, sign language, or a specialized, augmentative communication device. Even those individuals who are verbal may be unable to sustain a conversation with another individual, particularly on a topic of little interest. On the other hand, if the topic is of interest, they may monopolize the entire conversation and insist that everyone talk only about that topic. In general, individuals on the spectrum have a very concrete understanding of language and, as such, have difficulty understanding idioms (e.g., “A picture paints a thousand words.”), metaphors (e.g., “All the world’s a stage.”) or euphemisms (e.g., putting “spin” on something to mean, well, lying). Since much typical conversation relies on such communicative flourishes, we can often inadvertently make language much more difficult for the individual with autism to understand than need be. The final area of challenges common to all individuals with ASDs are restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. The diversity, however, comes in how these patterns are expressed in each individual across the ability spectrum. For one individual, it may mean a near total fascination with the green straws at Starbucks. For another, it may mean knowing, in precise detail, the evolution of the IBM Selectric Typewriter. Individuals may engage in a variety of repetitive actions or movements (body rocking or hand flapping, for example) called stereotypies. While we all engage in stereotypic behavior (twisting your hair when bored or tapping your pencil while you work), learners on the spectrum do so at a much greater frequency and intensity than do typical learners and, unsurprisingly, without an understanding of the social rules governing such behaviors (that is, for most people, those behaviors tend to be private rather than public).
It was 5 pm on a hot Friday afternoon. I walked down the hall to reach the waiting area, to greet Mary and her father. Mary has autism, as does her twin sister, Joann. We made our way to my office and not a minute went by before Mary had pointed with urgency at my desk calendar. She was very distressed that it still was on May 2007, and she visibly calmed when she ripped off that page and the month of June lay flat across my desk. Up and down the room she paced, reminding us both that it was June 2007. Taking hold of her fathers head, peering into his eyes, she kept repeating “2007?” To which he replied gently, “Yes, 2007.” She had such a strong presence in the room, was someone who knew what she wanted and she pursued that with zest and energy. She stood at the window, peering off at the trains as they passed by while I asked her dad about her progress during the previous months. He spoke of his daughter in a gentle, thoughtful way. His love and respect for her were clear and strong, so palpable in the room. We spoke of many things, and faith was just one. Mary’s family belongs to a Catholic church, and they all look forward to Sunday mass. Mary needs to make sure they all leave on time and her sister, Joann, starts to sing the hymns in the car on the way there. On arrival, the family takes their seats. The service starts, and Joann settles into the rhythms. Mary looks around checking the dates on
Autism spectrum disorders are challenging developmental disorders that significantly impact individuals, their families, and society-at-large. However, while the deficits and challenges (which are both complex and extensive) of autism are great, they represent only part of the picture. Individuals with an ASD can, and do, continue to grow, learn, and develop
“Autism is considered to be a spectrum disorder, ranging from mild to severe, due to the diversity of expression that is associated with the disorder.”
new skills and abilities across their lifetimes. They have the capacity for great joy as well as extreme frustration. Individuals with an ASD can be brutally honest by way of stating an obvious fact (“You are quite bald.”) but
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A Journey Into Community
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