A Book About What Autism Can Be Like

a book about

WHAT AUTISM CAN BE LIKE Written and illustrated by

Sue Adams Foreword by Donna Williams

Jessica Kingsley Publishers London and Philadelphia

First published in 2009 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers 116 Pentonville Road London N1 9JB, UK and 400 Market Street, Suite 400 Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA www.jkp.com Copyright © Sue Adams 2009 Foreword copyright © Donna Williams 2009 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher. Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Adams, Sue. A book about what autism can be like / Sue Adams ; foreword by Donna Williams. p. cm. ISBN 978-1-84310-940-2 (pb : alk. paper) 1. Autism--Juvenile literature. 2. Autistic children--Juvenile literature. I. Title. RC553.A88A334 2008 616.85’882--dc22 2008024650 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 84310 940 2 ISBN pdf eBook 978 1 84642 868 5

Printed and bound in Great Britain by Athenaeum Press, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear v1

This book is dedicated to my real life Christopher, to his brothers Peter and Benjamin and my husband Russell. Special children teach adults to become special parents. Thank you to Shelley, Marg and Ellie for being in Chris’s story.

Foreword Mid to late childhood is a time when children start to become aware of their similarities and differences. For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) this can be a time of awakening, a turning point where they may sink or swim. Sometimes this direction is strongly influenced by the way other children understand their own differences in the wider context of those with ASD. Sue Adams’ book, A Book About What Autism Can be Like, will be of help to children struggling to see diversity and difference in a positive light and aid teachers, siblings, those with ASD and their classmates. Donna Williams, Dip Ed, BA (Hons) author of Autism: An Inside Out Approach

This is Chris and Andrew. Chris and Andrew go to school.

1

Chris and Andrew have many things the same.

2

Chris and Andrew have many things different.

3

Chris and Andrew sometimes think about the same things.

4

But they sometimes think about the same things in different ways.

5

Chris often thinks differently because he has autism. This is not a problem, it is just different.

6

Think how boring it would be if we all thought the same!

7

People with autism can get overloaded when too much happens for their brain to cope with all at the same time.

8

A room filled with lots of posters and decorations may look exciting to Andrew. But it is difficult for Chris to take in all of those things at the same time.

9

When the teacher says “Stop!” Andrew’s brain hears the message and tells Andrew to stop.

10

When Chris’s brain hears the teacher say “Stop!” it also hears many extra messages.

11

Chris’s brain has trouble working out which message to listen to first. This can make it look like Chris is not listening at all.

12

But then the messages get processed (this means working out what the messages mean, like a computer does)…

13

…and Chris can do as the messages say.

14

Sometimes friends can help by gently explaining to Chris what the teacher said.

15

Chris may need to be told in a different way. This does not mean repeating the same thing or saying it LOUDER.

16

Instead of telling him, it might be helpful to show him.

17

Chris can think more clearly if he draws his thoughts to keep track of them. Or he might use objects or gestures (hand signals).

18

This doesn’t mean he is busy playing. It just helps to make his thinking real to him.

19

Sometimes Chris seems to “shut down” when too much information comes his way. He ignores the world until the information rush slows down. Chris needs to think of one thing at a time. 20

This is when he needs some quiet time for his brain to catch up. Quiet time is when you sit by yourself to become calm. It does not mean you are in trouble. It is like quiet thinking time. 21

Chris’s classmates understand that autism makes it difficult for Chris to make friends. Even when Chris likes someone, he does not always know what words to say to them.

22

At school, it can help Chris to work at a table on his own sometimes. He joins in group activities at other times.

23

Andrew helps when Chris looks sad or confused. He understands that Chris is just different. It is not a problem. He gets to know what can help Chris to calm down.

24

Like when Chris rocks or makes his own special humming noises to comfort himself.

Or when he likes to be in the dark. 25

People sense the world around them through five senses. These are: smelling, tasting, touching, seeing and hearing.

26

Autism can make these senses really

STRONG

27

or very

weak .

Chris has very strong senses. Andrew doesn’t notice the buzzing noise that the light tubes make. But Chris hears it really loudly.

28

Touching is hard to do sometimes. Chris needs to say “Hi” and wave instead of hugging or shaking hands. It is not because he does not like the other person.

29

Some people with autism really like bright flashing lights. Others find bright lights painful to their eyes.

30

Even people with autism are different from each other!

31

Lots of famous people in history are thought to have had autism. Edison the inventor, Einstein the scientist…

32

…and Mozart the composer. Their ideas were so amazing because they were VERY different from everyone else.

33

Sometimes answers to the teacher’s question rush into Chris’s brain. He has to say them quickly before something else crowds in.

34

He doesn’t mean to take someone else’s turn. But his classmates understand that.

35

At other times, Chris’s autism means he takes longer than Andrew to think of an answer to a question…

36

…but the answer can be really amazing when his brain finally works it out!

37

Nobody really knows why people have autism. But lots of boys and girls have it.

38

We do know you cannot catch autism from someone else.

39

Chris’s classmates know that things sometimes upset him. And maybe the upsetting things are not the same as they were yesterday.

40

But they also know that Chris has a great sense of humour. Different people find different things funny!

41

When someone is different from you, you just need to get to know them. Getting to know people is fantastic.

42

So being different is actually pretty cool!

43

of related interest Autistic Planet Jennifer Elder Illustrated by Marc Thomas and Jennifer Elder ISBN 978 1 84310 842 9

Different Like Me My Book of Autism Heroes

Jennifer Elder Illustrated by Marc Thomas and Jennifer Elder ISBN 978 1 84310 815 3

Brotherly Feelings Me, My Emotions, and My Brother with Asperger’s Syndrome

Sam Frender and Robin Schiffmiller Illustrated by Dennis Dittrich ISBN 978 1 84310 850 4

The Red Beast Controlling Anger in Children with Asperger’s Syndrome

K.I. Al-Ghani Illustrated by Haitham Al-Ghani ISBN 978 1 84310 943 3

Different Croaks for Different Folks All About Children with Special Learning Needs

Midori Ochiai Illustrated by Hiroko Fujiwara Translated by Esther Sanders ISBN 978 1 84310 392 9