At age 2, Cameron could hear a song once and be humming it perfectly in tune afterwards. He could memorize and mock the dialog to a two hour movie and scenes from his favorite television shows. At age 3 Cameron stopped talking and didn't really start to speak again until the age of 5. He couldn't begin to articulate his own thoughts into words until around age 6. Cameron had a thing for lining up his toys from one end of the house to the other, and would always end up off playing by himself in his own little world as if the rest of the world did not exist. I had seen this first hand many times before, but it took a specialist from Children's Hospital to say it out loud before I would fully understand that my son had Autism.
It is funny how life prepares us for what lay ahead. At age 14, I took my first job at a local nursing home where I spent 3hours a day after school assisting residents who were developmentally and physically challenged. I found a special kinship with these amazing individuals. Each one having their own set of challenges, all speaking their own language but for some reason, I understood them, with and without words. I've spent over 20 years caring for those with both developmental and physical disabilities. It was only appropriate that God would bless my life with an Autistic Angel of my own. In spite of the challenges that come with Autism, I wouldn't change a thing about my son. There are some aspects of Autism that give him his own special character. I would only change how the rest of the world sees him.
The painting above is a watercolor Cameron did when he was only 5 years old. His ability to see beyond the surface amazes me. His memory is exceptional and in spite of the challenges he faces every day, he is making progress we at one time didn't know was possible. With years of intensive speech and OT therapies, Cameron speaks very well and will at times look you in the eye. There are certain characteristics that can pose great challenges for Cameron. Cameron thinks concretely and on literal terms. He does not have the ability of forethought to assess situations as they happen in order to act appropriately. He does not have the ability to know when other kids are trying to take advantage of him, and they do whenever they can. At age 14 today, Cameron still doesn't have the ability to look both ways before crossing the street, or the ability to get from memorization to comprehension when trying to learn to read.
There are folks who don't understand or know anything about Autism or disabilities in general. Ignorance breeds fear. Cameron doesn't ‘look' like he has Autism and this can cause problems for other children who think, what is wrong with him, he looks as normal as the rest. Like all kids Cameron has faced ridicule and has suffered at the hand of bullies. The only difference is he doesn't understand what he did wrong. He is very kind and loving to all people and unless he is provoked, he will not act out. Cameron has been blessed to be an exception to what many Autistic children live with in terms of behaviors. He has rarely had issues with tantrums at school and at home he truly is an angel. Being that Cameron thinks so literally and concretely, you can ask him to do something, show him how to do it, and he will follow through without argument. This can be a blessing and a curse of sorts. Knowledge of this in the wrong hands could be dangerous for Cameron. We are very careful of the situations we subject him to.
Autism is truly an epidemic in this country and the numbers are growing worldwide. Every 1 in 150 is diagnosed in the US today. This number has skyrocketed even since Cameron was first diagnosed only 10 years ago. We don't know exactly what causes Autism. Genetic research is making strides learning more and more about the genetic make -up of those who live with Autism. But this is only part of the story. The numbers of Autism in multiples in families is growing as well. I have met parents who have two and three children who live with Autism. In my own personal opinion I have to ask, what is it that is right under our noses causing this? So many think it is the immunizations. While I believe it very well could have an impact, I've worked with so many who live with Autism I have to wonder if this isn't about a combination of factors instead of one single point of origin.
I have spent most of my adult life working towards the understanding of Autism. I don't have the ability to come up with the missing piece of the puzzle on my own. Instead we do our part simply in learning to live our best life Autism or no Autism. You have to use what you've got to work with and Cameron does this beautifully. His character is like no other and in spite of the ridicule and how others see him; he keeps skipping through our world with a smile on his face, telling jokes that make no sense, giving us all a reason to remain humble and thankful. Don't sit in misunderstanding and fear. Learn more about Autism because the odds are that you may one day know or love someone who lives with Autism. Please see links below for more information and opportunities to raise awareness and funding for research to help us find out what is causing this and how to stop it. Educate! Engage! Enable!
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