Different Ability or Disability?

In recent weeks I've been drawn into the discussion about whether or not having a diagnosis of Autism means that an individual is classed as being disabled.

Our superhero family views autism as a different ability. Both O and L are amazing in what they can and have achieved. Their autism may slow them down but it certainly doesn't hold them back.

Both O and L require support and therapy and to be eligible to receive the support and therapy that they need, autism is classed as a disability. To be eligible for the funding to pay for the support and therapy that they both need at school and in every day life, autism is classed as a disability. Therefore having a diagnosis of autism by medical/funding/government definition means that an individual with autism is classed as having a disability.

However .... if you ask O or L if they are disabled, you will get a resounding no!

Their experience with individuals with disabilities are those that are missing limbs, are in wheelchairs, have cerebral palsy, are sight impaired and have a seeing eye dog - disabilities that are very obvious. When myself or my husband have spoken to O and L in the past about autism being classed as a disability, due to their literalness they themselves don't see their autism as a disability because it does not fit their idea or life experience of a disability.

At the age of 7 years O informed me that having autism means that she has a different ability to her friends.

Both O and L struggle in some areas but in other areas, their skills, abilities and knowledge surpasses that of their peers. Hence our view that autism is a different ability. This is what they both identify with.

They are both very capable and have achieved great things so far in their 8 and 5 years respectively. Last year at school O was awarded 7 honour certificates throughout the year and received an end of year award at the school concert.

The term "different ability" appears to be, as I have recently found out, a contentious issue amongst adults who have been diagnosed with autism. The issue seems to be that the term "different ability" implies that an individual is not capable of achieving to the best of their abilities or that they lack the ability to achieve. Many autistic adults want society to stop viewing autism as a different ability, and start viewing it as a disability.

The number of times that I have been told by autistic adults that I have to stop referring to autism as a different ability and remind my children that they are in fact disabled is getting rather silly.

Having a disability, regardless of what it is, should not stop an individual from achieving to the best of their ability. The disability may slow them down and it may mean that they need to come at their dreams from a different angle or they may need to work a little harder.

Our experience with others perceptions of autism and disabilities in general is that we've been told "but they're normal looking, there's nothing wrong with them" or "the funding needs to be given to those that truly need it. Autistic individuals need to suck it up and get on with life." And if you mention that they have a disability, the voice becomes slower or the assumption is made that O and L are not capable of achieving anything as unfortunately in our society there is still a stigma attached to having a disability.

I think at times we read too much into what a term means. For us, "different ability" simply means what it says - O and L have different abilities to others. It doesn't make them any less or any better than their peers, it just makes them different. And different is good.

After engaging in these discussions, I came across an article on a New Zealand news site.

In 2017, new words were created in a Māori glossary for use in relation to disability issues and I think that the word that was created is wonderful as the meaning behind the word fits our idea of autism.

"Disabled" has been translated as "whaikaha" which means strength, to have ability, otherly abled and enabled.

Wow!

Mr Keri Opai, strategic lead for Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui - the national centre of mental health research, information and workforce development - headed the development of the glossary and has said that the word was created with the Māori disabled community and had a deliberate emphasis on gaining strength and ability.

The new Māori word for disabled, fits how O and L view themselves. That autism, while classed as a disability, means that they have a different ability.

Children the world over are the future leaders. We should be listening to how they view themselves not telling them that their ideas are ridiculous. 

So to those adults who want me to discourage O and L from viewing their autism as a different ability ..... no, no I won't. If our children view themselves as having a different ability, then that is how it is. There are enough obstacles for children to jump over or climb through on this journey called life, I'm not going to add another one.

Autism certainly hasn't held up O or L thus far, it has slowed them down and we've made little detours on the way, but it has not stopped them from achieving to the best of their ability. So for the foreseeable future, we'll continue to refer to autism as a different ability.

And on a side note the Māori word for autism is '"takiwatanga" and is translated as "in his or her own time and space!" Wow again.

Autism DOES NOT define my Little Superheroes!

I've read a number of posts on various social media sites recently about whether or not autism is the defining factor for individuals who are on the spectrum.

I've previously published a post about this but I wanted to revisit the topic.

The majority of the articles that I have read have stated that yes, autism does in fact define individuals on the spectrum because, well, autism is all that they are.

But I disagree ....

Don't get my wrong, autism is a huge part of both of my little superheroes but it certainly isn't all of them.

Autism does explain some of their behaviours, it is the missing link for us in what WE were missing as their parents to help them succeed in this world.

I was recently asked to list L and O's strengths and I was honestly astounded to hear that many parents are unable to list their ASD child's strengths.

The way that I look at it, is that if you only see a child's autism, you will miss every other part of the child.

If you only focus on L's autism, you will miss his cheeky personality, his massive sense of adventure, his curious nature, his wantingness to learn new skills ....

If you only focus on O's autism, you will miss her amazing imagination, her caring and empathetic nature, her intelligence, her creative ability ....

You can't ignore their autism as it is a part of them but it is not all of them.

In my mind by saying that autism defines an individual, autism can then be used as an excuse.

"Oh I can't do that, I have autism."

No, autism should not stop you trying your up most best to reach your goals. Autism may slow you down but it should not stop you.

Whether you use the term "have autism" or "is autistic", autism does not define either of my little superheroes. We (my little superheroes included) prefer "have autism.

Our first Kidslfix event.

This weekend just gone, we had the privilege of being able to attend a Kidsflix event that was conducted by the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Foundation of Western Australia.

The Kidsflix event was a free morning of entertainment for children with disabilities and their families. The event was held at our local cinema prior to normal operating hours. 

I had heard of these events prior to the weekend but had no idea of what to expect other than some entertainment for the little superheroes and that we were going to watch an advance screening of Paddington 2.

What I did not know is that Kidsflix events are held Australia wide. The program is designed to enable children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, as well as children with other disabilities, to have an "out of the ordinary day" with their families. All of the Kidsflix events are supported by local businesses so that the families who attend do not have to pay a cent.

When we arrived at the cinema the band of volunteers were bustling about ensuring that everything was ready for the sea of children that were about to descend upon the cinema.

There were face painters, balloon artists, a colouring in station, a Bricks 4 Kidz Lego station as well as numerous Cosplayers wandering around dressed as characters from Star Wars, Alice in Wonderland and one of O's favourite movies, Guardians of the Galaxy!

Once the event started it was wonderful to see children of all ages and abilities enjoying themselves. They mingled and played together, swapped stories on why they there and just generally had fun.

For some of the children, I have no doubt that the event was a way of distracting them from the tough times that they were enduring.

O had a ball, L went into overload almost immediately and just wanted to stim. The great thing about the event and L stimming was that no one looked twice at him. He was accepted for who he was. There was no judgement what so ever from anyone at the event.

There were many parents who looked like us - tired, very tired, but happy to watch their children being able to have fun without a care in the world. The children were able to forget their worries and just be kids for a few hours.

I am grateful to the organisers for the opportunity to attend the event - it was great morning out for us as a family.

If you ask L, the highlight of the event was seeing his friend R from school and being able to sit next to R in the cinema - not that they did a lot of sitting still!

O, well she was in her element. New children to meet and play with, babies and toddlers to look after and she was able to make a pretty cool aeroplane out of Lego.

And the movie? Well it was fantastic. It is definitely one to go and see when it officially opens in December!

Conversations can be and are heartbreaking!

Night time conversations with L can be absolutely heart breaking.

Late at night, or when L is meant to be going off to sleep, seems to be the time when he replays events, conversations and things that he observes throughout the day over and over in his mind.

Questions from L like .....

"Mummy, why can't I write words?"

"Mummy, why can't I write letters like my friends at school can?"

Questions such as these bring tears to my eyes on a much too regular basis.

Several nights ago L and I had a conversation that wasn't any easier than previous conversations. It started like this .....

"Mummy, why can't I read like sissy and H and R? I just wanna read a book a self!"

Oh my darling boy, my heart breaks every time that you ask me a question like this.

L is desperate to be able to read by "a self" as he so eloquently puts it. He loves learning. He loves books. He has a stash of his favourite books in his bedroom that he often hides on his bed. At least once or twice a day L will bring a book to O or one of us and request that we read it to him, over and over again!

He loves just watching me read when he should be going to sleep, although he becomes quite puzzled when he realises that the books that I read don't have pictures.

"That crazy Mummy! No pictures? No way!"

We usually try to turn conversations like these around and highlight the skills that L CAN do exceptionally well. Skills like swimming, running really fast, knowing all of the superheroes and so on.

We'll explain that he can swim incredibly well, but some of his friends don't find swimming easy to do. We explain that while L finds swimming an easy skill to learn, other people need to do lots of practice to be able to swim well.

And that while some people, like O, find reading very easy to do, he needs to practice to be able to read.

We've recently installed an app on our iPad that "reads" to L as he turns the page of the book within the app. He can not get enough of the app and will happily sit on the couch reading a book on the iPad. Most of the time while the app is running he is looking at the picture on the iPad but every now and then, we can see that his eyes are trying to follow the words of the book. Money well spent!

We also remind L that one day he will be able to read books just like his big sister and his school friends.

Phrases like "you will" and "one day you" and "you'll get there" are said many times every week in our house. Phrases like these seem to lift his spirits and spur L on to keeping trying and reaching new heights.

But we never focus on the things that L can't do yet, as we don't want the word "can't" to become a permanent fixture in his vocabulary.

We also never tell him that the reason that he is not yet able to read or write sentences is due to his autism. I'm not saying that L would, but I don't want him to use autism as an excuse to get out of something. I don't want L to become despondent that his autism, which he will have for life, may prevent him from picking up new skills at the same rate as his friends will learn the skills.

In saying this, L does know that he is autistic and we are instilling in him that autism is a different ability and that different is a great thing.

But it is at times like when we have these conversations that the reality of how hard life is with autism for L hits me like a tonne of bricks. It hits home hard.

I know that L will get there in his own time, just at the moment he just needs to work a little harder than O and his school friends.

I just wish that I could make life easier for him. I don't want to take the autism away as it is a part of who he is, I just wish that life was easier for him.

The Autism that You DON'T see.........

"Oh, L is fine at school!"

"We don't see any of that, O is the model student!"

"Really, O/L is like that at home?"

These questions, these statements, can make interactions with teachers, educators and medical professionals quite uncomfortable. In a blink of an eye, questions and statements like these can turn a conversation from a pleasant one into, well ........... hackles become raised, voices become emotional ......... you get the picture.

Questions and statements like these can make the child's behaviour seem as though the parent is at fault and this in turn can cause us to question every little decision that we make and have made on our child's behalf.

Questions and statements like these cause a parent to shut down and not want to bring up issues with those who should be supporting them, instead of questioning them, for fear of the underlying judgement from others.

Questions and statements like these really highlight the autism that you don't see unless you are in the immediate family unit.

It really is a case of the autism that you DON'T see.

You see a child who is so rigid and seemingly unwilling to compromise on anything that their behaviour becomes annoying to you. The child who is acting like a spoilt brat.

I see a child who wants his world to stay the way that it is because then his world is predictable. I see a child who doesn't want to stray from her predictable world because the minute that her world becomes unpredictable, her anxiety is provoked into action and she becomes glued to one spot unwilling and unable to make any moves. I see child whose anxiety is like a tightly knotted rope and until that knot is loosened, she is physically unable to move or speak or participate in her much loved activities, including school work. A child who is not yet sure how to loosen the knot of anxiety. I see a child who is desperately trying their hardest NOT to enter into meltdown mode. 

I see a child who has strict and often very complicated routines and rituals for simple every day activities. And these routines and rituals have to be done the same way. Every. Single. Time. The tiniest deviation from these routines and rituals can result in an explosion of a huge magnitude.

You see a child is happy, who is chatty and gets along well with others but who can be very shy at times.

I see a child who knows that to stand out is a bad thing so she is compliant all day. I see a child who badly wants to fit in with others around her and yet she is unable to because she just does not understand the social interactions of others. I see a child who then struggles to keep it together all day that the minute she arrives home and walks through the front door, her pent up frustration and anger explodes. I see a child who knows that we are understanding and will remain calm so she feels safe to show this other side to us. I see a child who breaks down in tears because he knows that he is different and doesn't yet understand that different is good.

You see a child who is unable to focus on their work and is becoming disruptive as they move around the classroom or as they start to vibrate in their chair. You see a child is unwilling to do their school work unless they are removed from their classroom.

I see a child who is in sensory overload by their surroundings and is physically and mentally unable to focus until they have had a sensory break. I see a child who needs regular sensory breaks to assist them to focus. I see a child who is beginning to understand they need to have a sensory break but is not yet able to find the words to communicate his needs. I see a child who views being removed from their classroom as a punishment not as an opportunity to complete their school work.

You see a child who is rude or ignorant because they are refusing to speak or interact with those around them.

I see a child who is in sensory overload by all that is going on around them and the only way for them to cope is to shutdown and to retreat into their inner self.

You see a child who is a fussy eater and who you believe should be made to eat the food that is put in front of them.

I see a child with sensory processing difficulties. A child who has to wear the same clothes day in day out. Not for style, purely for comfort. I see a child whose skin feels as though it is literally crawling when particular textures are felt or eaten. A child who needs a lot of time and effort put in my others to try to increase the foods on their list of acceptable foods. I see a child who knows when we change a brand of food, they don't have to see the change in food label, they just know.

You see a child who is obsessed with a particular toy or subject and who you believe is spoilt as they seem to always have the latest toy, gadget or clothing item or costume.

I see a child who is in his comfort zone. A child who while wearing a superhero outfit is willing to venture out from his shell to interact with others. A child who is trying desperately to establish some common ground with others. A child who is willing to verbally communicate as he joins in on a conversation about his obsession.

You see a child having a tantrum.

I see a child who is in meltdown mode. A child who entered into sensory overload as a result of their surroundings. A child whose anxiety has become so crippling that the only way that they know how to cope is to let loose with screaming and yelling and throwing random objects. A child who desperately wants to escape their surroundings but they physically cannot find the words to voice their needs. I see a child who needs space and a parent who is calm with a seemingly unending patience level. I see a child who at that point in time is only able to communicate their needs through an angry outburst. I see a child who is not aware of their actions or words while they are in meltdown mode and yet is remorseful in the aftermath even though they have no recollection of the event.

What you are seeing is a mask, a front. 

Remember looks can be deceiving, not everything is as it seems to be.

The mask is the autism that you DON'T see.

How I think - by O

O has begun to realise that she thinks differently from other children her age and she asked if it was okay if she wrote a blog to tell everyone about the way that she thinks. My reply was of course she could and then I handed O the computer!

Hello, my name is O and I am 8.

I have autism which means that I think differently to most of my friends.

When you read a word or hear a word or read a sentence, what do you think of? Do you read the words and imagine what the sentence might look like? Or do you just read the word and know what it means?

When I see or hear words I think of pictures and sometimes sounds or music that mean what the word is.

If I see the word clock I see pictures of different types of clocks like the clock in our kitchen or the clock in my classroom. I see pictures of different watches. I see analogue and digital clocks. I see alarm clocks. I see AM times, PM times and 24 hour times. Sometimes I hear the tic-toc of clocks or my mums phone alarm ringing. I hear the crocodile tic-tocing at Captain Hook.

If I see the word green I see pictures of grass, trees, flowers, broccoli and other things that are green. I hear croaking frogs because frogs can be green.

If I see the word doll I see pictures of china dolls that my Grandma has, I see pictures of my Monster High dolls and my DC Superhero dolls.

If I see the word school I see pictures of my last school, what the office looks like, I see pictures of my teachers. I hear the school siren or the school bell. I see different pictures of my new school.

If I see the word space I think about the spaces between words. I see stars and planets and moons. Space makes me think about astronauts and the international space station and galaxies and Titan. I really love space.

The pictures look like a movie. The pictures flash through my brain like a movie is playing of everything about clocks or a movie about the colour green.

When I read a sentence, I see pictures in my brain that show me what the sentence looks like. It's pretty cool.

I really like doing school work that has symbols or patterns or pictures in it because I understand it really quickly. I am super fast when I am doing school work like that and I always get everything right.

I like doing research on the computer and in books because then I get to learn new words and see new pictures.

I like writing poems about things that I think about.

Words can be complicated sometimes but pictures and music and sounds are easy to understand.

I've tried telling some of my friends how I think but they don't really understand so I don't try to tell them anymore. I think they get confused because they don't understand.

I know that not all of my friends think the same that I do, but I hope that some of them might but maybe they are too worried to tell me because they are worried that kids will tease them. If they told me that they think like me I would tell them that it is okay. My mum and dad say that it is okay to be different. If we were all the same then it would be very boring. I like being different. I like being me.

Thank you for reading my writing.

Dear Teenage Self

Since going through the ASD diagnosis process with both L and O, I have begun to realise things about my younger self. Speaking with O's psychologist, I've become more aware of how I felt as a teenager.

And it is all making sense now - how I used to think, how awkward I felt, how little I understood about others behaviour and language, how badly I wanted to fit in....

When I said to O's psychologist that I had a hunch that perhaps I was on the spectrum, her reply was "I can spot an Aspie when I see one!"

Well, no need for a formal diagnosis then!

Knowing what I know now, would have been incredibly useful as a teenager and if I was able to write a letter and send it back in time to my teenage self to help that person get through life, this would be it......

Dear me,

It is called Aspergers.

Being a teenager with Aspergers is hard and unfortunately it will get harder but it will be all work out in the end.

You think differently and there is nothing wrong with that. Others say that you are weird but you're not. You're just different and that is okay.

Different is good and do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

Don't try to fit in, just be yourself. There are people who like you for who you are. Chances are, they are also struggling to fit in and trying to find their way in the world.

If others around you mock you, that is not your fault. They are the ones with the issue. They are the ones with the low self esteem. They are only trying to get you down to make themselves feel better.

As much as words hurt, please try not to let their words get to you. Let the words roll off your back like water rolling off a ducks feathers. This in itself is a skill to be learnt and it just takes practice.

Your anxiety, while not normal, is typically common in individuals with Aspergers. And guess what, others around you also suffer from anxiety, they're just better at hiding it. Ask for help, let people around know that you are struggling. You will get through it, but trust me it is easier when you have others helping you. Put aside your pride and ask for help, you will feel much better in the long run. The mask becomes much harder to maintain.

You struggle to understand social situations, emotional and non-verbal cues and that is also common with Aspergers. Look it up in the library and read as much as you can about Aspergers, you'd be surprised just how much there is to learn.

Yes some of the anxiety and the struggles you are experiencing are simply part of being a typical teenager, but most of it is being an Aspie. But in saying that, this isn't an excuse and you will need to learn how to cope and manage.

Keep in contact with those who are accepting of who you are and understand you. Their support is vital to your emotional well being. Seek out like minded people and form your own pose.

There are others like you - Temple Grandin is one. The classical musicians and the scientists who you admire are all thought to have Aspergers. These people did great things in this world. You too can and will do great things. Be proud of your achievements.

Keep aiming high, you will get there.

When you are older and have children, you will have an advantage as you will understand what they are going through and you will be able to assist them to understand the world around them. Long time family friends will tell you just how alike you and your daughter are and it all starts to make sense.

Life does get harder before it gets easier.

But you turn out fine, so please stop worrying so much, relax and enjoy the ride.

Why do peple with disabilities make others nervous?

Individuals with disabilities seem to make some people nervous and the nervousness doesn't discriminate. You name a disability and someone in this wide world has probably felt nervous when interacting with an individual with that disability.

It is something that I've always been acutely aware of. Even as a teenager, I was always aware that when a person with a disability was present, some people just seemed to become a nervous wreck.

More recently I have noticed it when we have disabled volunteers attend my workplace. Several of the children become nervous and revert to being non-verbal toddlers. They lose their ability to talk and just stare. Even other adults visiting the centre start to look and act awkward.

Autism is an invisible disability. O and L look like every other kid, they just have odd mannerisms at times. When L is stimming we do get the occasional odd look and people become nervous and lost for words. You can see the awkwardness written all over their faces and I can tell what is running through their brains - what do I say, where do I look, do I stay, do I go .........

I'm not sure of the exact reason why people become nervous. I have thought about it long and hard and have come up with the following possibilities. It could be that they find it hard to empathize with the person, they may not be aware of what the disability actually is or how the disability effects the individual. The nervousness could stem from the fear of saying the wrong thing to the person or they may feel sorry for the individual and may genuinely not know how to interact appropriately with them.

So how do we educate children, teenagers, parents and other adults on how to NOT become nervous?

How do we educate people to be accepting of differences instead?

I'm not sure that I can answer of behalf of the entire disability sector, I can however answer on behalf of my little superheroes!

O and L may not always respond to people when they are spoken to, but they still like to be talked to. They are social little beings, they like to be included in conversation even when they don't feel like talking. They may just take a little longer to respond. They shouldn't be dismissed just because in that moment they don't feel like talking.

Talk to the person with the disability, rather than talking to the wheelchair or guide dog or prosthetic limb or the disability. Be respectful of the person and try to see beyond the disability. They have feelings, they have interests, they are just like everyone else.

If you are curious about how a person acts, speaks or looks then please ask respectful questions. The more questions you ask, the more informed you will be. Asking questions has the roll on effect of increasing awareness and acceptance.

I always tell people who are curious that L's brain is wired differently to that of others. He processes what you do and say very differently. It doesn't make him any less, he just has a different ability.

Please don't make assumptions about people and their disabilities. Too many people have wrong assumptions of autism and other disabilities. Please don't assume that because you have read an article on autism, you know everything about the disorder. The chances are that you don't know everything. Knowledge is always changing. At times, going to the source is the best way to gain knowledge.

Children learn so much from people who lead by example. If your child is staring at someone with a disability, go over and engage in friendly conversation with that person. The child is going to begin to learn that it is okay to ask questions, it is okay to be friendly with people who look and act differently from them.

I've heard many people make very cruel remarks about others, both people with disabilities and also towards others who may not have a disability. What sort of an example is that leading by? We try to teach our children that bullying is not okay and yet some adults think it is perfectly okay to mock others.

It is a normal trait to feel nervous, we've all felt this emotion at some stage. But perhaps we should all make a concerted effort to not to show our nervousness as children are exceptionally good at picking up on non-verbal cues.

Awkwardness and nervousness usually stems from ignorance and/or fear of the unknown.

As parents we are constantly learning on this journey called life and our ultimate goal is to impart the knowledge onto our children. It can be hard to determine which lessons would have the bigger impact on our children and which lessons have a greater importance.

The one thing that I constantly remind myself is to teach my little superheroes how to be accepting of others. As long as they are morally sound, then I don't have anything to worry about.

Mummy, I think in pictures too!

We were watching a TED talk a few weekends ago by Temple Grandin, and O was fascinated by Temple when she was explaining how she thinks in pictures.

O turned to us and said “Mummy, I think in pictures too.”

When we asked her what she meant, O replied “Sometimes I think in pictures, sometimes I think in words and sometimes I think in music. But mostly pictures and music. That’s why I like to sing.”

When I asked O to elaborate she said “Pictures and music are easy to understand, words can be confusing sometimes.”

O recently confided in one of the Educators at the OSHC service that she attends that one of her doctors thought that she might have Autism and that she is scared.

When I asked O why did it scare her, O said “Because it means that I am different from my friends.”

Oh my baby girl, it does make you different but in a good way.

O is already becoming aware that she thinks differently to her friends. She has confided on numerous occasions that she doesn’t understand how or why her friends say the things that they do. O frequently asks “why do they chase boys?” This is one thing that I am in no rush to explain to O!

If you ask O does she have a boyfriend, she will respond with yes. But she doesn’t mean a boyfriend in the sense of a relationship, she means that she has boys who are friends. How I wish that she could stay this innocent.

I’ve watched O in social situations at school disco, parties and playdates and witnessed her inability to know how to take the step that she needs to take to join in with peers her own age. O is much more comfortable interacting and playing with children who are younger than her.

O has said that she likes going to pick up L from Tara’s school because she understands the other kids at the centre. And she does, she just fits in like she belongs there. There is no hesitation whatsoever when we arrive at Tara’s school with O.

It breaks my heart seeing her struggle and hearing her trying to make sense of what is going on around her.

So after the Temple Grandin TED talk, Daddy superhero and I sat down to talk with O about her suspected Autism - we have two provisional diagnosis' and are waiting on the third to confirm our suspicions. I can say that we were both very apprehensive about how O would react to this information, but we were certain that she needed to know.

We’ve previously talked with O about L’s diagnosis. We read the book “I see Things Differently” which explains Autism through a story. O has embraced L’s diagnosis and willingly helps him out whenever he needs her, which is quite a bit.

By the end of our talk, O seemed much more at ease. O now knows that Autism means that she thinks way, way outside of the box at times. We’re talking "standing on the edge of the precipice and needing someone to haul her back in to get back on track" outside the box.

O now knows that the reason she is so anxious at times is because of her Autism. O knows that while she struggles with some things, her Autism causes her to be exceptional at other things.

O said that maybe Autism gives her such a great imagination. O knows that Autism is one of the reasons why she is so creative. O knows that while she struggles to understand how others speak at times, it also means that she has the ability to write the most amazing creative stories.

O is still worried, as there are some things that she struggles with. But she also knows that she has many, many strengths and that we are doing our very best to help her gain the skills that she needs to navigate this crazy world.

I know that in time, O will blossom and do amazing things in this world.