Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood.
It is one of three recognized disorders in the autism spectrum (ASDs), the other two being Asperger syndrome, which lacks delays in cognitive development and language, and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified (commonly abbreviated as PDD-NOS), which is diagnosed when the full set of criteria for autism or Asperger syndrome are not met.
Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life. The signs usually develop gradually, but some autistic children first develop more normally and then regress. Early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help autistic children gain self-care, social, and communication skills. Although there is no known cure, there have been reported cases of children who recovered. Not many children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, though some become successful. An autistic culture has developed, with some individuals seeking a cure and others believing autism should be accepted as a difference and not treated as a disorder. READ MORE HERE.
Even though autistic children are highly intelligent and loving, it is not easy to have a child or a member of the family who is autistic. Four of my friends have autistic children and I am aware of the challenges they face everyday. I salute their deep love for their children and the way they have patiently given them nothing but the best of their love and resources. One of them is my ex-colleague whose sons are autistic. Another one is a former student who also has two autistic kids. The other two are blog readers who each has an autistic son.
This post and the following video is dedicated to them. May the sky be the limit as they endeavour to take care and to bring up their children in the best way possible.
May following video about the life of Jason McElwain inspire each one of us to be more than who we are today! Jason is an autistic teen who was chosen to manage his high school basketball team because of his unending enthusiasm. You've just got to watch where his enthusiasm took him... and the rest of us! In the video, Jason said, "the sky's the limit"; "give all the effort that you can to your dream"; and "never give up". Awesome!
Take care and God bless you all!
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The Power of a Dream Changes Lives!
The Power of a Dream Changes Lives!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.
According to Wikipedia:
Jason McElwain was born on October 1, 1987 to David and Debbie McElwain, and was diagnosed with autism at a young age. Jason and his family lived in Greece, New York, a suburb of Rochester, New York.
He initially struggled when interacting with other children, but began to develop social skills as he grew older.Although he was placed in special education classes,[3] McElwain enjoyed basketball, to which he was introduced by his older brother Josh, and was appointed manager of Greece Athena High School's varsity basketball team. For the Greece Athena's 2005-2006 basketball season, the 17-year-old McElwain was a senior and slated to graduate in the spring, but he was unable to graduate.
February 15, 2006 basketball game
Greece Athena High School basketball coach Jim Johnson decided to add McElwain to the roster for the team's February 15 game against Spencerport High School, so McElwain could be given a jersey and sit on the bench for the team's last home game of the season, and allow McElwain to play a few minutes if Greece Athena got a comfortable lead. With four minutes left in the game, Greece Athena had a double-digit lead, so Johnson decided let McElwain play out the last minutes of the game.[6] When teammates first passed the ball to McElwain he attempted a three-point shot and missed. McElwain got a second chance to score with a lay-up which he also missed. McElwain then got "hot as a pistol", shooting six three-pointers and one two-point shot, before the game ended. The final score was Greece Athena 79, Spencerport 43. As soon as the final buzzer rang, fans from the stands stormed the court in celebration.
Reaction
Teacher Andy McCormack was in the audience that night to see the game. McCormack was Jason's Speech/Language Pathologist throughout high school, and Jason had asked his Grandma to be there that night. Local news stations picked up on it and followed suit by the next day, and within days the tape reached a national audience. McCormack continued to support Jason over the next few months in school, helping coin alternative language expressions to his now-famous "hot as a pistol" phrase and helping him construct an introduction speech when Magic Johnson came to Johns Hopkins lacrosse to speak to the student body.
In his hometown of Greece, New York, McElwain quickly became a celebrity. The family's home phone was always ringing, and when the McElwains went out for a meal, a group of fans ran into the family, praising Jason.
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