In honour of World Autism Acceptance Week which runs from March 27th – April 2nd 2023, we sat down with one of our team’s children who has Autism. We asked Tommy, Age 6 some questions to get a view of how he sees the world.
What do you think about Autism?
“I like it but sometimes don’t as it is hard being a bit too clever, I feel like I always have to get things right. I feel worried and stressed when I get things wrong and my head hurts.”
Why do you like having Autism?
“Because it is like having a superpower, my superpower is cleverness.”
What do you think your friends and teachers think of your Autism?
“I think they think I’m the cleverest person and the teachers give me tricky questions to do.”
When you go to new places how do you feel?
“I feel worried about people being mean to me. I feel like I want to stay at home or if I go out, I can be with someone in my family. I get butterflies in my tummy. I feel mostly worried but sometimes excited.”
What is it like having Autism at school?
“It is good and bad.
All my friends get jealous because I can do my work and I am clever.
On the playground I find it tricky too because it is cold, it makes me feel like I’m in the north pole. I don’t like the noise at dinner time in the hall, it makes me feel like I am standing under a rocket ship and my ears hurt.
I like how my teachers tell me where to sit, I sit on a special spot, if this is taken away, I have to ask where to sit, it makes me feel shocked if my spot is not there. We have the same lessons on the same days all the time, if this changes I want to change this back and tell the teacher. I like to know what I am doing.”
What are you good at?
“I am good at all my lessons; I am good at karate.
I get excited at karate, if it is a different teacher, I feel worried. When I join in, I feel happy when I am brave.”
How would you describe Autism?
“Like having a superpower.”
What do you find tricky?
“I find making friends tricky.
I don’t like to hold peoples’ hands.
I don’t like to wear a hat because this is not something I do all the time.
I don’t find it easy to make conversation with other people.
When people decorate or move things, I might feel like I am in a different house.”
Why do you wear a sensory bracelet?
“When I Worry, I like to chew.”
What would you like to say to someone who does not know what Autism is?
“If you have a special kind of Autism you may struggle or if you have another kind of Autism you might find work easy.
There is a lot going on in my head, I feel like there is a ‘full city’ in my brain.
When it is busy and loud it is not good. Sometimes we don’t like smells, the smell of outside makes ‘my nose tickle.’
Autisic people might worry a lot.”
What makes you unique?
“I have a superpower.”
Can you tell how people are feeling?
“I feel I can tell if you are sad you will be crying, If you are angry you can frown. If you are happy you will smile.
I can’t tell now if you are happy because you are not smiling.”
Is there anything you want people to know?
“Having Autism is like being a different person.
I would like to keep my Autism a secret because some people think it is not ‘normal’ and I am different- because they do not understand.
It is very hard having Autism it is ‘controlling’. It is hard to ‘control Autism’. It is hard getting all your feelings what you do all mixed up.
Sometimes I find it hard to tell people how I feel and how to help me, I know what is wrong, but I can’t tell you.”
