I found this video on Carly, an eleven year old girl who was diagnosed with severe autism and mild retardation when she was only two years old, very interesting. Some of the extreme behaviors exhibited by Carly while she was growing up included disrobing, fecal smearing, and jumping up and down banging objects.
Carly's parents felt like they were "kicked in the gut" when they were told that Carly was severely autistic. They provided early intervention with one-on-one support which was critical in her development. They had no expectation for her to have a fluent form of communication. However, when they realized that the use of electronic devices could help Carly express her feelings, they were stunned. All this time they have spoken in front of her like she wasn't even there when in reality, she could understand everything. They never gave up on her and the use of an iPad changed their lives forever.
When Carly was eleven, she wrote the words "hurt" and "help" on her iPad which opened the eyes of everyone around her. She wrote "I am autistic, but that is not who I am. Take time to know me, before you judge me." I found this to be a very powerful statement by Carly. She just wants to be like every other child. She has a sense of humor and wants to go to school. However, she describes it as having to fight her body when it feels like it is on fire. The communication tools of the iPad and computer have changed her world as she can now communicate her thoughts and feelings. She even has her own internet blog and a twitter account.
Autism Research
Autism
Autism 2
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