The
information shown below was written by Brad Lain. Brad is 27 years old and was
diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at the age of 16. It was then, after many
years of struggling to find a place in the world where he could live in peace,
Brad wrote this paper. At this time he encountered problems relating to the
people with whom he was expected to work. Because they had no knowledge of his
disability, it was his intention to educate the community with his personal
perspective on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Brad does not like to use a keyboard,
so the entire paper was created with a paint program. One in which he made all
the letters, then, cut and pasted them to form this paper. Brad's paper has been
used as training materials by several therapists and social workers. Brad also
enjoys sharing his thoughts with almost everyone he meets.
A LIFELONG PUZZLE AFFECTING
THE BRAIN
AUTISM IS NOW THOUGHT TO
AFFECT ONE IN FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE AUTISM DO NOT
RECOGNISE FACES AND GET PEOPLE CONFUSED WITH OTHER PEOPLE ALL THE TIME
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM NEEDS A
LOT OF PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING
SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH AUTISM
DO NOT ASSOCIATE ONE THING AS HAVING TO DO WITH ANOTHER UNLESS IT IS EXPLAINED
TO THEM
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO
MAKE ASSOCIATIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED FOR OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE A LOT
OF SENSORY PROBLEMS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO
STAY BUSY
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM TAKE
THINGS LITERALLY
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE A
PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO
SPEND SOME TIME WITH THEMSELVES
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM THINK THAT
OTHERS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING WITHOUT TELLING THEM
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE VISUAL
LEARNERS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM DO NOT
UNDERSTAND PUNISHMENT AS HAVING TO DO WITH SOMETHING THEY DID WRONG
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM GET TEASED
AND YELLED AT A LOT BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO TEASE AND YELL
AT THEM BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN ACT NORMAL AND AUTISM DOES NOT EXIST
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE VERY
SENSITIVE TO SOUNDS AND SMELLS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SOMETIMES
HAVE UNUSUAL VOICES
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM DO NOT
LIKE TAGS IN THEIR SHIRTS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE VERY
SENSITIVE TO CERTAIN TYPES OF CLOTHING
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM NORMALLY
DO NOT GET MARRIED OR HAVE CHILDREN
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LOOK
NORMAL TO THE UNTRAINED EYE
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT BE
ABLE TO TELL OTHER PEOPLES EMOTIONS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY SCREAM
YELL OR HIT IF THEY BECOME FRUSTRATED
IT IS HARDER FOR PEOPLE WITH
AUTISM TO BE TOILET TRAINED PROPERLY
SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LOVE
THE WAY DEEP PRESSURE FEELS AND THEN SOME DO NOT LIKE TO BE TOUCHED AT ALL SO IF
SOMEONE GETS BUMPED WHO HAS AUTISM THAT MIGHT MAKE THEM GO FLYING OFF THE WALL
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE A
WIDE RANGE OF ABILITIES
AUTISM COMES IN ALOT OF
DIFFERENT STRENGTHS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT BE
ABLE TO FOLLOW SEVERAL TASK INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN AT A
TIME UNLESS IT IS WRITTEN DOWN
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT
LIKE TO GO TO CHURCH
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT
LIKE CROWDS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE MORE
TROUBLE FIGURING OUT WHO THEY CAN AND CANNOT TRUST
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT
START LAUGHING OR SCREAMING JUST OUT OF THE BLUE BECAUSE THEY
MAY SEE OR THINK OF SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE NOTICES THAT IS GOING ON
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT
BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLES JOKES PUNS WISECRACKS INSULTS PUTDOWNS SLAMS
TRICKS ETC
ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM
ARE VERY CREATIVE
SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH AUTISM
MIGHT NOT APPEAR TO BE LISTENING VERY CLOSELY AND DO OTHER THINGS AT THE SAME
TIME
SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE HARDER
FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH RIGHT FROM WRONG OR GOOD FROM
BAD
IT IS HARDER FOR PEOPLE WITH
AUTISM TO UNDERSTAND LYRICS WHEN LISTENING VERY CLOSELY TO MUSIC
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM NEED TO BE
GIVEN CHOICES WHEN THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT
SAY THEY WANT TO STOP SOMEWHERE OR THEY MAY NOT SAY THEY SEE SOME PLACE THEY
WANT TO STOP AT AND YOU JUST DRIVE RIGHT PAST THE PLACE THEY SEE OR THAT THEY
WANT TO STOP AT AND THEY MAY GET VERY SURPRISED OR UPSET IF YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN
THE ROAD AND THE DRIVER DOES NOT STOP THATS BECAUSE THE DRIVER THINKS NOBODY
WANTS TO STOP BUT REALLY THE PERSON WITH AUTISM DOES BUT THE REASON THEY WILL
NOT SAY THEY WANT TO STOP IS BECAUSE THE PERSON WITH AUTISM THINKS THE DRIVER
ALREADY KNOWS WITHOUT TELLING HIM OR HER
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM THINK
OTHERS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING ALL THE TIME
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY TRY TO
KEEP THEIR CLOTHING OFF OF THEIR BODIES BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT LIKE THE WAY IT
FEELS ON THEIR SKIN OR THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY HAVE THE CLOTHING ON
THAT THEY DO SO THEY MAY JUST TRY TO KEEP TAKING THEIR CLOTHING OFF
ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM
MAY HAVE SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT GET
SAME SOUNDING WORDS MIXED UP THAT HAVE DIFFERENT MEANINGS AND SPELLINGS SUCH AS
KNOW AND NO FOR FORE AND FOUR TWO TOO AND TO MALE AND MAIL WINE AND WHINE DOE
AND DOUGH KNIGHT AND NIGHT BARE AND BEAR POOR POUR AND PORE WRITE RITE AND RIGHT
GREAT AND GRATE FARE AND FAIR DEAR AND DEER
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM NEED TO BE
TOLD IF THERE WILL BE A CHANGE IN THEIR ROUTINE
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT
TAKE THINGS AS SERIOUSLY AS NORMAL PEOPLE DO
IT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM TO HAVE SOMEBODY FOLLOWING THEM SO CLOSELY THAT THEY CANNOT
SEE THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE BEHIND THEM
SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH AUTISM
MAY NOT KNOW WHEN THEY BECOME THIRSTY AND NEED TO DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS
AUTISM USED TO BE BLAMED ON
POOR PARENTING BUT NOW THEY KNOW IT IS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM IN THE BRAIN
SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY
NOT LIKE TO TALK ON THE TELEPHONE BECAUSE PEOPLES VOICES SOUND DIFFERENTLY OVER
THE TELEPHONE THAN THEY DO IN PERSON AND IT IS ALSO HARD TO UNDERSTAND WORD FOR
WORD WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT LIKE TO TALK OVER THE
MICROPHONE BECAUSE THEY CAN ACTUALLY HEAR THEIR VOICE SOUND DIFFERENTLY AND IT
MIGHT MAKE THEM NERVOUS TO HEAR THEIR VOICE SOUND DIFFERENTLY
SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY
NOT LIKE THE WAY CIGARETTE SMOKE SMELLS MORE THAN NORMAL PEOPLE
SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY
NOT GET DIAGNOSED UNTIL THEY ARE AT AN OLDER AGE
SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY
THINK SOME THINGS ARE FUNNY AND START LAUGHING WHEN THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY AT
ALL
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT SAY
OR DO THINGS THAT THEY THINK ARE VERY VERY FUNNY AND THEY THINK IT WONT GET THEM
INTO TROUBLE BUT THEY DONT UNDERSTAND WHY IT GETS THEM INTO TROUBLE AND SINCE
THEY THINK IT IS VERY FUNNY THEY ASSUME THAT EVERY BODY ELSE THINKS IT IS FUNNY
TOO
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RUDE
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT TRY
TO SAY OR PRONOUNCE WORDS THE EXACT WAY THEY ARE SPELLED
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE ALOT
MORE PROBLEMS WITH ALLERGIES LIKE MOLD POLLEN DUST AIR POLLUTION SMOKE
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO
JUMP SWING SPIN STAND ON THEIR HEAD BE IN WATER STOMP THEIR FEET
BECAUSE THEY HAVE SENSORY PROBLEMS
THERE ARE ALOT OF THINGS THAT
NORMAL PEOPLE WOULD CONSIDEER THEM BEING RUDE BUT PEOPLE WITH AUTISM WOULD
CONSIDER THEM FUNNY
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT
RECOGNISE WHERE A PERSONS YARD STOPS ANOTHER BEGINS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO
KEEP A ROUTINE SET UP AND IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN THAT IS NOT SET UP IN
THEIR ROUTINE THERE MIGHT BE A CHANCE OF SERVICE PROBLEMS UNLESS YOU LET THEM
KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IF THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY CHANGE IN THEIR ROUTINE
ALOT OF THE TIME PEOPLE WITH
AUTISM MIGHT THINK THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING GOOD WHEN NORMAL PEOPLE THINK THEY
ARE BAD SO INSTEAD OF PUNISHING THEM TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT THEY DID WAS
BAD BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE PUNISHING THEM FOR
SINCE PEOPLE WITH AUTISM DO NOT ASSOCIATE PUNISHMENT AS HAVING TO DO WITH
SOMETHING THEY DID WRONG
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT
LIKE TO USE A MIRROR BECAUSE OF THE REVERSE EFFECT FOR INSTANCE IF SOMEONE WITH
AUTISM IS WASHING THEIR FACE ON THE RIGHT SIDE IN A MIRROR TO THEM IT WOULD LOOK
LIKE THEY WOULD BE WASHING THE LEFT SIDE OF THEIR FACE WHICH CAN CAUSE ALOT OF
STRESS AND CONFUSION
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM WILL
ALWAYS NEED TO BE PREPARED AS TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AHEAD OF TIME SO THERE
WONT BE ANY DISASTERS BECAUSE OF ANY SURPRISES
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT
LIKE TO PLAY SPORTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALOT HARDER TIME UNDERSTANDING THE RULES
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT HAVE
THEIR OWN SET OF RULES THAT THEY EXPECT EVERYONE TO FOLLOW THEM AND THERE MIGHT
BE A DISASTER IF THEY DONT FOLLOW THEM PROPERLY
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT
LIKE TO TAKE THEIR MEDICATIONS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT REALIZE WHAT IT IS FOR OR
THEY DO NOT LIKE THE WAY IT TASTES SINCE THEY HAVE STRONGER SENSES
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO
KEEP A ROUTINE SET UP AND IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN THAT IS NOT SET UP IN
THEIR ROUTINE THERE MIGHT BE A CHANCE OF SEVERE PROBLEMS UNLESS YOU LET THEM
KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IF THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY CHANGES IN THEIR ROUTINE
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT
LIKE TO EAT CERTAIN TYPES OF FOODS BECAUSE OF THE TEXTURE TASTE SMELL AND LOOKS
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM GET LOST
ALOT EASIER AND QUICKER IN CLOSED CONCEPT BUILDINGS LIKE COLUMBUS EAST HIGH
SCHOOL THAT HAVE SO MANY FLOOR TO THE CEILING WALLS AND HARDLY NO WINDOWS INSIDE
THE BUILDING AND WITH PEOPLE WITH AUTISM GETTING TEASED AND PICKED ON ALOT
BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IF THE PARENTS HAVE A CHILD IN SCHOOL WITH AUTISM PLEASE
DO EVERY THING YOU CAN DO TO GET YOUR CHILD THEIR OWN RIDE DURING SCHOOL TIME
BECAUSE YOUR CHILD OR RELATIVE OR FRIEND OR ADVOCATE DOES NOT DESERVE TO GO
THROUGH GETTING TEASED AND PICKED ON ALOT OR GETTING LOST ALL TIME BECAUSE OF
THEIR AUTISM
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT LIKE
TO HOARD THINGS THAT THEY SEE THEY WANT
PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT CUSS
BECAUSE THEY HAVE HEARD THE WORD SAID OUT LOUD AND THEY
THOUGHT IT SOUNDED REALLY FUNNY BUT THEY DO NOT REALIZE WHAT IT REALLY MEANS
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth."
-- Albert Einstein, letter to a friend, 1901
"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education."
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to William C. Jarvis, September 28, 1820
"What's the point of vaccination if it doesn't protect you from the unvaccinated?"
-- Sandy Gottstein
"Who gets to decide what the greater good is and how many will be sacrificed to it?"