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"I AM UMBERTO. I HAVE SEVERE AUTISM. I UNDERSTAND REALLY EVERYTHING JUST LIKE NEURO-TYPICAL PEOPLE, BUT I HAVE GOT ISSUES GETTING MY REAL (intentional-how he wants to move) MOVEMENTS CONTROLLED, THAT NOBODY SEES. IT IS TOO HARD TO MOVE APPROPRIATELY. I AM A CHILD OF THE ALMIGHTY LOVING GOD." -Umberto, Age 17, Alabama (Nonverbal) |
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I AM NOT SURE HOW TO DESCRIBE IT. I GET STUCK. MY MOOD GETS STUCK ON MY FACE. IT WON’T STOP NICELY. MY MOM HELPS ME STOP BY TICKLING ME. THEN I CAN SMILE. SOMETIMES MY BODY OBEYS ME. SOMETIMES MY BODY DOESN’T. FOR EXAMPLE, I MIGHT WANT TO SAY ‘I LOVE LEARNING!’ INSTEAD, NOTHING COMES OUT, OR OUT COMES SOME STRANGE COMMENT LIKE, ‘HI LENAE, IS THAT YOUR RENTAL CAR?’ I CAN’T STOP THE COMMENT—IT JUST POURS OUT LIKE A FAUCET. I AM NOT SILLY, I JUST CAN’T STOP THE STREAM OF VOICE COMING OUT. I TRY, BUT EVERYTIME IT COMES IT COMES. I CAN’T SAY WHAT I WANT USUALLY. I ACT LIKE I AM THREE OR FOUR AND I AM TEN YEARS OLD. I UNDERSTAND, BUT I CAN’T SHOW IT WELL. I TRY TO HAVE A QUIET VOICE, BUT IT IS LOUD. FOR MOST OF THE TIME, MY THOUGHTS DON’T COME OUT. I JUST STARE WITH A GRIN OR BLANK FACE WHEN ASKED A QUESTION. I TRY TO TALK, BUT WORDS DON’T COME. I HATE IT—BUT THIS IS LIFE. AT LEAST I CAN PLAY, BUT I AM NOT SILLY AS I ACT."
-Liam, Age 10, Utah (unreliable/limited speech) |