Learn More about Children on the Autism Spectrum! See the Awareness Kit!
April 2nd is the World Autism Awareness Day. The term autism was introduced to child psychiatry in 1943 by Leo Kanner, who presented 11 cases of children with distinctive behavior. He calls the new syndrome “early childhood autism” and characterizes it as “the child’s inability to connect with people in the normal way.”
Autism means solitude, self-isolation and is one of the great mysteries of children’s abnormal development. Autism is a type of generalized developmental disorder that affects the development of the brain, hence the behavior of the person, and appears in the first three years of life as an abnormal development with specific characteristics. It occurs in approximately 15 out of every 10,000 births and is four times more common in boys than in girls. It is common throughout the world, in families of all racial, ethnic and social groups.
Having a child is like driving on a liquid highway. You have just caught the direction and whoop – the asphalt runs in another direction and you have to take it. Then, most unexpectedly, the asphalt hardens, the terrain calms down and you say to yourself: “Ah, I’ve got this, I know how to do this” and whoop – the asphalt liquefies again, the road changes its direction and, above all, the speed of hardening this time is different… Children grow, change and we adapt with them to meet their changing needs. When children are with typical development, one draws more or less from one’s childhood memories and from the experiences of friends and relatives. However, having a child with autism is a huge challenge and constant, daily learning.
Virginia Vasileva, child psychologist and psychotherapist at Karin Dom
WHAT IS AUTISM?
Autism is a developmental disorder that affects the ability to communicate and relate to others. It is characteristic of the condition autism, both in children and in adults, that they are not able to communicate in an adequate way. Their abilities to form friendships and understand the feelings of others are impaired. A large number of them also have a lack of fear in the face of real danger, increased or decreased sensitivity, sudden bursts of crying for no reason, intolerance to touch, problems with eating and sleeping. People with autism can often have delayed intellectual development as well. Everyone with this condition has difficulty understanding the world around them. The autism spectrum is broad. There is a so-called Asperger’s syndrome, which is at the upper functional end of the autism spectrum.
Autism Awareness Kit
MESSAGE BRACELET – ORDER HERE
In a show of empathy for people on the autism spectrum, mothers of children on the autism spectrum made these bracelets as a symbol of acceptance and understanding of their different children.
The bracelets contain a blue puzzle piece (symbol of autism) and 5 different messages from parents of children on the autism spectrum:
- Kids don’t want to play with my son because he’s different. You can change that by learning more about Niki and children on the autism spectrum!
- Kids think Sammy is rude, but he’s just clumsy! You can change that by learning more about Sammy and children on the autism spectrum!
- Children think that Mitko does not want to have friends, but he just communicates in a different way! You can change that by learning more about Mitko and children on the autism spectrum!
- Kids think Niki doesn’t want to play with them, and he just doesn’t know how! You can change that by learning more about Niki and children on the autism spectrum!
- Sometimes they think Alice is ill-mannered and spoiled, and she just can’t control her emotions! You can change that by learning more about Alice and children on the autism spectrum!
Order a bracelet with a message from the Karin Dom Social Enterprise HERE
Helpful Resources: What is Autism? and A Handbook to Help Teachers of Mass Kindergartens
WHAT DO CHILDREN ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM WANT US TO KNOW?
Because language is very difficult for a child with an autism spectrum disorder, they orient themselves primarily visually. It’s better to show them how to do something instead of explaining it. And be prepared to show them many times. The many consecutive repetitions help them learn. Children with autism spectrum disorder interpret language very literally. Idioms, puns, linguistic nuances, ambiguous expressions, things that are supposed to be “implied”, metaphors, allusions and sarcasm are incomprehensible to them.
And finally, don’t forget three words: Patience, Patience, Patience.
Karin Dom supports children on the Autistic spectrum. Support them too! Be empathetic and learn more!
#karindomvarna #karindom #karindom #2April #autism
The campaign is implemented under the project “Full and complex early support for children with special needs and their families to improve their well-being and reduce the risk of social exclusion” of Karin Dom, financed by the Program “Development of Human Resources”.
