Kimberlee Rutan’s eldest son was giggling fiercely, entranced by the 3D tour of Universal Studios she’s googled for him on our computer. He sees the Hagrid Motorcycle ride and gives her the briefest of glances, and she smile and acknowledge that yes, they’ve been on that together. The video is a good twenty minutes long, and she knew that afterwards he will amuse himself with other similar fare, and doesn’t need her anymore to orchestrate his entertainment. Every year he grows more and more independent, small steps away from us doing so much for him.
My boy was diagnosed with autism at the tender age of seventeen months, which was quite an unusual age in 2004. I then threw myself into doing therapy with him for the next year-and-a-half because my state did not recognize an autism diagnosis at that time. My goal was for him to ultimately gain independence from us.
Something interesting has happened during this month-long lockdown.
For years I have been working on fostering independence with self-help skills and chores with Justin, and while we’ve made progress, it’s been incremental. These last few weeks I’ve been seeing a subtle shift in his willingness to do more on his own. I’ve seen it in how he dresses himself in the morning, or bathes himself in the shower at night. It’s taking less nudging for me to get him to use a fork at meals. He’s putting his clothes away at night with less prompting. And I have to say, most importantly, he’s been so compliant with me as I’ve put him through his paces with school, having him do chores, worksheets, and work on the computer since his school shut down.
“I think the shift has to do with the world slowing down, and us being able to focus on the task at hand without having to rush off to do something else.”
We at ABE Clinics believe that kids like Justin can still make more progress with patience and practice. As parents and teachers continue working with each child/individual to acquire more skills towards independence, it will eventually make things easier on the people who will care for our children and students in the future as well as increase the opportunity for independent living and or work skills for each individual.
Educators, caregivers and parents need to see beyond the trying times and look more into the gains from the global slowdown we are currently faced with. For Justin and his mom, they have discovered better ways to achieve more.
ABE Clinics is specialized in helping every child and adult with autism achieve more and live a fulfilled life. This is a great time to start.
Referenced Story by Kimberlee Rutan McCafferty, author and mother to two sons on the autism spectrum and an Autism Family Partner at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).