The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki HigashidaMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Autism is a mystery. As the mother of an autistic child told me, "If you've seen one autistic child, you've seen ONE." Each is different. Although I read this book in the hopes of understanding our mildly autistic grandson better, it didn't help that much. At first glance, our grandson looks "neurotypical." However, his autism made kindergarten and the first three grades hell for him. Finally, his parents found a nearby public school with a program for autistic kids. He's doing better, but would rather play Minecraft all day every day than do his schoolwork. Naoki Higashida's autism bears little resemblance to our grandson's. For one thing, Naoki likes to write. He is, according to the book jacket, the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction. Still, both boys share a few traits. Hypersensitivity to sound is one. Zoning out is another. When I used to take our grandson to Occupational Therapy appointments, I'd see autistic kids who continually flapped their hands and made weird noises. I marveled at the way their mothers calmly tolerated all this. Had I read Naoki's book then, I would have gained some insight into the sensory problems that were driving the kids.
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Autism has such a plethora of types. I love that mother's quote. I have taught more than several kids diagnosed with autism and while it is a challenge, it is worth every minute of study. Blessings to you and your grand son.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciate that quote. We all have so much to learn about each other.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I often get the comment, "But your son doesn't LOOK autistic." He is affected, in my opinion mildly until I hear of all of the limitations at school he has on a daily basis.
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