Early autism encounter teaches writer lifelong compassion

Photo: Stephanie Secrest

File this post under the heading: No life experience goes wasted. When I was in about third grade I had the opportunity to volunteer in a class at my elementary school that served special needs kids.

What set these children apart? At the time, I had no idea.

They were a little different, maybe a little slower than my friends and I. Also, they all happened to be boys. Mostly, I just knew their teachers sometimes could use a hand in escorting them to the library, keeping an eye on them on the playground or guiding them in wielding a paint brush for an in-class art lesson. To my 8-year-old self, acting as a mini-mentor was fun and made me feel important. I felt a particular connection to one little boy named Michael. He had dark hair, broad round eyes and a ready smile. I remember his face lighting up when he’d see me and holding his hand as I led him from to the cafeteria or to tasks around the classroom. It wasn’t until years later when I learned about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that I recognized that Michael and his classmates each fell somewhere on the spectrum.

I don’t know what happened to Michael as he grew older or what contributions he went on to make in his family or community. I know that he infused in me a lifelong compassion, patience and affection for those with ASD. When I learned that the university where I formerly worked offered a program that helps academically capable students with ASD make the transition from high school to college, I knew I had to write about it. And I wanted to take care that the reader came to know the program participants as individuals, much like any college student navigating the demands of time management, roommate relations and parental expectations. Read the results in Autism Interventions: The earlier the better, or never too late? CSUEB scholars and experts say ‘yes’ to both

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