The State of Otistik Address

By: JR Tan, teen with autism

The newspaper about the article showing youth making fun about autism

1. Do not tease or ridicule the person with autism.

2. Try to understand the person for who he/she is.

3. When encountered with “different” behavior like tapping of spoon and fork, flapping of hands, or saying odd sounds like “al-al” or humming do not laugh or snicker or make fun of them because they cannot control it.

4. Do not be disgusted “huwag madiri” with us. We are also humans created by God.

5. Be a friend to someone with autism. Listen to their problems and tell them it’s ok because that’s how life is. It’s difficult but we have to face the challenges.

6. For siblings. They should not give up on their brother/sister who is different. Do not get mad, don’t be frustrated easily. They should love them.

7. For parents, do not exasperate their children with autism. But love them. Give them the right care, and teach the child. If parents don’t know how to teach their child with autism, it’s better to ask help from professionals. If your child with autism is crying or having tantrums, leave them alone for a while (but still supervised) until they calm down. Odd behaviors like flicking of light switches, ask them to stop. For behaviors that are hard to control, parents should seek professional advice from doctors and therapists.

8. Have a support group. Gather parents with children of autism, friends with autism and w/o autism, talk about the different issues. Have games, go out to different places. Have exposure trip to different events so that they will get used to the world around them. The child with autism will realize that there is a world, outside their world.

9. Go to the nearest government agency and ask for assistance. (Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (Dep Ed), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Local Government Units (LGU) or the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).

10. Parents of children with autism should help one another. Ask help from other friends.Sign up to be a member of ASP. Autism is still misunderstood by many. It is often associated with a tragedy that happened in the family. Many still unaware what the real cause of autism is, and why it is so prevalent. I often wonder if people know the meaning of otistik or autistic? Otistik. Autistic. A "person" who has autism. He is a person first, before the autism. Autism is a part of that person.

Autism is still misunderstood by many. It is often associated with a tragedy that happened in the family. Many still unaware what the real cause of autism is, and why it is so prevalent. I often wonder if people know the meaning of otistik or autistic? Otistik. Autistic. A "person" who has autism. He is a person first, before the autism. Autism is a part of that person. Click here to read the rest of the story.