Background 2

My oldest grandson is 9 years old. His name is Eric. He is a sweet, caring little boy who always has a hug for his grandmother (me). Eric loves butterflies, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of them. Eric is also autistic. He was diagnosed when he was 3 years old. The first diagnosis was made in Germany, where my son-in-law was stationed in the Army. The initial diagnosis was "pervasive developmental disorder" and later, when my daughter and her family returned stateside, Eric was diagnosed as autistic. I know a little about autism, having read articles and watched television programs about the disorder, but the one thing I don't know: how he will be affected as he grows up? Will he be able to live on his own? Will he be able to hold a job? Will he be able to raise a family? Will "normal" people see Eric as a person similar to them? I decided to do my Isearch on the challenges facing autistic children as they enter the adult world.

One winter evening, I was sitting in my recliner, watching my 8 month old grandson play with a puzzle. Having raised 5 of my own children, I was somewhat familiar with typical 8 month old behavior. When my children were given a toy to play with, it typically went directly into their mouths and at the most, held their attention for about 5 minutes before they moved onto something else. Not so with Eric. Eric sat quietly on the floor, methodically removing the pieces from their frame, then lining them up end to end on the floor. Eric sat for an hour or more lining up the puzzle pieces. My daughter remarked how smart he was, and I agreed, but I saw something else that made me pause. Could Eric be autistic? I knew from my reading that one trait of autism was the methodical lining up of items, end to end, in an orderly, precise manner.

Previous to Eric's diagnosis, I encountered two individuals diagnosed with autism. One was a young girl about 5 or 6 years old. The little girl thrashed about, kicking and screaming. She made no eye contact and could not be controlled by her grandmother, whom she lived with. The child's mother was unable or unwilling to care for her so it fell to the child's grandmother to provide her with a home. The second person I encountered was a young man about 20 years old who came into the Department of Human Services to apply for food stamps. His mother, who accompanied him, explained that he lost his job because of his "condition". He told me he had "ass-burgers" and I thought his condition must be Tourette's Syndrome. I later read an article in "Time" magazine that talked about Asperger's and realized this is what the young man was talking about. Two children diagnosed with autism, two very different behaviors.

My grandson falls closer to the young man (thankfully) than the girl. I have decided to focus on what opportunities are available to Eric as he matures. How will he navigate this crazy world as he grows up? Will he find a job and are there agencies that can help make the transition from child to adult easier? Can he be self-sufficient? These are some of the questions I hope to find answers to, to be able to support Eric as he grows into adulthood.