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The information shown below was written by Brad Lain. Brad is 27 years old and was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at the age of 16. It was then, after many years of struggling to find a place in the world where he could live in peace, Brad wrote this paper. At this time he encountered problems relating to the people with whom he was expected to work. Because they had no knowledge of his disability, it was his intention to educate the community with his personal perspective on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Brad does not like to use a keyboard, so the entire paper was created with a paint program. One in which he made all the letters, then, cut and pasted them to form this paper. Brad's paper has been used as training materials by several therapists and social workers. Brad also enjoys sharing his thoughts with almost everyone he meets.

A LIFELONG PUZZLE AFFECTING THE BRAIN

AUTISM IS NOW THOUGHT TO AFFECT ONE IN FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE

PEOPLE WHO HAVE AUTISM DO NOT RECOGNISE FACES AND GET PEOPLE CONFUSED WITH OTHER PEOPLE ALL THE TIME

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM NEEDS A LOT OF PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING

SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH AUTISM DO NOT ASSOCIATE ONE THING AS HAVING TO
DO WITH ANOTHER UNLESS IT IS EXPLAINED TO THEM

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO MAKE ASSOCIATIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED
FOR OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE A LOT OF SENSORY PROBLEMS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO STAY BUSY

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM TAKE THINGS LITERALLY

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THEMSELVES

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM THINK THAT OTHERS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING WITHOUT TELLING THEM

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE VISUAL LEARNERS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM DO NOT UNDERSTAND PUNISHMENT AS HAVING TO DO WITH SOMETHING THEY DID WRONG

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM GET TEASED AND YELLED AT A LOT BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO TEASE AND YELL
AT THEM BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN ACT NORMAL AND AUTISM DOES NOT EXIST

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO SOUNDS AND SMELLS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SOMETIMES HAVE UNUSUAL VOICES

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM DO NOT LIKE TAGS IN THEIR SHIRTS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO CERTAIN TYPES OF CLOTHING

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM NORMALLY DO NOT GET MARRIED OR HAVE CHILDREN

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LOOK NORMAL TO THE UNTRAINED EYE

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TELL OTHER PEOPLES EMOTIONS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY SCREAM YELL OR HIT IF THEY BECOME FRUSTRATED

IT IS HARDER FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM TO BE TOILET TRAINED PROPERLY

SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LOVE THE WAY DEEP PRESSURE FEELS AND THEN SOME DO NOT LIKE TO BE TOUCHED
AT ALL SO IF SOMEONE GETS BUMPED WHO HAS AUTISM THAT MIGHT MAKE THEM GO FLYING OFF THE WALL

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF ABILITIES

AUTISM COMES IN ALOT OF DIFFERENT STRENGTHS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW SEVERAL TASK INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN AT A
TIME UNLESS IT IS WRITTEN DOWN

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT LIKE TO GO TO CHURCH

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT LIKE CROWDS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE MORE TROUBLE FIGURING OUT WHO THEY CAN AND CANNOT TRUST

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT START LAUGHING OR SCREAMING JUST OUT OF THE BLUE BECAUSE THEY
MAY SEE OR THINK OF SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE NOTICES THAT IS GOING ON

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLES JOKES PUNS WISECRACKS
INSULTS PUTDOWNS SLAMS TRICKS ETC

ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE VERY CREATIVE

SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT APPEAR TO BE LISTENING VERY CLOSELY AND DO OTHER THINGS AT THE SAME TIME

SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE HARDER FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH RIGHT FROM WRONG OR GOOD FROM BAD

IT IS HARDER FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM TO UNDERSTAND LYRICS WHEN LISTENING VERY CLOSELY TO MUSIC

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM NEED TO BE GIVEN CHOICES WHEN THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT SAY THEY WANT TO STOP SOMEWHERE OR THEY MAY NOT SAY THEY SEE SOME PLACE
THEY WANT TO STOP AT AND YOU JUST DRIVE RIGHT PAST THE PLACE THEY SEE OR THAT THEY WANT TO STOP AT
AND THEY MAY GET VERY SURPRISED OR UPSET IF YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE DRIVER DOES NOT STOP
THATS BECAUSE THE DRIVER THINKS NOBODY WANTS TO STOP BUT REALLY THE PERSON WITH AUTISM DOES BUT THE
REASON THEY WILL NOT SAY THEY WANT TO STOP IS BECAUSE THE PERSON WITH AUTISM THINKS THE DRIVER
ALREADY KNOWS WITHOUT TELLING HIM OR HER

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM THINK OTHERS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING ALL THE TIME

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY TRY TO KEEP THEIR CLOTHING OFF OF THEIR BODIES BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT LIKE THE
WAY IT FEELS ON THEIR SKIN OR THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY HAVE THE CLOTHING ON THAT THEY DO SO
THEY MAY JUST TRY TO KEEP TAKING THEIR CLOTHING OFF

ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY HAVE SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT GET SAME SOUNDING WORDS MIXED UP THAT HAVE DIFFERENT MEANINGS AND SPELLINGS
SUCH AS KNOW AND NO FOR FORE AND FOUR TWO TOO AND TO MALE AND MAIL WINE AND WHINE DOE AND DOUGH KNIGHT
AND NIGHT BARE AND BEAR POOR POUR AND PORE WRITE RITE AND RIGHT GREAT AND GRATE FARE AND FAIR DEAR AND DEER

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM NEED TO BE TOLD IF THERE WILL BE A CHANGE IN THEIR ROUTINE

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT TAKE THINGS AS SERIOUSLY AS NORMAL PEOPLE DO

IT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM TO HAVE SOMEBODY FOLLOWING THEM SO CLOSELY THAT THEY CANNOT SEE THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE BEHIND THEM

SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT KNOW WHEN THEY BECOME THIRSTY AND NEED TO DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS

AUTISM USED TO BE BLAMED ON POOR PARENTING BUT NOW THEY KNOW IT IS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM IN THE BRAIN

SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT LIKE TO TALK ON THE TELEPHONE BECAUSE PEOPLES VOICES SOUND DIFFERENTLY
OVER THE TELEPHONE THAN THEY DO IN PERSON AND IT IS ALSO HARD TO UNDERSTAND WORD FOR WORD WHAT THEY ARE
SAYING AND PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT LIKE TO TALK OVER THE MICROPHONE BECAUSE THEY CAN ACTUALLY HEAR
THEIR VOICE SOUND DIFFERENTLY AND IT MIGHT MAKE THEM NERVOUS TO HEAR THEIR VOICE SOUND DIFFERENTLY

SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT LIKE THE WAY CIGARETTE SMOKE SMELLS MORE THAN NORMAL PEOPLE

SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY NOT GET DIAGNOSED UNTIL THEY ARE AT AN OLDER AGE

SOME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MAY THINK SOME THINGS ARE FUNNY AND START LAUGHING WHEN THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY AT ALL

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT SAY OR DO THINGS THAT THEY THINK ARE VERY VERY FUNNY AND THEY THINK IT WONT
GET THEM INTO TROUBLE BUT THEY DONT UNDERSTAND WHY IT GETS THEM INTO TROUBLE AND SINCE THEY
THINK IT IS VERY FUNNY THEY ASSUME THAT EVERY BODY ELSE THINKS IT IS FUNNY TOO

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RUDE

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT TRY TO SAY OR PRONOUNCE WORDS THE EXACT WAY THEY ARE SPELLED

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAVE ALOT MORE PROBLEMS WITH ALLERGIES LIKE MOLD POLLEN DUST AIR POLLUTION SMOKE

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO JUMP SWING SPIN STAND ON THEIR HEAD BE IN WATER STOMP THEIR FEET
BECAUSE THEY HAVE SENSORY PROBLEMS

THERE ARE ALOT OF THINGS THAT NORMAL PEOPLE WOULD CONSIDEER THEM BEING RUDE BUT PEOPLE
WITH AUTISM WOULD CONSIDER THEM FUNNY

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT RECOGNISE WHERE A PERSONS YARD STOPS ANOTHER BEGINS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO KEEP A ROUTINE SET UP AND IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN THAT IS NOT SET UP IN
THEIR ROUTINE THERE MIGHT BE A CHANCE OF SERVICE PROBLEMS UNLESS YOU LET THEM KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IF THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY CHANGE IN THEIR ROUTINE

ALOT OF THE TIME PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT THINK THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING GOOD WHEN NORMAL PEOPLE
THINK THEY ARE BAD SO INSTEAD OF PUNISHING THEM TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT THEY DID WAS BAD BECAUSE
THEY PROBABLY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE PUNISHING THEM FOR SINCE PEOPLE WITH AUTISM DO NOT
ASSOCIATE PUNISHMENT AS HAVING TO DO WITH SOMETHING THEY DID WRONG

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT LIKE TO USE A MIRROR BECAUSE OF THE REVERSE EFFECT FOR INSTANCE IF SOMEONE
WITH AUTISM IS WASHING THEIR FACE ON THE RIGHT SIDE IN A MIRROR TO THEM IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THEY WOULD BE
WASHING THE LEFT SIDE OF THEIR FACE WHICH CAN CAUSE ALOT OF STRESS AND CONFUSION

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM WILL ALWAYS NEED TO BE PREPARED AS TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AHEAD OF TIME SO THERE
WONT BE ANY DISASTERS BECAUSE OF ANY SURPRISES

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT LIKE TO PLAY SPORTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALOT HARDER TIME UNDERSTANDING THE RULES

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF RULES THAT THEY EXPECT EVERYONE TO FOLLOW
THEM AND THERE MIGHT BE A DISASTER IF THEY DONT FOLLOW THEM PROPERLY

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT LIKE TO TAKE THEIR MEDICATIONS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT REALIZE WHAT
IT IS FOR OR THEY DO NOT LIKE THE WAY IT TASTES SINCE THEY HAVE STRONGER SENSES

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LIKE TO KEEP A ROUTINE SET UP AND IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN THAT IS NOT
SET UP IN THEIR ROUTINE THERE MIGHT BE A CHANCE OF SEVERE PROBLEMS UNLESS YOU LET THEM KNOW AHEAD
OF TIME IF THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY CHANGES IN THEIR ROUTINE

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT NOT LIKE TO EAT CERTAIN TYPES OF FOODS BECAUSE OF THE TEXTURE TASTE SMELL AND LOOKS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM GET LOST ALOT EASIER AND QUICKER IN CLOSED CONCEPT BUILDINGS LIKE COLUMBUS EAST HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAVE SO MANY FLOOR TO THE CEILING WALLS AND HARDLY NO WINDOWS INSIDE THE BUILDING AND WITH PEOPLE WITH AUTISM GETTING TEASED AND PICKED ON ALOT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IF THE PARENTS HAVE A CHILD IN SCHOOL WITH AUTISM PLEASE DO EVERY THING YOU CAN DO TO GET YOUR CHILD THEIR OWN RIDE DURING SCHOOL TIME BECAUSE YOUR CHILD OR RELATIVE OR FRIEND OR ADVOCATE DOES NOT DESERVE TO GO THROUGH GETTING TEASED AND PICKED ON ALOT OR GETTING LOST ALL TIME BECAUSE OF THEIR AUTISM

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT LIKE TO HOARD THINGS THAT THEY SEE THEY WANT

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM MIGHT CUSS BECAUSE THEY HAVE HEARD THE WORD SAID OUT LOUD AND THEY
THOUGHT IT SOUNDED REALLY FUNNY BUT THEY DO NOT REALIZE WHAT IT REALLY MEANS.

To view additional writings and some wonderful artwork, visit:

Brad Lain

2001