Autism Therapy: Awareness
Autism Awareness Month. Walks everywhere. People are holding all sorts of awareness events. It’s so remarkable. Many parents remember where the Autism “movement” was 20 or more years ago. I can’t even imagine how lonely and isolating that must have felt. I only remember how our family felt in 2002 upon hearing our oldest son’s diagnosis. It changed our lives forever.
At first, it was crippling. Heartbreaking. We chose to tell very few people. Only family members and a few select friends. Family understood. Friends tried, but they didn’t. How could they? I even had one say, “why are you acting this way? He isn’t dead!”
She was right. But our hopes and dreams for him changed. As any special needs parent understands.
He showed promise in the area of art, so we enrolled him in an area art program. He excelled. And a side benefit: he gained confidence and social skills. It was so amazing to see this child blossom.
As I volunteered in h
is classroom, I had the opportunity to work with children who were severely impacted by autism. Back then, we didn’t have the luxury of occupational therapists or physical therapists in the classroom to work with our kids. I had the pleasure of working with a child who touched my heart and changed my life: Gabriel. Yes, Gabriel was an angel. But not at first. He had unmanageable behaviors. Outbursts in the classroom. No one else could be taught because someone always had to re-direct Gabriel. That’s where I came in.
I sat down w
ith Gabriel. We started simply at first. Taking blank pieces of paper and chunky crayons (he was 14 at the time and no one had ever taught him how to grip a crayon or pencil). We scribbled together. I let him lead. After a while, he could scribble on his own. And he was able to sit down for longer periods of time without re-direction. Yea Gabriel!
I will always remember Gabriel. He and our oldest son helped us hatch the seed that is now “our baby”. The Dockery Foundation and Art for Autism. Founded in 2006. I saw that if art could help Gabriel and our son (who were on either ends of the autism spectrum), art could help almost every child impacted by autism.
My husband, both of our sons and me…we have truly been blessed by our autism community. We have been received so much love and support over the years from a very generous community. Families who have volunteered their time for our board of directors, generous benefactors who have donated time and money, and the wonderful families themselves. I smile whenever I think about the little ones scribbling with chunky crayons. Whenever I attend one of our events, I look around and think about Gabriel all those years ago and wonder how he is. And if he will ever know what an angel he was to me.
