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"What Autism Means to Me"
Mae's Speech at the 7/95 ASA Conference

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mae and I am twelve years old. I am from Lake Grove, NY. This is on Long Island, which is west of New York City and known for its beautiful beaches. I go to Dawnwood Middle school, and will be an eighth grader in September and because of my high grades, I was inducted into the National Jr. Honor Society this year. I go to regular classes with the rest of the people in my school. I am, however, an included student and have an aid to help me get organized or to calm me if I get overwhelmed. I have been going to regular classes with an aid for two years and have had the same aid for both of those years so we have become close friends. In the sixth grade, my aid had to write notes and assignments for my because a symptom of my autism is that if I write fast my hand writing becomes illegible. Last summer I got a notebook computer and for most of that summer I learned to type, so I can use it in school. Now, I can use my computer to take notes, and do my homework, without someone to write it for me. This has allowed me to do my work as quickly as the other students and spend more time on class work.

To me one of the most common misconception many people make about autism, is that most autistic people can not learn as fast as other children without autism. For me this is not the case, because I have gotten better grades then most of the kids in my classes, so this shows that autistic people can learn at the same speed or , faster then others. I have to work harder to be in regular classes then other kids.

I have had some problems with being autistic. One problem I had was people teasing me because I am different, and no one wanted to except me as I am. There was one girl that was about my age was always teasing me because I was autistic. I was more effected by this when I younger but now know to ignore it. Another problem I have with my autism, is that I have to carry 30 pounds of books and a heavy computer to school every morning. A more serious problem is that I am literal. When I was in the sixth grade my chorus teacher said that we should be quiet and not even breathe. I thought that he was trying to kill us. I knew that most of us could hold our breath for only a minute or two, I thought we would all suffocate. This got me very annoyed at him. When I got home that day, I told mom that the teacher was trying to kill us She explained that it was a saying, and the teacher was not trying to kill us. All that was just a figure of speech.

I also have sensitive hearing so this can be a problem because loud sounds sound louder to me. Background noises can distract me from my work. I have gotten better but things like vacuums and power drills still bother me.

Some of the things and people that helped me with my autism are, my parents, because they fought for me to get into regular schools and classes since I was a baby, and they supported me. They told me that I was autistic from the beginning, and when I had a problem I knew why instead of getting frustrated. Teachers who have taken the time to understand what I am able to do and accepted me as an intelligent person. My aid who helped me in school and helped me understand how to act socially. My knowledge of computers, especially my notebook computer. My brother and sister who always accepted me as a real person. One other thing that has helped me is television, because it has instructed me on what other, so called normal people do, helped me understand jokes and figures of speech, and I have learned a lot about sciences and wildlife on educational television too!.

I have many plans for the future. One of my plans is to find a cure for AIDS. I would also like to make interracial harmony in the future. Most of my plans are to go to collage and become a scientist

In closing, I want to thank Mrs. Donnelly for inviting me here to this conference to speak up about my disability, and the Nassau\Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America, The Lake Grove Lions Club and Middle Country SEPTA for sponsoring mine and my mother's trip here to beautiful Greensboro NC and a special thanks to all friends who came to cheer me on. Thanks you all!!!

(This speech was given at the ASA National Conference in Greensboro NC July 11 to 15 1995. Mae was part of Julie Donnelly's Speaking for ourselves Panel Young adults with autism that she does every year. Mae was by far the youngest person ever to do it being 12 .)

Please send e-mail comments to Mae's Mom


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