Autism spectrum disorder is a complex condition that impacts brain development and affects a person鈥檚 social relationships, communication, interests and behaviour: Province of British Columbia definition
This was a celebration for Ryan and Charles, and for inclusiveness and understanding.
Dorothy Peacock Elementary (DPE) Grade 7 students Charles Munro and Ryan Laface have been best buddies and classmates since kindergarten.
For seven years, they鈥檝e shared a special bond, and have had each other鈥檚 backs.
Ryan and Charles have autism 鈥� and hope the lessons shared with their school on April 11, during the Walnut Grove school鈥檚 first ever DPE Autism Awareness Assembly and Celebration, will prove invaluable.
鈥淢illions of people have autism, but they鈥檙e living good lives,鈥� Ryan said. 鈥� is helping these children in B.C. to do activities.鈥�
Ryan hoped the presentation would change people鈥檚 attitude about autism.
鈥淲hoever doesn鈥檛 know, it鈥檚 a disorder, not a disease,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome people make jokes about autism and I鈥檓 tired of that.鈥�
How special was this day to those at the school closest to Charles and Ryan? The question caused DPE special education assistant Sandi Binding to cup her hand over her mouth, her eyes welling with tears.
鈥淭hese kids鈥� they amaze me,鈥� she said, her voice shaking with emotion. 鈥淛ust their strength and their perseverance to power whatever is put in front of them is amazing. This is their last year here, and this is about letting them shine.鈥�
鈥淭his is my passion,鈥� Binding added. 鈥淚鈥檝e worked with these two boys since kindergarten and this is part of this, is seeing them come so far.鈥�
Binding said she and the DPE team of autism awareness members had 鈥渨orked tirelessly鈥� to prepare for the celebration, while raising $1,250 thus far for the through the sales of 134 T-shirts (featuring an 鈥業t鈥檚 not autism, it鈥檚 awetism鈥� logo designed by a DPE Grade 7 student), a jersey campaign, and other fundraising initiatives.
The afternoon included a presentation from Charles and Ryan along with the , followed by a short film about autism, and a 鈥渇ractured fairy tale鈥� called Cinder-Awesome (co-written by Charles and DPE intermediate resource teacher Adam Knowlson) about a princess with autism.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of fractured fairy tales out there, but this one is by far the best I鈥檝e ever seen,鈥� said Ryan, who narrated the play with Charles.
鈥淥ur goal for all of this is to raise autism awareness and teach children how to be a good friend to someone with autism,鈥� Binding said.
Charles told the audience 鈥渨hen we wear (DPE) blue (shirts) it鈥檚 not only keeping the conversation of autism going around, but it鈥檚 also making sure those with autism and their families don鈥檛 feel alone.鈥�
A journey together
Serendipity brought the boys together, and helped answer questions that Ryan鈥檚 parents had about their son.
鈥淚 knew there was something wrong with him at two-and-a-half,鈥� Ryan鈥檚 mom Michelle said. 鈥淏ut with the pediatrician we had, it just wasn鈥檛 happening. I was very fortunate that Jackie, Charlie鈥檚 mom, was connected to me because they both were in the class (in kindergarten). She helped guide me through that process of having him diagnosed (with autism) because the school knew there was something wrong with him.鈥�
Jackie was the first person Michelle had met who has an autistic son.
鈥淪he totally supported me,鈥� Michelle said.
Michelle remembers the day Ryan was diagnosed. 鈥淚 did not sleep that whole night. It just engulfs your whole being.鈥�
Jackie said, 鈥淲hen you get the diagnosis, they give you the pamphlets and it鈥檚 almost like, 鈥榦kay, good luck.鈥� Then you have to go find the treatment for them, and find out what treatment suits your family because there鈥檚 lots out there, and find out what works for you, what doesn鈥檛 work for you, and about funding, and about a therapist鈥︹��
The boys have been in every class together all through their time at DPE.
鈥淚f one鈥檚 having a bad day, the other one steps up,鈥� Michelle said. 鈥淭hey are a support for each other.鈥�
鈥淭hey have each other鈥檚 back,鈥� Jackie said.
The thought of them being split apart brings Michelle to tears.
鈥淚鈥檓 emotional because, I don鈥檛 know what they鈥檙e going to do next year, if they鈥檙e not going to be here anymore,鈥� she said.
鈥淭hey won鈥檛 be in the same class so they won鈥檛 have that support system as much,鈥� Jackie noted.
For both families, the has been there every step of the way.
鈥淚 found them when my son was five, and it鈥檚 amazing to go to (their) programs,鈥� Jackie said. 鈥淚f my kid鈥檚 going to have a meltdown on the floor, it doesn鈥檛 matter. You don鈥檛 feel like you鈥檙e alone and I think that鈥檚 the biggest thing: to feel you are part of a bigger group and there are more people out there.鈥�
The progress Ryan and Charles have made since kindergarten amazes their moms.
鈥淭hey probably couldn鈥檛 sit in the classroom for 25 percent of the day when they first started kindergarten, and now they are completely different boys, and I give all the credit to the staff at the school,鈥� Michelle said.
鈥淭his (presentation) is a dream they鈥檝e had since last year,鈥� Jackie said, 鈥渁nd the school has let them have this dream, and let them shine, and to be able to let them shine and be themselves, and show the school who they really are, and what autism is.
They want friendships, too. They may not know how to go about it, and they may go about it a different way but they want acceptance just as much as everybody else.鈥�
One in 66 children diagnosed
April is Autism Awareness month in B.C., and a recent report from the Public Health Agency of Canada shows one in 66 Canadian children and youth ages five to 17 are on the autism spectrum.
Laurie Mawlam, the executive director at Autism Canada, says the report shows that the prevalence of autism is on the rise.
鈥淩egardless if this increase is due to better diagnostics, increased awareness or increased incidence, there is an urgent need for a national autism strategy. This long awaited Canadian data will be invaluable for planning and budgeting for services to support Canadians living with autism.鈥�
The finding is based on analysis of 2015 data supplied by six provinces and one territory.
troy.landreville@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on
