Stephen
Tuesday, January 1, 2008

I'm on the spectrum

As a toddler, I was nonverbal, viewed as "too sick" to be treated on an outpatient basis and recommended for institutionalization. However, my parents, who had no background in autism or child development, saw that I could lead a fulfilling and productive life. They believed in me and helped me get to where I am today - a recent Ed.D. recipient who completed a doctoral dissertation on matching best practice to the needs of people on the autism spectrum.

Although I have had success in marriage, employment and other areas of my life, there are two important things to keep in mind. The first is that a lot of hard work was needed to achieve these goals. Second, I am still on the autism spectrum and face challenges everyday. My sense is that one of the important keys to success is learning how to work with and navigate around the many challenges autism brings. 

It is my mission to combine my personal, practical and academic experiences regarding autism as I work with children, present and consult internationally on issues pertaining to education, relationships, employment, advocacy and disclosure.

One of the most important things to remember is that the potential of people with autism - just like all others - is unlimited. With current educational/developmental/behavioral approaches, sensory integration and biomedical interventions, and research, we can make a high degree of success for people with autism the rule rather than the exception.