I posted this on http://www.ageofautism.com/ today. It's an award winning poem from a second grader whose older brother has autism. This could be the start of her writing career - isn't that neat? What a terrific child she is. We often get so wrapped up in dealing with our child(ren) with autism, we forget that there's a family there as well - and the sibs have a special row to hoe. It's not easy. In fact, it's the premise of my next book - fiction. I'm ready to dig in to that story now.
Managing Editor's Note: An Age of Autism reader named Allison T. sent us this lovely poem by her daughter. Congratulations, Carolyn, on winning the Northern Virginia Award of Excellence for Literature. You're a wonderful little sister to Jackson.
Artist's Statement:
My brother Jackson inspired me to write a poem. He has autism and I think that makes him beautiful because he is different from other 10 year old boys. And being different is beautiful. I always feel safe with him around because he is not a bully. He does not pick on me like most older brothers or boys do. He is kind to me. He makes me happy and plays with me. I trust him to always love and care for me. He has a good heart.
A brother named Jackson
Understands the way things work
Tells his feelings
Is always respectful
Special to me
Makes great movies on his video camera
Is not a bully
So kind
Before I was born he did not have autism
Every time I show up, he is happy
Always nice to little kids
Usually he doesn’t need help with work
Tells the truth
Is in control of himself
Follows directions
Unbelievable kid
Listens to music once and he can copy it by heart
Caroline T.
2nd Grade
Sleepy Hollow Elementary
4 comments:
Wow.
The sibs are the unsung heros.
What a great poem!
This is great, thanks for posting. Agree that sibs can get the short end of the attention stick.
How about a regular ( say, monthly) "Family Corner" or "Kids Corner" on Age of Autism that highlights writings by sibs, cousins, others?
--Em's Mom
Here's something with more evidence than your epidemic-incidence-raising "journalism".
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=link-between-autism-and-vinyl
Could the rise in use of fertility drugs be responsible? Maybe.
Measles and rubella can actually kill infants, or should they infect expectant mothers, give them birth complications or miscarriages.
Measles was all but stamped out since 1996, and now in the past 2 years, reported cases are on the rise.
I'm sorry for what you have to go through as a mother. I experience 2nd hand as an Autism Behavioral Instructor. But blaming doctors is not going to cure your child's (or anyone's for that matter) autism. And thousands could actually die from negligent journalism like yours.
Andrew Wakefield's study wasn't "censored". It was discredited because he was essentially paid by parents of autistic children to find a link between vaccines and autism so that they could have somebody to blame (and sue). And he's been making a killing (morbid pun not intended) ever since with his growing cult of the willfully misinformed.
I love this. Thanks so much for sharing!
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