Summary Of Sue's Story

Sue's story is remarkable. I find it hard to explain what autism is because it can be so different for everyone. Autism Speaks defines “autism is generalized by characteristics that affects a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others and repetition of behaviors”. It's hard to imagine what autism may be like, yet Sue's story gives a glimpse of what it is like for her. Sue wanted to bring people into the world of autism because for a long time before she could not communicate, her world was difficult to explain. Letting people into her world of autism is a courageous act; she is allowing herself to be so vulnerable. Her story is just that-hers; she is not trying to umbrella what autism may be like for everyone. Sue wants to enlighten

Sue expresses that even when she could not communicate, which made her feel not like a person, she was always well taken care of. She never felt alone, even when she retreated into her own world of autism there was always someone there to pull her out. She is aware of her "ticks” and her "peculiar actions and movements that take over her body." She is curious to know what autism is and why she does these "awful autistic things". It was explained that .Sue refers to her behavior as "killer autism behavior", such as self-abusive that includes head banging and biting. Her and her team fought to get her a helmet for when the impulsive are to strong and she cannot make it into the bedroom for a pillow to bang her head. She lives on her own with assistance. Her assistances off her the opportunity to go shopping, visit her family, attend college and make trips to her favorite spot-the horse

When she was first tested, her IQ was low, having a mental age of a 2 ½ year old. Her family was devastated, her mother thought Sue's future would be extremely limited. As parents, it was heart breaking to see their child in such a distort manner. They thought their daughter would have a limited opportunity in life, if she could get a job it would be cleaning tables; a job for “retarded people”. Factors that contributed to Sue's struggle was that she did not have a way to communicate. Sue admits that she was a terrible subject when it came to using technology to help her communicate due to her behavior. Progress was slow, but Sue states it was "as if her mind decide to wake up". Sue was reassessed after she started to communicate and the results of her IQ were high. From there on her parents knew that she had to be in a regular program for her education. Sue finds that her need to carry spoons adds to her appearance of being “retarded”. She cannot explain why but spoons are her comfort. Water zones her out. Sue claims that when she sees water that is the autistic part of her brain taking