Autism spectrum disorder is a complex condition that impacts brain development and affects a personâs 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, theyâve shared a special bond, and have had each otherâs backs.
Ryan and Charles have autism â and hope the lessons shared with their school on April 11, during the Walnut Grove schoolâs first ever DPE Autism Awareness Assembly and Celebration, will prove invaluable.
âMillions of people have autism, but theyâre living good lives,â Ryan said. â is helping these children in B.C. to do activities.â
Ryan hoped the presentation would change peopleâs attitude about autism.
âWhoever doesnât know, itâs a disorder, not a disease,â he said. âSome people make jokes about autism and Iâm tired of that.â
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.
âThese kids⊠they amaze me,â she said, her voice shaking with emotion. âJust 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.â
âThis is my passion,â Binding added. âIâve worked with these two boys since kindergarten and this is part of this, is seeing them come so far.â
Binding said she and the DPE team of autism awareness members had âworked tirelesslyâ to prepare for the celebration, while raising $1,250 thus far for the through the sales of 134 T-shirts (featuring an âItâs not autism, itâs awetismâ 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 âfractured fairy taleâ called Cinder-Awesome (co-written by Charles and DPE intermediate resource teacher Adam Knowlson) about a princess with autism.
âThereâs a lot of fractured fairy tales out there, but this one is by far the best Iâve ever seen,â said Ryan, who narrated the play with Charles.
âOur goal for all of this is to raise autism awareness and teach children how to be a good friend to someone with autism,â Binding said.
Charles told the audience âwhen we wear (DPE) blue (shirts) itâs not only keeping the conversation of autism going around, but itâs also making sure those with autism and their families donât feel alone.â
A journey together
Serendipity brought the boys together, and helped answer questions that Ryanâs parents had about their son.
âI knew there was something wrong with him at two-and-a-half,â Ryanâs mom Michelle said. âBut with the pediatrician we had, it just wasnât happening. I was very fortunate that Jackie, Charlieâs 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.â
Jackie was the first person Michelle had met who has an autistic son.
âShe totally supported me,â Michelle said.
Michelle remembers the day Ryan was diagnosed. âI did not sleep that whole night. It just engulfs your whole being.â
Jackie said, âWhen you get the diagnosis, they give you the pamphlets and itâs almost like, âokay, good luck.â Then you have to go find the treatment for them, and find out what treatment suits your family because thereâs lots out there, and find out what works for you, what doesnât work for you, and about funding, and about a therapistâŠâ
The boys have been in every class together all through their time at DPE.
âIf oneâs having a bad day, the other one steps up,â Michelle said. âThey are a support for each other.â
âThey have each otherâs back,â Jackie said.
The thought of them being split apart brings Michelle to tears.
âIâm emotional because, I donât know what theyâre going to do next year, if theyâre not going to be here anymore,â she said.
âThey wonât be in the same class so they wonât have that support system as much,â Jackie noted.
For both families, the has been there every step of the way.
âI found them when my son was five, and itâs amazing to go to (their) programs,â Jackie said. âIf my kidâs going to have a meltdown on the floor, it doesnât matter. You donât feel like youâre alone and I think thatâs the biggest thing: to feel you are part of a bigger group and there are more people out there.â
The progress Ryan and Charles have made since kindergarten amazes their moms.
âThey probably couldnât 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,â Michelle said.
âThis (presentation) is a dream theyâve had since last year,â Jackie said, âand 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.â
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.
âRegardless 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.â
The finding is based on analysis of 2015 data supplied by six provinces and one territory.
troy.landreville@blackpress.ca
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