Going into middle school is stressful. You have to figure out what everyone is wearing, learn the new school, and make new friends. This is a job for a healthy teen. But what about a teen with autism? This is what Haley Moss had to deal with. At age three, when Haley still hadn't learned to talk, she was taken to the doctor. This is when she was diagnosed with autism. She had a mild case but was still making it hard for her to learn completely normal. She started speaking at age four. A few years later than most children.
Haley had it easier than most children with autism. She had a mild case, and aside from being a little shy, and not eating very much at lunch, she appeared to be pretty normal. On the other hand, many children with autism, never learn to talk. They repeat things over and over again and don't have any knowledge on creating a social life. They can't go to normal schools and attend normal classes. Their whole life has been impaired. As many as one in every 110 children, suffer from autism. These children need Haley's help. They will have the same troubles that Haley did and some will have it worse than her. They need her tips on how to be as normal as possible in their school setting.
Haley, at age 15, wrote a book for exactly this reason. "Middle School: "The Stuff Nobody Tells You About," was written and illustrated by Haley to help other children with autism get through school and not be bullied all the way through. This book is filled with advice for autistic students. She tells of her experiences and gives advice to other teens about how to get through the same things with out so much trouble.
Three of the tips in her book are as follows:
1. Ask for help if you are confused about something
Many autistic children are very detail oriented and miss the big picture. Spend some time determining the theme of a book or the main idea. This often helps to get the mind off of the small details. If you still don't understand, find and adult or sibling to help you through it.
2. Learn about what is 'in' and talk about it
If you don't have any idea about what the fashion trends or technology trends are, it is going to be much harder to have a nice conversation with someone. Even if some of the things don't interest you, learn about them. That way, if someone brings up the topic, you will know what they are talking about, instead of just sitting there and having no clue. The best way to fit in with the crowd in middle school is to be like everyone else. If you are different, people don't like you. Learning the trends is one way to help with this.
3. Trust your parents
You may think someone is your friend, but really, they are just out to make fun of you. This is when a good relationship with you parents comes in handy. Share your secrets with them. They will not tell anyone, where as, someone you tell at school will share it with their friends, and then they share it with their friends, and then they share it with their friends, and before you know it, the whole school knows the secret that was only told to one person.
Also, talk to your parents about things that are told to you at school. They can help you interpret things that you don't understand. Sarcasm, for example. Someone may say something sarcastically and you take it seriously and then they make fun of you for not understanding. You parents can help you with all of this. They are the best ones to talk to. You can trust them and they wouldn't do anything to hurt you.
If you have autism or know someone that does, this may be helpful to you. Read my article, read the original attached above, and lastly, read Haley's book. All of these things can help someone with autism more easily get through middle school.
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