World Autism Awareness Day
April 2nd marks the 16th World Autism Awareness Day. This year, the event is themed “Care for autistic children; stand by autistic workers and caregivers of autistic people”.
Children living in welfare institutions don’t receive the necessary early intervention they need to develop their full potentials. The following is a story of Xueying, a sensitive and withdrawn boy.
Xueying
Many people thought Xueying was “abnormal”. He was always seen wandering alone on the playground, or staring blankly at the window, or staying away from other children and quietly watching them. His footprint could be found all over the institution but he seemed interested in nothing particular.
He was a little different from other children and if you visited his class, you would notice him at first glance. He neither cried in a new environment nor took delight in any new explorations. He seemed an outsider of the environment and just stood there staring blankly at the ceiling.
I walked over and asked him: “Hey, babe. What’s your name? What are you looking at? Would like to show me what you see?” He turned to me slowly and stared at me without any facial expression, as if I was no different from the ceiling.
“Do I look cute?” I asked him jokingly. For half a second, the corner of his mouth twitched and then he turned to stare up at the ceiling again. I caught that subtle change in his facial expression even though it was fleeting. I thought to myself: “He must want to say something.” I tried to take his hand, but he withdrew it quickly as if he touched something horrible, then he took two steps sideways timidly, stood by a wall and kept shaking his head.
That was the first time I had met the boy. He was eight, mentally delayed, withdrawn and mute. I felt it so challenging to communicate with him.
At my PE classes, Xueying just stood at a corner of the playground and watched other children attend the activities in order. I walked over to him and said: “Let’s go have some fun, shall we?” The moment he turned to look at me, I took his hand. He tried to break free but I held his hand tightly. To divert his attention, I pointed to the other children and said with a smile: “Let’s go and enjoy ourselves!” Then we joined the group at full pelt. Everybody had a great time. “Are you happy?” I asked Xueying. He smiled and nodded.
That was the first smile he ever gave me. It was faint but pure. At that moment I knew the boy was happy and I could get closer to him.
How time flew! A year has passed and Xueying has attended a great many PE classes. Now he enjoys playing games, lying on the lawn, picking strawberries and dreaming big dreams with other children.
The children and I often play the game “policeman and thieves”. “I’m a policeman. I will catch you……” I shout. At my words, Xueying starts to run like crazy and as he runs, he keeps looking back for fear that I might catch him. I catch him anyway. I scoop him into my arms and we spin together excitedly. Xueying beams big bright smiles. Those smiles seem to light up his world.
“You stole my fruits！”I kidded.
Xueying shook his head with a smile.
“What’s your name?”
“Shue—Yong,” he said, one word at a time.
Even though the words were not clear enough, they overjoyed me. I felt his desire to talk and grow.
“I beg your pardon?” I encouraged him to say it again.
“Xue-Reng”
He tried his best to say every word clearly. I was so touched that tears welled up in my eyes. It was hard to believe that the little boy who used to do nothing but stare blankly at the ceiling now learned to say his name. Those were his first words, indistinct but powerful.
Xueying has surprised me more than once and I think I need update my understanding of children with special needs. I have no idea what magic power drives these children to learn and grow but I know it does exist. One day, the children were required to line up for physical exercises. Some children forgot their positions and the line was messy. Like a little busy bee, Xueying bustled about to help put every child in order.
“Xueying, who should stand on your left?” I asked him.
“Yang-yang!” he said with a smile while moving Yangyang to his left.
“And the position on your right?”
“He-min” he said as he prompted Hemin to take that position.
Another big surprise---he said the names of other children. At that moment, his face glowed with pride as if he wanted to tell me that he had friends too.
For typical children of the same age as Xueying, it’s nothing out of the ordinary to say other children’s names and get a couple of close friends. But here in the sports program for children with special needs, each small progress matters as it gives expression to a child’s extraordinary journey of struggle and marks a new beginning of his/her life.
There are many more touching stories to come. Chunhui mamas believe that each child has the right to learn and have fun with their peers. They try their best to create a nurturing environment and help the children develop secure attachment with them so that each child could unleash their fullest potentials.