AngeGirl2007's Journal

Hi there!

It's nice to meet you!

My name is Matthew.

What's yours?

I act different.

I talk different.

I do things you might not understand.

That's because I have autism.

What's autism?

I'm glad you asked.

Autism means my brain works just a little bit differently than yours.

When I was little, I didn't talk.

I wouldn't look at anyone.

And I didn't like to be touched.

When Momma tried to hug me, I cried because it hurt.

I have an older brother

but we never really played together.

Instead we played beside each other.

I would spin the wheels of my cars and trains.

I would walk in circles around my house.

While my brother played with my toy fire truck,

I carried around the ladders.

I liked to tap my fingers to my mouth, flap my hands,

and jump up and down.

When I was tired or really super excited,

these things would help me to feel good.

Having autism made it hard for me

because I couldn't tell Momma

if I was happy or sad or if I didn't feel good.

Momma was sad too.

When I was old enough to go to school

I was placed with other kids like me.

My teachers worked real hard

to teach me sign language.

That's when you use your fingers to talk.

I learned to talk with my hands and Momma did too.

My teachers also taught me to use picture cards

to express myself.

Soon I used both my hands and pictures.

After a while I started to say some simple words.

Momma learned to use pictures too

and helped me any chance she got.

She taught me colors by playing a board game with a train

that had differently colored cars.

She taught me letters by reading to my brother and me.

And she would play along with me when we watched Blue's Clues.

Psst...Blue's Clues is still my favorite!

I'm thirteen years old now.

I still have autism.

I will always have autism.

But I can do things now that I couldn't do before.

I have my school clothes ready the night before.

I help Momma with dishes and she helps me cook things

like eggs, Ramen Noodles, and turkey burgers.

I can make coffee too.

I even know to put creamer in for Grandpa.

When I was little, Momma helped me take a bath, get dressed.

She even brushed my hair and teeth for me.

Now I can do these things for myself.

Autism makes it hard for me to make friends

because most people don't understand my behaviors.

They think I'm being mean or just plain weird.

That makes me sad sometimes.

Even though it's hard for me I do like to be with people.

They just have to approach me carefully.

Sometimes I get scared if they don't.

I do like to play and I like to give hugs.

Just ask Momma.

Momma says my name means “special gift of God.”

She says that's what I am too.

She says she's lucky to be my momma.

I think I'm the lucky one.

Now that we've met come over some time.

I can fix you some coffee, we can look at some books.

Maybe even play Blue's Clues.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

See you soon!