Autism spectrum disorder is a complex condition that impacts brain development and affects a person害羞草研究所檚 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, they害羞草研究所檝e shared a special bond, and have had each other害羞草研究所檚 backs.

Ryan and Charles have autism 害羞草研究所� and hope the lessons shared with their school on April 11, during the Walnut Grove school害羞草研究所檚 first ever DPE Autism Awareness Assembly and Celebration, will prove invaluable.

害羞草研究所淢illions of people have autism, but they害羞草研究所檙e living good lives,害羞草研究所� Ryan said. 害羞草研究所� is helping these children in B.C. to do activities.害羞草研究所�

Ryan hoped the presentation would change people害羞草研究所檚 attitude about autism.

害羞草研究所淲hoever doesn害羞草研究所檛 know, it害羞草研究所檚 a disorder, not a disease,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪ome people make jokes about autism and I害羞草研究所檓 tired of that.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭hese kids害羞草研究所� they amaze me,害羞草研究所� she said, her voice shaking with emotion. 害羞草研究所淛ust 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.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭his is my passion,害羞草研究所� Binding added. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e worked with these two boys since kindergarten and this is part of this, is seeing them come so far.害羞草研究所�

Binding said she and the DPE team of autism awareness members had 害羞草研究所渨orked tirelessly害羞草研究所� to prepare for the celebration, while raising $1,250 thus far for the through the sales of 134 T-shirts (featuring an 害羞草研究所業t害羞草研究所檚 not autism, it害羞草研究所檚 awetism害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渇ractured fairy tale害羞草研究所� called Cinder-Awesome (co-written by Charles and DPE intermediate resource teacher Adam Knowlson) about a princess with autism.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lot of fractured fairy tales out there, but this one is by far the best I害羞草研究所檝e ever seen,害羞草研究所� said Ryan, who narrated the play with Charles.

害羞草研究所淥ur goal for all of this is to raise autism awareness and teach children how to be a good friend to someone with autism,害羞草研究所� Binding said.

Charles told the audience 害羞草研究所渨hen we wear (DPE) blue (shirts) it害羞草研究所檚 not only keeping the conversation of autism going around, but it害羞草研究所檚 also making sure those with autism and their families don害羞草研究所檛 feel alone.害羞草研究所�

A journey together

Serendipity brought the boys together, and helped answer questions that Ryan害羞草研究所檚 parents had about their son.

害羞草研究所淚 knew there was something wrong with him at two-and-a-half,害羞草研究所� Ryan害羞草研究所檚 mom Michelle said. 害羞草研究所淏ut with the pediatrician we had, it just wasn害羞草研究所檛 happening. I was very fortunate that Jackie, Charlie害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

Jackie was the first person Michelle had met who has an autistic son.

害羞草研究所淪he totally supported me,害羞草研究所� Michelle said.

Michelle remembers the day Ryan was diagnosed. 害羞草研究所淚 did not sleep that whole night. It just engulfs your whole being.害羞草研究所�

Jackie said, 害羞草研究所淲hen you get the diagnosis, they give you the pamphlets and it害羞草研究所檚 almost like, 害羞草研究所榦kay, good luck.害羞草研究所� Then you have to go find the treatment for them, and find out what treatment suits your family because there害羞草研究所檚 lots out there, and find out what works for you, what doesn害羞草研究所檛 work for you, and about funding, and about a therapist害羞草研究所�害羞草研究所�

The boys have been in every class together all through their time at DPE.

害羞草研究所淚f one害羞草研究所檚 having a bad day, the other one steps up,害羞草研究所� Michelle said. 害羞草研究所淭hey are a support for each other.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hey have each other害羞草研究所檚 back,害羞草研究所� Jackie said.

The thought of them being split apart brings Michelle to tears.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 emotional because, I don害羞草研究所檛 know what they害羞草研究所檙e going to do next year, if they害羞草研究所檙e not going to be here anymore,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淭hey won害羞草研究所檛 be in the same class so they won害羞草研究所檛 have that support system as much,害羞草研究所� Jackie noted.

For both families, the has been there every step of the way.

害羞草研究所淚 found them when my son was five, and it害羞草研究所檚 amazing to go to (their) programs,害羞草研究所� Jackie said. 害羞草研究所淚f my kid害羞草研究所檚 going to have a meltdown on the floor, it doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter. You don害羞草研究所檛 feel like you害羞草研究所檙e alone and I think that害羞草研究所檚 the biggest thing: to feel you are part of a bigger group and there are more people out there.害羞草研究所�

The progress Ryan and Charles have made since kindergarten amazes their moms.

害羞草研究所淭hey probably couldn害羞草研究所檛 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,害羞草研究所� Michelle said.

害羞草研究所淭his (presentation) is a dream they害羞草研究所檝e had since last year,害羞草研究所� Jackie said, 害羞草研究所渁nd 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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淩egardless 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.害羞草研究所�

The finding is based on analysis of 2015 data supplied by six provinces and one territory.

troy.landreville@blackpress.ca
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