BY SIMONE SMITH
Good Week Toronto Caribbean readers. I am happy that many of you have been following this series, Pervasive Development Disorders; Autism, it cannot be ignored.
Some great things have come from writing this series. One of the greatest outcomes is that there is a better understanding of what Pervasive Developmental Disorders are. We are learning together that not everyone communicates in this world the same way. Many of us take for granted how easy it is for us to go to the store, pick up something, communicate with the sales clerk, pay for the item and leave. This sequence of events can be very difficult for some people, and many of them do not even know why these tasks are so difficult. My joy is researching and learning alongside the readers; this week, I will be featuring one of my families who have had to face Autism head on. I am proud of them because they have faced it and learned from it. I have had the opportunity to work closely with the family, and their story continues to move me. I would like to present to you, Issa’s Story.
Issa Ibrahim is a friendly, fun loving child who is full of energy and loves to be around people. Issa was developing at the same level as his cohorts, but his mother Marian noticed that at the age of three, his words began to disappear. This worried her and caused a great deal of anxiety as she watched her son lose himself in his own world. Instead of ignoring the issue that was in front of her, she decided to educate herself on what was happening to her child. Marian and her older children decided that they would do some research and discovered that Issa did in fact have Autism. As we know, Autism runs on a spectrum and Issa was diagnosed with moderate to severe Autism.
With moderate to severe Autism, a developing child has extreme difficulties expressing themselves and this can lead to self-injurious behavior. Behavior issues like biting, screaming, temper tantrums and excessive crying are prevalent with children who have moderate to severe Autism. When Marian noticed that this behavior was beginning to spiral out of control, she decided to look for help outside the home. This brought her to Erin Oaks. It was time for her to learn more about the disorder, which would allow her to work with Issa at home.
Marian started to attend parent coaching sessions along with seminars that were put on by the staff at Erin Oaks. Now, this was not an easy task for her. She also had to take one of her other children, who happens to be homeschooled, to extracurricular activities in Toronto. This meant that she was commuting back and forth from Toronto to Oakville three to four times a day. We all know what this can be like. It takes on average forty five to ninety minutes getting from midtown to the suburbs. Marian did this willingly, without complaints five days a week and continued to attend seminars in the evening. She was determined to develop strategies that would enable her to teach Issa at home. She prided herself on her ability to learn the strategies, and then transfer them to working with Issa.
We have watched Issa go from a child who would be unable to go out in public without causing a scene, to being able to go to Tim Horton’s with mom and their parenting coach Nate. Nate raves about Issa’s ability to stand in line, order with mom what he wants and leave the Tim Horton’s like any young growing boy can with his family. Mom continues to credit Nate and the other supportive workers at Erin Oaks for helping her with Issa. They still have some challenges to face, but with such a dedicated family and a strong support system, Issa will be able to develop into an independent man.
Here is what I would like everyone to take from this story. We all have struggles. We all feel like our struggles are unique; in a way they are, but we must understand that there are others experiencing events in their lives that are similar to yours. The more we are able to share our stories and open up about some of the issues occurring in our community, the better it will be for everyone. Sharing our stories can not only help others, but help to strengthen the community from the inside out. Let us continue to share with each other, encourage each other and seek refuge with each other. Stay blessed readers and enjoy your week! Until next time, stay focused on positive thoughts and know that your situation does not determine your outcome.
