I work with children on the autism spectrum; this job can be extremely rewarding but at the same time difficult. When I first started my relationship in this field I was an intern at an after school program. The children at the after school program were in the age group of about 8 years old to around 20. Each child is very unique: some children in this program are quite high functioning, and can do a lot on their own, while others need quite a bit of help with what seems to be simple tasks.
Every single case of autism is different, there are many variables. One particular child has a hard time speaking and needs help with many things, yet he is able to replicate icons and symbols from movies he has seen with precise motor control; he likes to draw them on chalkboards. He actually enjoys movie credits and will draw all of the actors and actresses names with their role. I knew of one woman on the autism spectrum, if she was told her someone's birth date she would be able to tell you the day on which that person was born.
One sad aspect of my job is that when I read the case reports, I come to find that often times there is some sort of medical disorder that accompanies autism. One child I know had encephalitis, and others have stomach and digestive issues. Another hard aspect of this job is sensitivity to senses. This is when information comes in via sensory organs, and it can cause the person to act very differently than they normally would. The people can have hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity. Each one can cause different impacts; for example, sight over sensitivity can cause objects to appear as if they are moving when they are not, while under sensitivity can cause things to appear darker than they actually are, or a person to miss other features. There are many other things that can occur in the same individual in different settings and different senses.
After my internship in the after school program, I was offered a job as a mentor. I worked with a lot of the same kids, but now, instead of being in a large group, I work one on one with the individual. I will some times take him in the community when he would not be able to otherwise. Also, I help teach and guide him to achieve a higher level of functioning. Overall, I love this job and it has been an amazing experience. I have been working here for a year and I hope to have many more.
