New job

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Ok so last Monday I started my new job as a teaching assistant at a school for children with disabilities.

Mondays to Wednesdays I work in a class for students with ASD's and generally they are considered low functioning.

In particular, I've been quite successful in communicating with one of the students who does not talk, but "stims" quite intensely and practically all the time, including a load of vocal noises. He has a lot of little sensory obsessions (water, flicking book pages, drumming on a drum).

I've been engaging him by approaching him with something relating to his sensory stims and stimming with him. He responds by taking my hand and placing it on the relevant object - thus communicating to me his desire for me to carry on "doing the stim". Today, after sweeping the floor with a broom to clear up, he brought the broom to me again and I realised that he loves it when I sweep the floor. And yesterday, when I was drumming for him, he knelt on the floor right up close to me and was watching me intensely.

The fact that he now wants me to be a part of his stimming is quite touching, it feels like a kind of success.

I realise this is naturally part of my job, but up until now all the Autistic people I've interacted with have been to some degree high functioning, so it is... "easier"(?) to communicate with them. I'm so happy <3

I thought this post might be from Tim Tex...oh well, I guess I have too much confidence.

huh

From my experience, people on the spectrum use a lot of symbolism in their nonverbal communications. I've noticed the symbolism often works very well when trying to convey emotions. Words seem so incomplete.

^Agreed. Also, I find that my non-verbal communication is much better with others on the spectrum.

I agree. For a long time now I've said that words are the lowest form of communication.

HOORAY FOR OTHER FORMS OF COMMUNICATION!!