Someone to turn to

Cheryl Avery is looking to start a support group for families dealing with autism.

A general meeting to see how many people would be interested in joining the group will be held at a Labrador City Arena conference room on May 20.

"I'm just trying to get a support group set up for parents in the same position as me, with a child with autism," said Avery. "So we can talk about what's going on with our kids and vent."

Her son Garath was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when he was four years old, she said.

She knew something was wrong when her son would cover his ears around loud noises and went off by himself at birthday parties.

The doctors, she said, never pinpointed why he developed the syndrome and she was baffled because he seemed to develop normally learning how to walk and say his first words.

She did some research and found out that kids with Asperger's have difficulty entering group activities and need to learn how to socialize.

Like a sponge

Despite the syndrome, she thinks that her son is very intelligent because he knows a lot of big words and when he takes an interest in anything, he's like a sponge.

This became evident during the interview for this article when Garath started to narrate a comic that he drew recalling characters from Greek mythology in surprising detail.

"I don't seem to notice any problems," he said. "I feel that (Asperger's syndrome) is a usual something that comes around and you have to get by it sometimes."

He acknowledged that he has problems making friends and that he doesn't like school because he's expected to write tests with long, hard sentences and big words.

The hardest part

"It's hard for me to watch him struggle both socially and academically," explained Avery. "It think that's the hardest part. He impresses me every day with his knowledge about stuff. He's such a happy kid."

She said the first person she turned to when he got diagnosed was the guidance counsellor at A.P. Low Primary School and he started seeing an occupational therapist and speech therapist, as well as attending socializing classes.

She added that Social Services also offered for her son to see a therapist once a week.

He attends regular class at J.R. Smallwood Middle School now as well as special education classes for math, language arts, and socializing.

Avery said that everybody helped along the way, but believes that a support group would have also helped tremendously.

Learn more about autism

She hopes the group will inform parents whose children got diagnosed with Asperger's what services are available and what they should start doing with the child, as well as get autism more known in the community.

"I hope they walk away more knowledge and understanding of autism," she said. "That these kids got something really great to offer if they're just given the chance to do it, and that they're going to go a long way."

"I'd like to involve families, where we can get together and just talk or plan events for the kids and their brothers and sisters, normally what they couldn't get involved in themselves," she adds.

According to her research, Avery estimates there are about one in every 100 kids with autism in Newfoundland and Labrador, and autism ranges from low-functioning to high-functioning like Asperger's.

"Because there's such a broad spectrum of autism, every child is different and has different needs, and hopefully given a chance to be productive in everyday life here in the town and not to be judged because of their autism," she said.

All welcome

Avery added that any families with kids that have autism or a special need are welcome to attend the meeting on May 20.

She hopes that at least five families will come and her goal is to start a group by June, with the help of Christina Dillon from Behavior Child Management Services.

As for her son, Avery knows Garath will have to be taught how to become independent, but she believes that he will probably go to university and lead a successful life.