When school started this year, I knew that I wanted to sit down with Eddieâs class early on. I wanted to explain those unique attributes that Eddie possesses due to his blindness. Sometimes, out of learned politeness, children are afraid to ask questions about Eddie because they donât know if itâs âOK.â I wanted to make sure, from day one, that there was always an open dialogue about his blindness and his autism behaviors.
I began by explaining the obvious differences. We talked about braille and tactile graphics, and the kids passed around some of Eddieâs favorite books. Then, we talked about his cane, and how it is a helpful tool. We also had to talk about guide dogs, because kids naturally go there next. One child even brought up the concept of a guide pony, which surprisingly does exist.
The kids that shared Eddieâs classroom last year were quick to add knowledge that they had learned by observing him over the past year. For example, when I began discussing some of Eddieâs behaviors related to Autism, I mentioned that he throws tantrums sometimes. One student said, âYeah, and heâs really loud.â I had to agree, because Eddie can get really loud.
I then explained that he gets so upset because some things that we donât even notice, can be painful for him. I said that when he usually gets mad, it is because he canât tolerate a certain sound, or something is hurting him that we donât understand. I told the kids that it wasnât quite the same as when they got upset if they didnât get their way; that Eddie was actually hurting sometimes and he just canât tell us why.
It is hard enough to explain Autism to adults, so I wasnât sure how to easily explain it to the kids. However, when I mentioned that sometimes Eddie hurts, one little boy looked at me like I was missing the obvious. He quickly added, âWhy doesnât he just take an ibuprofen?â I couldnât help but laugh as I told him that it just wasnât that easy for Eddie, however, thanks for the advice.
Even though I know these kids wonât fully grasp the extent of Eddieâs differences in the first grade, I think itâs important to get the conversation started. Not only did I explain some things, but I added some tips for them to use to talk to Eddie. For example, I explained that he canât see them on the playground, so it helps if they say âHiâ to him first. These little ideas will help them realize that Eddie is just a kid like them, and will give them opportunities to include him, when maybe they donât know how.