By: Zahra Najeebullah
Autism is something that can come into anyone’s life, whether a kid, teen, or an adult, and it greatly affects the way a person goes through a normal day in their life. Even though it’s such a big thing, many people are uneducated on this issue and are not aware of what a person with a disorder goes through or the challenges they face.
“Autism has been a part of me since I was born,” Deirdre Sheeler, an autistic teen claims. “There are common traits between people with autism, yes, but autism affects everyone differently.''
The Autism Society’s definition for autism is ”a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others.”
“I’m not really sure how I would define autism personally since I’m still deciding how I define myself,” Deridre said.
Deirdre has Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
According to Spectrum, ASD affects the way people interact with others or verbally or nonverbally, ADD is a disorder where people have trouble listening or staying focused on tasks, and OCD causes panic attacks, depression, or fear.
These disorders have been with her since Deirdre can remember and they really change the way she lives. She said that each one is a piece of her whether she likes it or not.
Raisingchildren.net.au states that, teens or kids with autism usually don't understand the emotions of others. It’s hard for them to communicate with others and often others don’t want to be engaged in a conversation with someone with autism.
“I can’t comprehend subtle comments, sarcasm, and jokes. I just can’t read people’s emotions, so I never know if someone is annoyed with me or not. I usually repeat things I’ve already said before or obsess over one thing for the entire conversation. This makes it hard for people to like me,” Deirdre said.
Deirdre used to hide her diagnoses from her friends. When asked why, she said, “I was afraid they’d reject me.”
When she does tell them, the common responses she would get are “Oh, you don’t look like you have…,” or, “You’re joking, right?”
Many young teens feel alone when it comes to autism. According to Consumer Health News, teens with autism have a bigger chance of going through depression than teens without it.
Deirdre claims that there have been many times in her life when she faced depression and felt lost. “Being different was hard, and it felt like no one understood me or got what I was going through.”
Deirdre has received many remarks about her disabilities from other kids at her school. She said that people would be rude and judge her.
“They would call me retarded or ’the autistic girl’,” she said. “And even though it hurt, I kept reminding myself that I was way more than what they thought of me and that they just didn’t get autism.”
Deirdre’s mom, Alexis Sheeler, shares that Deirdre had autism at an early age. “She had trouble getting along with others when she was younger. She didn’t understand the social rules of friendship.”
Raisingchildren.net.au claims that kids or teens with autism have a hard time understanding facial expressions as well as body language. They also have trouble with solving social problems, like how to sort out disagreements with others.
Deirdre’s mom said that it was hard living with a kid who had a diagnosis. But as a parent, Alexis Sheeler knew that it was her job to protect Deirdre.
“It’s hard to live fearing that your child might feel unhappy or different. I’ve always tried to make sure Deirdre is happy with who she is,” she said.
Alexis Sheeler also pointed out that throughout her childhood Deirdre’s school didn’t do anything for Autism Awareness and a lot of students were uneducated on this topic.
This causes many kids to be ignorant about their peers with autism. And instead of understanding and embracing their differences, they are unfriendly towards those with disabilities.
“I’m tired of having to hear a part of my identity being used as an insult or as a joke. I’m tired of seeing people who are different because of their disabilities being mocked for it,” Deirdre said. ”We should try to educate ourselves and treat each other equally.”
As a high schooler, Deirdre has learned to appreciate herself. ”I had to spent a lot of therapy sessions having to learn how to be “normal” when I should have been learning to love myself.”
Deirdre is just one of many teens with autism. It’s important for everyone to try to educate themselves on it because it’s not easy for a person to go through days where they feel judged and insecure about their disabilities.
Autism is something that can come into anyone’s life, whether a kid, teen, or an adult, and it greatly affects the way a person goes through a normal day in their life. Even though it’s such a big thing, many people are uneducated on this issue and are not aware of what a person with a disorder goes through or the challenges they face.
“Autism has been a part of me since I was born,” Deirdre Sheeler, an autistic teen claims. “There are common traits between people with autism, yes, but autism affects everyone differently.''
The Autism Society’s definition for autism is ”a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others.”
“I’m not really sure how I would define autism personally since I’m still deciding how I define myself,” Deridre said.
Autism is something that can come into anyone’s life, whether a kid, teen, or an adult, and it greatly affects the way a person goes through a normal day in their life. Even though it’s such a big thing, many people are uneducated on this issue and are not aware of what a person with a disorder goes through or the challenges they face.
“Autism has been a part of me since I was born,” Deirdre Sheeler, an autistic teen claims. “There are common traits between people with autism, yes, but autism affects everyone differently.''
The Autism Society’s definition for autism is ”a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others.”
“I’m not really sure how I would define autism personally since I’m still deciding how I define myself,” Deridre said.
Deirdre has Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
According to Spectrum, ASD affects the way people interact with others or verbally or nonverbally, ADD is a disorder where people have trouble listening or staying focused on tasks, and OCD causes panic attacks, depression, or fear.
These disorders have been with her since Deirdre can remember and they really change the way she lives. She said that each one is a piece of her whether she likes it or not.
Raisingchildren.net.au states that, teens or kids with autism usually don't understand the emotions of others. It’s hard for them to communicate with others and often others don’t want to be engaged in a conversation with someone with autism.
“I can’t comprehend subtle comments, sarcasm, and jokes. I just can’t read people’s emotions, so I never know if someone is annoyed with me or not. I usually repeat things I’ve already said before or obsess over one thing for the entire conversation. This makes it hard for people to like me,” Deirdre said.
Deirdre used to hide her diagnoses from her friends. When asked why, she said, “I was afraid they’d reject me.”
When she does tell them, the common responses she would get are “Oh, you don’t look like you have…,” or, “You’re joking, right?”
Many young teens feel alone when it comes to autism. According to Consumer Health News, teens with autism have a bigger chance of going through depression than teens without it.
Deirdre claims that there have been many times in her life when she faced depression and felt lost. “Being different was hard, and it felt like no one understood me or got what I was going through.”
Deirdre has received many remarks about her disabilities from other kids at her school. She said that people would be rude and judge her.
“They would call me retarded or ’the autistic girl’,” she said. “And even though it hurt, I kept reminding myself that I was way more than what they thought of me and that they just didn’t get autism.”
Deirdre’s mom, Alexis Sheeler, shares that Deirdre had autism at an early age. “She had trouble getting along with others when she was younger. She didn’t understand the social rules of friendship.”
Raisingchildren.net.au claims that kids or teens with autism have a hard time understanding facial expressions as well as body language. They also have trouble with solving social problems, like how to sort out disagreements with others.
Deirdre’s mom said that it was hard living with a kid who had a diagnosis. But as a parent, Alexis Sheeler knew that it was her job to protect Deirdre.
“It’s hard to live fearing that your child might feel unhappy or different. I’ve always tried to make sure Deirdre is happy with who she is,” she said.
Alexis Sheeler also pointed out that throughout her childhood Deirdre’s school didn’t do anything for Autism Awareness and a lot of students were uneducated on this topic.
This causes many kids to be ignorant about their peers with autism. And instead of understanding and embracing their differences, they are unfriendly towards those with disabilities.
“I’m tired of having to hear a part of my identity being used as an insult or as a joke. I’m tired of seeing people who are different because of their disabilities being mocked for it,” Deirdre said. ”We should try to educate ourselves and treat each other equally.”
As a high schooler, Deirdre has learned to appreciate herself. ”I had to spent a lot of therapy sessions having to learn how to be “normal” when I should have been learning to love myself.”
Deirdre is just one of many teens with autism. It’s important for everyone to try to educate themselves on it because it’s not easy for a person to go through days where they feel judged and insecure about their disabilities.
Autism is something that can come into anyone’s life, whether a kid, teen, or an adult, and it greatly affects the way a person goes through a normal day in their life. Even though it’s such a big thing, many people are uneducated on this issue and are not aware of what a person with a disorder goes through or the challenges they face.
“Autism has been a part of me since I was born,” Deirdre Sheeler, an autistic teen claims. “There are common traits between people with autism, yes, but autism affects everyone differently.''
The Autism Society’s definition for autism is ”a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others.”
“I’m not really sure how I would define autism personally since I’m still deciding how I define myself,” Deridre said.
Deirdre has Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
According to Spectrum, ASD affects the way people interact with others or verbally or nonverbally, ADD is a disorder where people have trouble listening or staying focused on tasks, and OCD causes panic attacks, depression, or fear.
These disorders have been with her since Deirdre can remember and they really change the way she lives. She said that each one is a piece of her whether she likes it or not.
Raisingchildren.net.au states that, teens or kids with autism usually don't understand the emotions of others. It’s hard for them to communicate with others and often others don’t want to be engaged in a conversation with someone with autism.
“I can’t comprehend subtle comments, sarcasm, and jokes. I just can’t read people’s emotions, so I never know if someone is annoyed with me or not. I usually repeat things I’ve already said before or obsess over one thing for the entire conversation. This makes it hard for people to like me,” Deirdre said.
Deirdre used to hide her diagnoses from her friends. When asked why, she said, “I was afraid they’d reject me.”
When she does tell them, the common responses she would get are “Oh, you don’t look like you have…,” or, “You’re joking, right?”
Many young teens feel alone when it comes to autism. According to Consumer Health News, teens with autism have a bigger chance of going through depression than teens without it.
Deirdre claims that there have been many times in her life when she faced depression and felt lost. “Being different was hard, and it felt like no one understood me or got what I was going through.”
Deirdre has received many remarks about her disabilities from other kids at her school. She said that people would be rude and judge her.
“They would call me retarded or ’the autistic girl’,” she said. “And even though it hurt, I kept reminding myself that I was way more than what they thought of me and that they just didn’t get autism.”
Deirdre’s mom, Alexis Sheeler, shares that Deirdre had autism at an early age. “She had trouble getting along with others when she was younger. She didn’t understand the social rules of friendship.”
Raisingchildren.net.au claims that kids or teens with autism have a hard time understanding facial expressions as well as body language. They also have trouble with solving social problems, like how to sort out disagreements with others.
Deirdre’s mom said that it was hard living with a kid who had a diagnosis. But as a parent, Alexis Sheeler knew that it was her job to protect Deirdre.
“It’s hard to live fearing that your child might feel unhappy or different. I’ve always tried to make sure Deirdre is happy with who she is,” she said.
Alexis Sheeler also pointed out that throughout her childhood Deirdre’s school didn’t do anything for Autism Awareness and a lot of students were uneducated on this topic.
This causes many kids to be ignorant about their peers with autism. And instead of understanding and embracing their differences, they are unfriendly towards those with disabilities.
“I’m tired of having to hear a part of my identity being used as an insult or as a joke. I’m tired of seeing people who are different because of their disabilities being mocked for it,” Deirdre said. ”We should try to educate ourselves and treat each other equally.”
As a high schooler, Deirdre has learned to appreciate herself. ”I had to spent a lot of therapy sessions having to learn how to be “normal” when I should have been learning to love myself.”
Deirdre is just one of many teens with autism. It’s important for everyone to try to educate themselves on it because it’s not easy for a person to go through days where they feel judged and insecure about their disabilities.
According to Spectrum, ASD affects the way people interact with others or verbally or nonverbally, ADD is a disorder where people have trouble listening or staying focused on tasks, and OCD causes panic attacks, depression, or fear.
These disorders have been with her since Deirdre can remember and they really change the way she lives. She said that each one is a piece of her whether she likes it or not.
Raisingchildren.net.au states that, teens or kids with autism usually don't understand the emotions of others. It’s hard for them to communicate with others and often others don’t want to be engaged in a conversation with someone with autism.
“I can’t comprehend subtle comments, sarcasm, and jokes. I just can’t read people’s emotions, so I never know if someone is annoyed with me or not. I usually repeat things I’ve already said before or obsess over one thing for the entire conversation. This makes it hard for people to like me,” Deirdre said.
Deirdre used to hide her diagnoses from her friends. When asked why, she said, “I was afraid they’d reject me.”
When she does tell them, the common responses she would get are “Oh, you don’t look like you have…,” or, “You’re joking, right?”
Many young teens feel alone when it comes to autism. According to Consumer Health News, teens with autism have a bigger chance of going through depression than teens without it.
Deirdre claims that there have been many times in her life when she faced depression and felt lost. “Being different was hard, and it felt like no one understood me or got what I was going through.”
Deirdre has received many remarks about her disabilities from other kids at her school. She said that people would be rude and judge her.
“They would call me retarded or ’the autistic girl’,” she said. “And even though it hurt, I kept reminding myself that I was way more than what they thought of me and that they just didn’t get autism.”
Deirdre’s mom, Alexis Sheeler, shares that Deirdre had autism at an early age. “She had trouble getting along with others when she was younger. She didn’t understand the social rules of friendship.”
Raisingchildren.net.au claims that kids or teens with autism have a hard time understanding facial expressions as well as body language. They also have trouble with solving social problems, like how to sort out disagreements with others.
Deirdre’s mom said that it was hard living with a kid who had a diagnosis. But as a parent, Alexis Sheeler knew that it was her job to protect Deirdre.
“It’s hard to live fearing that your child might feel unhappy or different. I’ve always tried to make sure Deirdre is happy with who she is,” she said.
Alexis Sheeler also pointed out that throughout her childhood Deirdre’s school didn’t do anything for Autism Awareness and a lot of students were uneducated on this topic.
This causes many kids to be ignorant about their peers with autism. And instead of understanding and embracing their differences, they are unfriendly towards those with disabilities.
“I’m tired of having to hear a part of my identity being used as an insult or as a joke. I’m tired of seeing people who are different because of their disabilities being mocked for it,” Deirdre said. ”We should try to educate ourselves and treat each other equally.”
As a high schooler, Deirdre has learned to appreciate herself. ”I had to spent a lot of therapy sessions having to learn how to be “normal” when I should have been learning to love myself.”
Deirdre is just one of many teens with autism. It’s important for everyone to try to educate themselves on it because it’s not easy for a person to go through days where they feel judged and insecure about their disabilities.