Here are some extracts from the, pages of my diary; wherein, I have tried to understand Autism, not the way it is described in science, but as and when I (as a father) discovered them, and with which I could relate it to.

(Though they all melt down to all that has been already mentioned in the books; discovering them to be existing in Vedant - was a unpleasant experience)

I had realised that Vedant was going the Autistic way, much before his condition could be diagnosed.

A request to the reader:
Please do not see this as a substitute for any other medical literature or medical advice. It does not merit being source of knowledge and was not intended to be one

These were my own observations:

1. My Child is not growing the way he should have
2. He doesn’t look at me; when I ask him to
3. Doesn’t talk
4. Resists a change
5. Finds it difficult to communicate, chooses gestures to verbal communication
6. Pick up words, when broken in to parts: e.g.: The word Aeroplane; was taught; as Aero – (ro plane), thus picked up his first word
7. Insists on sameness of working patterns
8. Shows a presence of echolalia (repeats what is being told)
9. Displays sudden bouts of emotions – which cannot be reasoned
10. Is not very social; finds socialising very uncomfortable situation
11. Does not respond to normal (General) methods of teaching
12. Prefers, mechanical objects, like trains, cars, etc, anything which moves – but in linear direction
13. Enjoys visuals of spinning objects, creates a whirlpool in the bucket of water
14. Has a high pain bearing capacity (high threshold level)
15. Has underdeveloped gross skills cannot walk or run independently; stomps rather than walking
16. Motor Skills not very well developed, finds it difficult to write, with a normal pencil, needs the pencil to be placed within a pencil holder for gripping it
17. Shows unexplained liking for anything that has some prominence
18. Has a difficulty in sleeping, has to really make an effort while attempting to sleep.
19. Has aversion to certain types of foods, (Rejects milk outright; but relishes Ice Creams!!! Kulfi’s being his favourite)
20. Is at times, very hyper physically
21. Apparently, has underdeveloped, senses of Vision, Auditory, Touch (Tactile), Gustatory (Taste); Equilibrioceptive (balance), Proprioceptive (movement), Nociceptive (sense of pain)
22. Has a difficulty in reception, perception, interpretations, inference, and hence when reacting to stimuli; apparently displays some kind of mental impairment
23. Creates an imaginative world around himself, talks to himself, (as if talking to another child), plays both the characters in the game. (If he is the engine driver in the game, the passenger is the imaginative character, whose role is also played by himself )
24. Good at identifying and recreating small visuals;- like identification of numbers in figures (responds to anything that is digitised)
25. Finds it difficult to recreate anything, if explained in analogue mode. (Could not be taught Alphabets, when attempted to teach the entire individual alphabet, at one go. But responded, very well, when the writing pattern, was broken in to bits, and synchronised to create the ultimate figure of the individual alphabet.
26. Responds excellently, when explained with a stress on Audio – Visual – Tactile - sensory inputs.
27. Chooses to express abstracts with visual aids. Night is “Black Black - Night”. Morning is “White White Morning”
28. For the first time, reacted to a stimuli and displayed emotions of fear, when he saw the visuals of Durga Devi, in the aggressive form, in cartoon series called “Tenali Raman”

The conditions interplay, thus inhibiting the functioning of his normal senses and intelligence. Some of them are weaning off, and some are at their peak. Some have appeared, lately.

This being my first post; I wish to use this space, to express my gratitude to mainly three people who helped me through it.
1)VEDANT – My Son: Who’s condition made, me sit up and question all that I thought I had learnt; once again
2)Mr. Sridhar Vembu: For creating this platform, and sharing his views. Most of which, question the basic conventions that we follow. Keep up the spirit Sir.
And above all
3)Ms Srividaya Ganesh, who helped me through it all. In whom I found a sister. Thanks Sri, for everything that you did and are doing for me.

I intend to keep posting, to find like minded people, who are not willing to take any thing anymore at face value.

This attempt is not to talk about something that has not been said, read, or known of. But a small attempt to reconcile the known facts and work a way to address our difficulties, in our own way.

Not to keep waiting in the dark for some one else to show us the way, but to light the candles of our will and pave a path to light.

The best way you could help me, in achieving my aim, is to ensure that you do opine, on the contents. Criticise it, appreciate it, say anything that comes to mind, but make it a point to give your inputs.

I shall remain obliged to one and all, for your time comments and suggestions