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Autism is a disorder that impairs a person’s ability to communicate and interact. April is Autism Awareness Month and the developmental disability affects one in 36 children and one in 44 adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Anthony Toledano, 22, who is graduating from Hollister High School’s life skills program this year, was diagnosed with autism when he was two years old.
“I couldn’t speak for at least four years,” said Toledano, who moved from Hollister to Gilroy to live in a group home.
He said he is becoming more independent. He does his laundry, makes his bed and prepares his meals with support from the staff at the group home.
Hollister High School Life Skills Teacher Ann Vasquez said individuals with autism deal with numerous social challenges.
“They are not very good at understanding other people’s perspectives, and they need to be taught social skills directly.”
She said that every person with autism is a little different and might have different challenges.
“A regular classroom can overstimulate them,” Vasquez said. “They need more specific or small group teaching, and they need some extra help to regulate themselves.”
According to Ricardo Cornejo, parent support and training coordinator with Special Parents Information Network, people with autism may have poor eye contact and responses, fail to engage when someone’s calling them by their name, and delays with speech, as well as a lot of self-play and self-soothing behaviors.
“It is difficult for most people having an initial diagnosis,” said Cornejo. “It’s life-changing, but with interaction with individuals and families, there is a mixture in the spectrum. They can be very intelligent and very organized, and they can be more expert on certain subjects.”
Autism Awareness Month was begun in April 1970 by psychologist and Autism researcher Bernard Rimland. April was chosen because it was his son’s birthday and the start of spring.
President Ronald Reagan recognized April as National Autism Awareness Month in 1988.
Toledano said he tries to focus on only positive aspects of life, despite some of the challenges he has faced. He said his goal is to move to Santa Rosa next year and work for Recology.
“[Autism] doesn’t really stop me from anything,” he said. “Just be who you are.”
Autism resources
Special Parents Information Network: A nonprofit that offers parent-to-parent support and information network..
Autism Speaks: A national organization that provides services, support and research for autistic individuals and their families.
AbilityPath: Provides long-term guidance for children, adults, and seniors for developmental disabilities in the Bay Area.
UC Davis Autism Distance Education Parent Training: A 10-lesson online learning module for parents with children with autism and other related neurodevelopmental disabilities.
California Autism Professional Training and Information Network: A cross-agency network which aims to support the understanding and use of evidence-based practices for individuals affected by autism in California.
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