My name is Stefanie, and I have HFA (High Functioning Autism)...
I was born in May 1966. My favorite hobbies are doing arts and crafts I also
enjoy working out and going to the mall. I like bears... I have a few including
Hello Kitty from "Build a Bear". I like going on line, playing video games and
I collect dolls.
Growing up with Autism and learning disabilities is hard. My whole life has been
somewhat hard at times and stuff, and I really didn't know I was different till I was
in my teens (but not as aware as I am now). Also, having a severe learning
disability, I struggle a little more.
My parents never listened to all the professionals. They tried to see what I could do.
I tried working and that was very stressful and hard because of my sensory integration
isues and it caused me major anxiety but I had to stick it out . My parents never treated
me different because I have a disability, meaning they didn't walk on egg shells. If I
did something wrong I got spoken to. It's not good if you don't discipline your child
because they have Autism. You can't cope in the real world if you were never taught to
behave or told no or had any discipline.
I use the computer and that was one thing they said I would never be able to learn...
I can stay by myself for short periods of time and I drive a car. Everyone has said in
the past 10 years that my language and stuff had gotten better but I still struggle with
a lot of sensory stuff. I have a social story book that helps a lot but socializing
is something that is still very hard for me as I tend to still like to be alone. At camp,
they were trying to work on that stuff. I'll be there a month next year.
It's hard being high functioning because in some areas I'm in (more than others)
I still struggle because understanding language and stuff is hard. I cant read
non verbal body cues and I am told I'm still in my own world to a degree. It's hard
and I still have melt downs at times. I belong to a few social groups and struggle in
them too... See, I'm too high functioning for some of the Autism groups. I'm high
functioning and for me they say I'm on the level of an 18 year old and that's ok, but
younger in other areas. I don't know that I'm being appropriate or not at times but
I can still get help and still work on skill because when I was younger they didn't
have some of the help they have know.
I would tell you to keep pushing your kids since we who have Autism can keep
learning even as adults. Don't always believe what the experts say because you know
your kid the best. If your child has Autism with a neuro-typical IQ, then who knows
what they will be like as adults.
