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Nathan Foust Foust Dr. Sandra House COM 115 Section 17 8 February 2008 How Autism Changed My Life Specific Purpose: To inform the class how my brother's diagnosis of Autism changed my life. Thesis Statement: Having a family member diagnosed with Autism is a life changing experience, and for me that change was for the better Introduction Autism. A. Some of you may never have heard this word before. B. I bet you also didn't know that according to the Center for Disease Control 1 in every 150 children are born with this disease. My brother is one of the 1 in 150 and my family has been dealing with the disease for 10 years. Having a family member diagnosed with Autism is a life changing experience, and for me that change was for the better.
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(Transition: Before I talk about my experience let me give you a little background information about Autism) Body I. Autism is a lifelong mental disability, for which there is no known cure A. No one knows what causes Autism 1. Some doctors think it's genetic 2. Some think it's environmental 3. Most agree it's most likely a combination of the two B. The effects of Autism vary from person to person 1. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders says that Autism is characterized by: a. difficulties with social interaction b. problems with verbal and nonverbal communication c. and repetitive behaviors or narrow obsessive interests that can seem strange or upsetting to someone unfamiliar with the disease 2. Some Autistic people have a rare condition known as Savant Syndrome a. A famous example of a Savant is Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man b. However this is not the case for all people with Autism, most children with Autism do not possess any abilities above or beyond that of you or me.
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(Transition: Now that you know a little about Autism you can see how a diagnosis could be so hard on a family) II. Anyone who has had a family member diagnosed with this disease will tell you that you are never prepared for it, I was no exception. A. When I was first told my brother had Autism I didn't know what to think 1. All at once I was angry, scared, and worried a. My mom told me this was the first time she had ever cried in front of me so I wasn't sure what to do 2. I didn't know what Autism was or whether my brother would ever be "normal" and for a 10 year old these sorts of questions are hard to handle alone B. Since my mom was so visibly scared I felt I needed to be the brave and try to act like I was ok for her. 1. For the better part of three years I bottled up my feelings and pretended I was ok with the bomb that had been dropped on my family
(Transition: I could only pretend for so long though, eventually I had to allow the experience to change me) III. I didn't understand what good could ever come from such a horrible disease A. Only time and maturity have shown me how much my brother has changed me for the better. 1. I have become a more accepting person 2. I have learned to adapt, when everything you know changes in a second you no longer sweat the small stuff as much B. Most importantly I have gained passion for a cause 1. I have lobbied tirelessly on behalf of Autism research at many different levels a. I have worked with Missouri Senators to try to raise and reallocate Autism funding throughout the state b. My family was also a key in getting the Autism Speaks Walk for Autism Research brought to St. Louis c. Also, I am going to law school to become a special needs lawyer where I will be able to defend Autistic children and their families Conclusion Hopefully you all now know a little more about Autism and how it affects those closest to it. Even though it can be a terrifying diagnosis at first it has the ability to change people in ways they never thought possible. I believe Arnold Bennett said it best, "any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts."
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Works Cited
Foust, Cathy M. Personal Interview. 20 Jan. 08. "Autism Fact Sheet." National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 12 Dec. 07. National Institute of Health. 20 Jan. 2008 <http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm>.