I was watching an episode of Penn and Teller's Bullshit about Disabilities. It was about how the ADA causes people with disabilities to be more dependent on others than learning to adjust to life better. The one woman disagreeing with Penn and Teller patrolled parking lots to make sure no one parked in handicap parking spaces without the proper tags. She was really passionate about this because her daughter has severe Autism and is also visually impaired. I really wish the show was more about that but they kind of just breezed over that.
I saw the show maybe two nights ago and I still can't stop thinking about this girl. People with Autism tend to have really strong visual needs because they have aditory procesing disorders. I can't imagine how confused this girl must be. I'm confused, with many questions:
- Do they make socail stories in Braille?
- Is there a textured board or something that she uses for a tactile schedule?
- Is there a special school for her?
- Does anyone understand how to communicate with her?
- Is she completely lost in her world of Autism?
- What is her life like?
Going blind has always been my biggest fear. I never even imagined it in conjunction with Autism. My mind is blown.
