I would like to dedicate this book to my parents who have always believed in me, advocated for me and still continue to push me to do my best. Ms. Amanda has always had patience with me, helps me daily and also pushes me to do my very best. Without you, school for me in my current setting, would not be possible. Thank you.
Mrs.Della Johnson is the very first teacher that I had to believe in me, was willing to include me in her class, was eager to teach me and knew I had a lot to offer. She always expected nothing less than the very best from me. I will forever be grateful to her and I miss her dearly.
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My name is Kelby and I am an 11 year old boy. I attend Robinson Elementary in Eastern Kentucky, and I am in the 6th grade. My life is pretty typical, except for one difference. I have nonverbal autism.
Fact:
One third of kids and adults with autism are nonverbal.
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What is autism you ask? Though autism affects 1 in 68 children in the United States, it is often misunderstood. I am here to help you learn a little more about autism from a guy that actually lives with it day-to-day.
Fact:
Autism affects 1 in 42 boys.
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Here is what my peers think about autism...
Someone who sees and hears the world differently.
People with autism stand out in a crowd because they are unique in their own way, and there is more to them than meets the eye.
It is a disorder that makes doing common things more difficult.
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Now here is my definition of autism: autism means that I may not be the most outgoing, social kid in school. It may also be challenging for me to communicate my thoughts and ideas. But it also means that I have some unique strengths and weaknesses that make me the amazing kid that I am today.
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Let's rewind....this thing called autism all started when I was around 18 months old. My family noticed that my speech started slowing down and I wasn't talking as much. I was also becoming more sensitive to loud noises and often covered my ears. My parents took me to a specialist and I was diagnosed with autism.
Fact: Most signs of autism appear when a child is between the ages of 2 and 3, sometimes even as early as 18 months.
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Here are some early signs of Autism:
Avoids eye contact
Nonverbal
Repetitive Behaviors like flapping, rocking, or spinning
Sensitive to sounds, smells, lights, or textures
May not understand people's feelings
Prefers to be alone
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When I was diagnosed, my parents didn't waste any time learning everything that they could about autism. They wanted to make sure that they were educated and could provide me with the best therapy, diet,
interventions, and communication tools
possible. We have tried many different
interventions from sign-language to
oxygen therapy. We had to find what
works for me. The number one
factor was that they never stopped
believing in me and always had high
expectations for my learning.
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Children with autism may need a variety of interventions and therapies. When I was 18 months old, I started going to speech therapy with Mrs. Tanya twice a week. Today, I receive speech therapy at school from Mrs. Heather. I can say some words like Funyuns, sissy, blue, dad, bath, and I'm big. Though my speech is limited, I am still filled with many ideas, thoughts, feelings, and fears. I have to express them differently.
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My school day is similar to yours. I start my day with breakfast at school. Waffles are my favorite. Then, I go to class with my 6th grade peers. I am able to attend regular classes with the help of my Dynavox and my aide, Mrs. Amanda. After lunch, we get special class. Can you guess which is my favorite? PE gives me a chance to unwind. After school, I sometimes have STLP practice.
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Since I am non-verbal, I have always communicated by making gestures, showing pictures, or pointing. But in 3rd grade, a piece of technology changed my life and the way I communicate. It is called a Dynavox. It is a speech generating device that looks like an iPad. I type what I want to say and then it speaks for me.
Caption: Here the TV station came to interview me about my accomplishments after receiving my Dynavox.
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Until I was in the 2nd grade, I couldn't communicate what I had learned. I would get frustrated because I was being taught skills that I already knew. My 2nd grade teacher, along with Mrs. Amanda, were the first people to see my potential and capabilities, pushing me to new heights.
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I would like to dedicate this book to my parents who have always believed in me, advocated for me and still continue to push me to do my best. Ms. Amanda has always had patience with me, helps me daily and also pushes me to do my very best. Without you, school for me in my current setting, would not be possible. Thank you.
Mrs.Della Johnson is the very first teacher that I had to believe in me, was willing to include me in her class, was eager to teach me and knew I had a lot to offer. She always expected nothing less than the very best from me. I will forever be grateful to her and I miss her dearly.
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My name is Kelby and I am an 11 year old boy. I attend Robinson Elementary in Eastern Kentucky, and I am in the 6th grade. My life is pretty typical, except for one difference. I have nonverbal autism.
Fact:
One third of kids and adults with autism are nonverbal.

What is autism you ask? Though autism affects 1 in 68 children in the United States, it is often misunderstood. I am here to help you learn a little more about autism from a guy that actually lives with it day-to-day.
Fact:
Autism affects 1 in 42 boys.
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