RE: Graduate outsmarts disability to succeed

[Guest guest]

To , Letters EditorSacramento Bee:

This article defines Nisson as being on "one end of the spectrum" for autism. In that case he is most likely Asperger Syndrome -- as the rest of the description of him in the article fits the definition, and does not really have "autism". AS is a serious disorder, but it is not a disability and the author (and the headline) has no business misrepresenting him as disabled. The California Regional Centers do not consider Aspergers to be a disability. Having a disorder on the autism spectrum does not necessarily mean being disabled any more than having poor eyesight necessarily means one is blind. This is typical of the despicable exploitation of those who are truly disabled, by those who are not for purposes of garnering media and public sympathy. This, at the expense of those who are clinically autistic. Autism is not about being real smart, fidgeting, and having poor socialization skills, as this article promotes -- autism is a profound disability that usually requires 24/7 care and supervision. Nan Mahon ought to do her homework* and then correct her erroneous depiction of autism.

Lenny SchaferSchafer Autism Report9629 Old Placerville RdSacramento, CA 95827

916 - 369-8058

*Reference: DSM-IV definitions for autism, http://www.autism-biomed.org/dsm-iv.htm

Nan Mahon: Graduate outsmarts disability to succeed

By Nan MahonPublished 12:01 am PDT Thursday, June 8, 2006

http://www.sacbee.com/content/community_news/elk_grove_laguna/story/14265257p-15077624c.html When the class of 2006 salutatorian Nisson stood before his classmates at Antelope View Charter School, he told them to never give up, because he never did. Facing a packed auditorium and addressing fellow students and their families was no small accomplishment for the young Elk Grove man with autism. On May 24, the 18-year-old returned to Antelope to receive his diploma with his class, even though he completed high school in January with a 3.98 grade-point average. The American Society of Autism defines autism as a complex developmental disability that affects the normal functioning of the brain, affecting the development of social interaction and communication. "I had trouble socializing, communicating," Nisson said in a recent interview, fidgeting in his chair and glancing about the room. "I didn't know what to say. I felt like an immigrant." Nisson just completed a semester at Cosumnes River College, earning a 4.0 GPA. "No one teases me anymore," Nisson said. "In elementary school, some kids called me names. I felt lonely even though I had people around me. Sometimes I cried." Nisson has been taking community college classes since his freshman year in high school. The thing that differentiates him from his college classmates is the presence of his mother, . It is her job to make sure her son has a sharp pencil, that he gets where he needs to go, that he doesn't forget his jacket, said Mirella Beaver, Nisson's service coordinator at the Alta California Regional Center. His mother said she's also there to quell the extreme fear that accompanies her son's many severe phobias. "Autistic people do not need to be fixed but accommodated," Nisson said Monday. Nisson, who is paid by Alta California Regional Center, quit her day job to make sure her son finishes his studies. She teaches English as a second language in the evening at Fremont Adult School. Nisson plans to transfer to the University of California, , when he finishes at Cosumnes River College. "Autism is a broad spectrum, and is on one end of the scale," Beaver said. "He's unusual for our clients. We'll all be hearing about him someday." Nisson was diagnosed with autism when he was 4 years old. When he was 6 and started school, his mother told him why he was different. "You have autism, but you are too young to understand what that means," she said. She said the first-grader went to the dictionary and looked it up. Nisson said Elk Grove Unified School District officials wanted to enroll her son at Baker School for children who are mentally or physically delayed. She decided to place him in Elk Grove Montessori School. "It's a common myth that autistic people are retarded," Nisson said. "That's not necessarily true. The problem is communication." Nisson said she knew her son was extraordinary when the preschooler began reading billboards as they drove through town. "He taught himself to read and write when he was 2 years old," she said. "When others were focused on his autistic behavior, I knew he was a genius." The principal of Elk Grove Montessori School, Norman Lorenz, thought so, too. Nisson remembers that he became an advocate for her son, urging staff members to really listen to what he was saying. A single mother and a teacher, Nisson was determined not to let her son fall through the cracks. After he completed the Montessori elementary school, she discovered Antelope View Charter School. She told school officials she would take a teaching position there if they would also accept her son. Each day, the mother and son made the 60-mile round-trip commute to school from Elk Grove. "It was worth it," Nisson said. "The small classes were the answer." And Nisson appreciates his mother's help. He says he has two heroes -- St. Albert the Great, the father of biology, and his mother. "My mom fought for my right to have a good education," he says. He said it also helps to be smart. "I felt everyone had to know I was smart to offset the autism," he said. The teen says he likes to study and to dream about working at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in Menlo Park. "I think going into science will help the world," he said. Smiling, he adds, "I've never met anyone smarter than me." This story is taken from Elk Grove at sacbee.com: http://www.sacbee.com/content/community_news/elk_grove_laguna/ About the writer: Nan Mahon is a freelance writer living in Elk Grove. Her column runs twice a month in The Bee.