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An autistic child plays with other children (file).
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Like any other disorder, autism affects different people in different ways. Although people with autism have been diagnosed as such in Israel for more than 45 years, they have recently become an increasingly popular word without many people knowing exactly what it means. It is caused by genetic and environmental factors. Parents of young children should be alert to symptoms – such as lack of interest in the environment, inability to communicate, or alternatively, overly communicating and repeating the same thing over and over, often aloud; and stack or repeatedly align the same objects over and over again.
Shani, whose offspring out of three includes a group of twins, noticed that one of the twins was not playing with her toys and that all her responses were lethargic and totally devoid of enthusiasm. After the little girl was diagnosed with autism, Shani was asked to bring in the other twin. It appeared that she too was showing autistic tendencies. Shani and her husband desperately needed the twins, but it took them a year to find a suitable educational and therapeutic facility.
Shani told her story Sunday in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin, Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and some 250 parents of autistic children, therapists and children and adults with autism.
Journalist Lihi Lapid, a long-time activist on behalf of children and adults with autism, is another mother of an autistic girl, Yaeli, better known to the general public than Shani. "There are many people in the world who do not listen and many people who shout," she said. "There are also those who are fighting to hear and those who are fighting even more to make themselves heard, even if they do not have a voice." She pointed out that she was present to speak on their behalf and on behalf of his daughter. She cited a poll indicating that 80% of parents would not want their offspring to be in a group with children with special needs.
That's why she thanked Rivlin for opening the president's home to the autistic community – and sending the message to the nation that the right thing to do is to reach out to children and autistic adults.
The event included an art exhibition of autistic artists and musical performances of autistic singers and musicians.
Although Rivlin and / or his wife had organized numerous events for special interest groups dealing with specific disorders or illnesses, this was the first time Rivlin had organized an event to raise awareness about autism and to better understand the need as much as possible, to accommodate people with autistic disorders in society.
According to a statistic revealed during the event, 25,000 people in Israel were diagnosed with a form of autism and until a researcher unveiled the secret of the gene that caused him to be diagnosed with autism. provoked, the numbers will multiply.
Among the younger autistic visitors in the reception room, there were some who would not remain silent and scream. Usually, when a child or an adult creates this type of disturbance during an indoor protest, he is asked to leave or is removed by force. Not in this case. "Feel free," said Rivlin, immediately relieving any discomfort felt by parents.
RIVLIN began his own address by citing a poem written in 2014 by a 13-year-old autistic boy, Eyal Shahal Porat, in which he describes himself as an isolated island in the heart of the sea. Elsewhere, he had learned that he was not like the others, writes Eyal. The sea was full of tears, but the island was full of love and needed a comforting hug. Eyal was sad to have been struggling with the burden of this painful disorder. But in the final lines of his poem, he writes, "But when I am kissed and loved, I know that I have reached the shore." Eyal is one of those who have not of voice. He can not speak and communicate through sign language. Nobody realized how deep he was until he started to share his poetry.
Noting that autism is on the rise, Rivlin warned that "as a nation," we must be ready to treat autistic people and their families and to share our world with them. " He stated that it was a national mission, adding "there is no shame or sin to be autistic." He also noted that the autistic people were extremely talented and accomplished.
Litzman commented that among the sages, autistics are thought to be on a higher plane. About International Autism Awareness Day, which takes place every year on April 2, Litzman said, "It forces a society to strive for equality for the autistic community and provide it with the resources it needs. that will enable it to function productively. " Litzman acknowledged that major improvements had been made to autism treatments and that the public was accepting better. There is still a lot to do.
Eleven-year-old King Mori, who is part of the autism spectrum, has been featured as an ambbadador for autism. He said confidently that the public should learn more about autism. "Do not look at us as autistic people, but as human beings," he urged, before sitting down at the grand piano to play a very difficult piece of music with the steadiness of a professional.
Dressed in a superbly fitted suit, after finishing his performance, King came out of the scene and walked the front row to shake Rivlin and Litzman's hand. His face seemed slightly tense as his mother brought him back to his seat, but it's a safe bet that King Mori is about to become a piano virtuoso.
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