Autism

Autism

Looking through old mail I found one where Ingrid asks if anyone has experience with autism.

Yes, I do.

Several of the multihandicapped children I was teaching 12 years ago had autistic traits. Usually they were not well understood and did not manage very well with daily life. However, they always enjoyed music therapy, not Ingrid's music therapy but a way of therapy where music is used as a mean for personal development. They loved structure and a scheme where they knew what was happening next. They needed a lot of security and acceptance of their way of expressing themselves. Music could be used in many ways. We could improvise but also has far as their motoric handicap permitted play instruments, something like learning to play an instrument. I communicated mainly on a nonverbal level with these kids.

One very lovely boy came to my home once a week. I have unfortunately lost his chart. He lived in a home together with rather outgoing kids. He was not diagnosed and the staff did not know he was an autistic, neither did I. He had no language, but sounds and gestures. We had sessions for 7-8 years once or twice a week. He loved it and was learning. The staff said he was more calm and self-contained after music therapy.

Then finally someone bright found out that he was a classic autist. He was placed on a special school for autists and progressed fine. At the age of 16 he was moved to another home and at the age of 18 there was no more money for music therapy. Very sad as he really thrived with music. He was never permitted to say properly good-bye to me. Once he was on an excursion to the forest next to where I used to live. The staff could not understand why he became almost violent until someone on night duty remembered that he used to go to music therapy with me. I was contacted and we arranged a visit. He never came! It was just so sad, and unbelievable that staff on handicapped home does not understand the importance of such a visit.

Love from Hanne