About the author
I have a drive and a
dedication to making the lives of developmentally delayed persons better
and more fulfilling. I have
been dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those with
disability for over 13 years of my life.
When I was twelve years old my younger brother was diagnosed with
autism. From that time on I
became a student and a teacher.
My quest became not only to gain as much knowledge as I possibly
could, but also to join those who were trying to make a difference.
Since his diagnosis I have been involved in every aspect of his
care. I have attended his
IEP and ISP meetings and accompanied him to neurological appointments.
In the summer I would attend summer school with him and assist
the staff members. Also, I
have volunteered in the autistic support room at his elementary school.
Here I played a major role in teaching him how to type and with
word recognition. One of my
main duties at the school was to help with de-escalation.
Through activities such as this and my own home experience I have
developed an immense amount of patience.
I am currently working toward completing a B.S. in psychology, with the
hopes of some day attending medical school.
I want to go into the field of psychiatry, so that I may help
treat patients on the autism spectrum.
For the past two years I have been employed with Skills of
Central Pa. This company is
dedicated to making the lives of those with disability more enjoyable.
My employment experience has added to my personal qualifications. I find
this type of work rewarding.
I hope to someday
make a great contribution to the field and to make the lives of autistic
individuals better.