Learning about autism, living with it

PUNE: Fourteen-year-old Aahan is a shy boy. He loves maths and English, but does not like social sciences much. “Everything that requires learning by heart is despised,” said his mother, Sweta Patel, a computer engineer. Sweta has been the force behind her son’s transformation after he was diagnosed with autism nine years ago.
Till last week, Aahan had not heard of the word ‘autism’.He knew he was different, but had no reason to believe he has PDDNOS (pervasive development delay not otherwise specified), one of the three autism spectrum disorders.
“We had always treated him like our neurotypical (normal) child, Arav. We never discuss Aahan’s condition upfront unless the pep talk helps him improve,” said his father, Gurudas Patel, an entrepreneur.
When the family decided to tell Aahan about his shortcomings, they were apprehensive and nervous, not sure how he would react. “I was astonished by his response. He listened to me carefully. When I finished talking, he said, ‘Mama, that boy in my school shows similar symptoms. I think he too is autistic’,” said Sweta.
Aahan’s journey, however, was not so smooth to start with. “When he was two-and-a-half years old, he would just run around the house and giggle endlessly. As he did not speak a word, we took him to a speech therapist, but that was of little help. His paediatrician, too, failed to understand the condition,” Sweta said.
Aahan’s condition was finally diagnosed when he was five. “ “A developmental paediatrician told me that autism has no cure and that I should accept Aahan as he is. I was aghast! A doctor is supposed to give hope and show the way, not push parents further into depression,” she said.
The mother of two did not give up and took to the internet to find answers that doctors failed to give her.
“The search was endless. I printed reams and reams of paper to know if there was any help available in any corner of the world. That was when I stumbled upon Sid Baker’s biomedical intervention (see box). We went to the US for the treatment. The results were astounding, as Aahan started mumbling words in just six months,” Sweta said.
The treatment continues till date.
The next experiment for the Patels was the relationship development intervention (RDI). “It was the best thing to have happened to my son. But getting an RDI consultant from the US to India was not feasible. We found one in Mumbai and her assistance continues as we video chat once every week,” said Sweta.
The Orchid School in Baner, where Aahan studies, has been of great help. “The teachers have always helped him feel accepted and never made him feel different or any less than his peers.”
Aahan’s bonding with his younger sibling is unique. Arav, 10, does not judge him and interacts with him constantly, so Aahan never feels uncomfortable or inadequate around him. “Constant engagement with Arav helps us pull Aahan out of his zone and prevent him drowning into his own world,” says Sweta.
Gurudas, though, is happy with whatever progress his son has made. “On a scale of 1 to 10, I will give him 10 for his manners, empathy and understanding skills, all qualities found lacking in autistic children,” he said.