Brian is a 28-year-old self-described non-speaking Autistic. At age 24, Brian was introduced to a communication method called Spelling to Communicate (S2C). He says leaning S2C felt like breaking free from a prison of silence.
Since 2016, Brian has presented at colleges, universities, conferences, and community events to encourage a paradigm shift for the Autistic population. Brian’s ambition is to become a professional Autism consultant.
“COVID has put a lot of certain things into uncertain territory.”
Question: What is your story of disability?
Brian: I was born in 1993. When I was a toddler, I was diagnosed with being autistic and M.R. The I.D. Diagnosis has since taken M.R.’S place. My childhood was spent attempting to understand why I could not control my body. I would scream for hours. Not because I wanted to but because my body and mind were on two separate pages. My teachers did the absolute best with the info they knew. Same with my staff and mentors. I learned to spell to communicate as an adult (age 24). Now I have a say in the choices of my life.
Question: What was your daily routine prior to COVID-19?
Brian: Five days a week I had my day program. The program was filled with daily community outings. At home I enjoyed extended family gatherings, trips to my favorite stores and enrichment activities including walks, puzzles, reading books and playing games. My family is typically very socially active.
Question: How has COVID-19 impacted your life now? Your family? Your community?
Brian: COVID has put a lot of certain things into uncertain territory. My program is no longer a guarantee to be open. This is due to the number of cases. If that number gets too high, then it closes until further notice. This forces the families to scramble to find staff for their loved one. The anxiety of this uncertainty has become a struggle to manage.
Question: What challenges have you faced/will you face due to COVID-19?
Brian: This is not going away soon so the unknown is challenging to process. For me who thrives on routine that is an ongoing hurdle. The anxiety I feel has increased substantially. Not spending time with my friends results in a lonely feeling.