Living With Christopher

Mark Haddon wrote an amazing book that became a bestseller and won  the Whit bread Book of the Year and Whit bread Novel awards.  Mark Haddon himself is said to have exclaimed, "Who on earth wants to read about a crippled fifteen-year-old boy?" while he was writing this book. Little did he know that it was  the fifteen-year-old boy with a disability that made his book stand out, win awards, and become a bestseller. The book is called "The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night And The Boy Is Christopher".   Christopher is an autistic person from the past. He can name all the countries of the world and their capitals. He has a photographic memory and a genius for math and science. Despite  his unusual intelligence, he is unable to imagine, understand images in speech, and relate to jokes. He also doesn't like crowded places  and people touching him. People with autism share both characteristics with people with autism and people with Savant syndrome. Autism is a developmental disorder in the group of autism spectrum disorders. This condition is mainly characterized by impaired socialization, imagination, and communication. Scholar syndrome is characterized by very low general intelligence but unusually narrow intelligence, often in the areas of math, music, art, and memory.   In the story, Christopher's parents are separated. His mother decided to leave Christopher and his father because she could no longer cope  with the need to have an autistic child. Parents who  care for special children, such as autistic children, may experience higher levels of stress than most parents. This is mainly because their children have special requirements, unusual behaviors and abilities that are different from other children of the same age. These children may have difficulty communicating, leading to unusual reactions. An example of this is when an autistic child cries for no apparent reason and starts hitting himself. Chances are there's something bothering him  but can't tell what it is because he doesn't know how some  children with autism have sensory integration problems that may  be overly sensitive or hypersensitive  to touch, pressure, movement, and sound. They will display some sometimes confusing behaviors  such as avoiding certain foods and drinks, pinching or hitting, repetitive movements, and screaming. Some of them may also show strong adherence to certain routines and fear of new places or new people. Meeting the needs and dealing with these children's behaviors  is not easy and can therefore lead to a lot of stress.   Autism can significantly limit a child's world. They thrive on security and should avoid anything they deem a threat to their security. However, many factors, situations and demands of society make them insecure and having to deal with them makes them very anxious. Unconsciously and unknowingly, children with autism experience anxiety about anything  new or unfamiliar to their understanding. Just like in the book, when Christopher had to step out of his familiar neighborhood of town, he felt physically sick and scared. Unlike most children, people with autism cannot adapt easily  to new surroundings or new situations. The process of learning to understand and accept what was previously unknown leads to  higher levels of anxiety.   Although it may seem like a daunting task to deal with and cope with children with autism, many studies and publications on proper management  will not only reduce a child's anxiety but also even the stress of their parents. Several methods such as cognitive behavioral modification, behavior modification techniques, and environmental modification techniques have been shown to be effective in modifying maladaptive behaviors and improving  learning ability. If autistic children. Some, with more severe conditions other than autism, may require additional treatment as advised by their doctor. Children with autism who also experience mania from being unsatisfied with being unwittingly stuck in their self-protective behaviors may need more therapy than previously mentioned. In this situation, it is advisable to consult a psychiatrist  and possibly prescribe other drugs.   Christopher's story ends with his ability to overcome challenges that make him so anxious, and his mother decides to return to  care for him. Just as in this fictional novel, the same can be achieved in real life about managing stress and anxiety in families dealing with illness. With appropriate counseling, medication or treatment, stress and anxiety in parents and  children with autism can be effectively treated.