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A Message from Artist and Autistic,
Please visit my brand new Web site at: Kevin Carlson, born in 1978, has autism and likes to draw. Where does Kevin work? He works at Sage, a store that employs people with developmental disabilities, like autism which is supervised by non-handicapped personnel. They primarily make southwestern style ceramic items. Where does Kevin live? Kevin lives in the southwestern United States in Tucson, Arizona. He lives in an apartment with a roommate who also has autism. Kevin isn't able to take care of himself much of the time, so he relies on others to help. Kevin and his roommate require assisted living. What is Autism? Autism is a very serious brain condition. It is a spectrum disorder meaning its affect varies person to person from being mild to severe. A person's communication, social skills and behavior are affected. Effective communication can sometimes or often be challenging. Some are non-verbal. Mild autism is called Asperger’s Syndrome. Autistic children can have a number of traits including but not limited to, no speech or lack of appropriate speech when they are at an age they are supposed to be talking, hand flapping and not making eye contact with others when socially appropriate. Early diagnosis is critical because the child may have a more positive outcome if special education and treatment is administered as soon as possible. Concerned parents should always consult a medical professional for advice. As adults, a number of people on the autism spectrum cannot take care of themselves as other people might and can't live on their own without assistance. Others may have careers, marry and get a college education. There is no cure for autism right now; the cause or causes are presently being researched as opinions differ. One of several potential causes is related to the mercury in vaccines given to children. Another is related to allergies. The cause isn't because of bad parenting, as was often told to parents by doctors years ago. Reference: Shore, Stephen M., and Linda G. Rastelli. Understanding Autism for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006. |
A Message from Writer,
Please visit my brand new Web site at: Richard, born in 1971, has paranoid schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. He resides in the southwestern United States in Tucson, Arizona. Richard was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia at almost twenty-one years of age. He didn't realize he had the mental illness until he was thirty-three. In his free time, he enjoys learning new things including vocabulary words, Spanish and listening to classical and other music. |
Illustrations © 2007 Kevin Carlson and Richard Carlson Jr. Web site © 2007-2009 Richard Carlson Jr. unless otherwise noted.
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