Autistic teen pens book on befriending kids with the disorder
By Staff Writer
Daniel Stefanski is a 14-year-old middle school student who likes golf, drawing and dogs. He is also autistic, and recently the teen published a book about the ways in which people without the disorder can make friends with and get along with people who have autism.
Stefanski's book, How to Talk to an Autistic Kid, addresses many of the common questions that people who are unfamiliar with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) ask about the condition.
Why do autistic teens speak or read at an excessive volume? Why do they sometimes avoid eye contact? Why do they occasionally have trouble understanding what seem like simple ideas, conversations or jokes?
The author takes on the questions using personal experience and information collected from others. Stefanski explains that autistic teens often have difficulty picking up on social cues or verbal hints, and that they can sometimes get stuck on a particular word, idea or action.
The book encourages children and adults to befriend teens with ASDs, since, as Stefanski emphasizes, the differences inherent in autism make a person neither better nor worse, but simply different.
The author is an excellent example of how autistic teens can overcome their deficits and strive to become independent, engaging individuals. Parents whose children are held back by autism may consider private treatment options or therapeutic boarding school for their teen.