Aricci Interview Transcript:

Interviewer: When were you first aware of your sons condition?

Geri: You were aware before me-

Antony: -Iyeah. I was first aware because I was a house-husband at the time, and it was when I
was taking him to playgroups and things. I realised he was very much on the outside with all the
kids playing.

Geri: I was um in denial I just thought it was a load of rubbish and that he as fine. But um, I couldnt
see it myself could I- and even when I got the diagnosis I kept saying that hes better than most
people with autism I was trying to reassure myself that he was fine. But we didnt really get a
proper diagnosis until he was about 7 or 8 wasnt he-

Antony: -Yeah he didnt get diag*clears throat* he wasnt diagnosed with that originally though was
he he was put in because he was hearing voices or he thought he was hearing voices and he was
put in a psychiatric ward. Children's he was a new patient for about three months and thats when
he got a diagnoses.

Geri: and they could observe him properly without anybody so yeah, he was diagnosed with
A.D.H.D first so that took precedence over the autism..-

Antony: ..and then he was overly medicated. When he was overmedicated for ADHD and then it
got a bit..-

Geri: Compl- complex. But. Hmm *clears throat*

Interviewer: Uh, how old was your son when he was first diagnosed with autism and was it cab-
challenging adjusting to his behavioural patterns?

Geri: He was about seven wasnt he when he was diagnosed?

Antony: Yeah, like I said he was in the children's hospital.

Geri: Yeah.

Antony: He was diagnosed and.. I dont know I think by that time a lot of his behavioural patterns
were already set so he was already living with it anyway. I think, as obviously because its
pervasive disorder as he got older..and changed slightly his behaviours changed and what we had
to do to deal with the behaviours change. So as he became a little bit older he became less
tolerant and had more strops and more anxiety issues which lead to more behavioural issues. And
thats what we had to deal with more as we got older.

Geri: -Well we sort of thought

Antony: ..and then it evened out in his teens.



Geri: It was hard partly because of school because in the home environment you can handle it you
know.. children anyone.. it doesnt matter but when your at school and you're being told your sons
problem than thats quite stressful because your trying to get the balance right and I got sick of
seeing the teachers really *laughs* there alot so it was hard to accept because you got through a
grieving process where you think well my son isnt going to achieve like you dream your son will
grow up and be independent and things like that.

So that was very hard going and definitely went through the grieving process with that. and..yeah,
it was quite tough when he was little and you couldnt see the future so you always think, whats he
going to be like when hes olderand in actual fact hes done very very well but when he was
younger. It was a really big worry. You cant enjoy the moment with this type of a child. And they all
felt fine until he went to school and then all the issues come out but when hes at home you can
just enjoy him being him. And its the rest of society that are standing and judge. Although when we
went out and about people did judge a lot, even before school didnt they? They always made
comments, because he looked so normal, so fine he just looks like a normal child-

Antony:-They wouldn't have said anything if he was in a wheelchair but the fact that he just looks
like a typical child makes people judge and comment more I think.

Geri: Its taught us not to judge and comment on others *laughs*

Antony: Ah, sometimes.

Geri: *laughs* sometimes.

Interviewer: How would you explain autism to people that dont have any knowledge on the
subject? What is your interpretation?

Geri: *looking at Antony* You can answer that one better than I can..-

Antony: Basically its a disorder of social communication. Anything else that comes from it is a co-
morbid condition. So if you have children with- that are very low-level. They often have learning
difficulties that are associated. But the actual autism is about not being able to understand-literally
not being able to understan-understand the social world.

The best thing is, um. the best thing is written by a girl called Claire Sainsbury and its called
Martian In The Playground..And thats exactly what its like its like if you were a martian and put
down in the middle of a playground. How much would you understandand thats basically what it
is with autism, a real difficulty understanding social interactions, social communication, social
imagination so you cant think like other people think.. and you cant, youre not able to socialise in
the same way and the communication is normally very restricted so its a lot of things that its
literally-literally just about the social things. But there are other things that mask it because a lot of
kids-70% of the kids have learning disabilities as well. Thats really-

Geri: Its quite complex really isnt it.

Antony: It is complex.



Geri: Thats why they dont rush it with the diagnosis, they take their time-

Antony: Also because its spectrum disorder that means you can have people at one end who are
really low functioning and kids at the other end who are really high functioning so-

Geri: Yeah. I kinda think its a bit like asthma, you can get severe..

Antony: Yeah.

Geri: ..asthma some very life threatening or very mild asthma

Antony: But then..

Geri: That interferes with your normal life.

Antony: But then youve also got your own personality and your own common traits in front of that
so Its difficult and its complex.

Interview: What advice would you give to other parents, whose children show signs of autism?
Should more be done to raise public awareness on the subject?

Geri: Ooh, thats a hard thing

Antony: I think

I think theres a lot of public awareness..

Anthony: Yeah..

Geri: But not much understanding because it is quite complex and-

Antony: I think

Geri: It can be quite misunderstood.

Antony: I think its still a relatively new disorder because it was only really identified in the 1940s.
There doing a lot more, its a lot more prevalent. Or the understanding is a lot more prevalent in
America that it is here but um I think there is an increase in understanding now..and I think that
people are beginning to understand that its not all Rainman sort of thing and that there are slightly
different kids. But I think the best thing for parents if they can is early diagnosis and early input.
Speech language therapy and social interaction, educational psychology and ot (occupational
therapy).

All of those things really early probably gives the best prognosis I think.

Interviewer: You have three kids, is it a challenge caring for your autistic son as well as his three
siblings?

Geri: When he was younger yeah, because he, all his needs dominated the whole family really and
everything was about, how are we going to cope in social situations if were out and about..and it


was always about how he would react and wed have to be ready to leave a social situation with
him and take him out of situations..

Antony: -There were a few times when wed have to walk out of restaurants..

Geri: ..To balance things, and then youd have to explain things. So the other two probably have
lost out to that bit of tension and yeah a lot of time, the majority of time was given over to him when
he was younger definitely and..

Antony: ..Yeah, but..

Geri: It was hard on them as well because they were becoming socially aware themselves so they
could see that with us he was out of step..

Antony: There were things like not having them all in the same school as well, they found that quite
difficult when he was younger. To be in the same school as him.

Geri: Yeah.

Antony: But as hes got older, hes actually become a lot easier..and hes independent and looks
after himself really

Geri: Yes

Antony: and now its not a problem. I sort of think the girls are more of a problem.

Geri: Its not easy, once you reach teen age, but yes when he was younger it was hard. In fact the
girls when it came to high school wouldnt go to the same high school as him because they didnt
want to be associated with his awkward behaviour. So it was a bit of a shame really. But yeah they
did lose out definitely. But theres not a lot you can do about that though can you

Antony: No.

Interviewer: Do you think it is difficult for them to see his point of view?

Geri: Um

Antony: No I think its more difficult for him to see there point of view.

Geri: Yeah.

Antony: Probably. Um, I think they-I think they just accept him as him. But they are aware that
sometimes he has difficulties and they do know that sometimes socially hes a bit awkward and
that sort of thing. Um. But I think the more difficulty is him because-the other thing with kids on the
spectrum is that they tend to be a bit ego centric. So everything he sees comes from his point of
view..and I think thats what they find a bit more difficult, is that everything he sees is from his point
of view so



I typical example is if we go out for a meal, when he finishes his meal he wants to go home.
Whereas the girls would be quite happy to sit for a while longer and that sort of stuff. So its that
sort of thing. But I think they do appreciate that he has some difficulties.

Geri: I think they just think that thats him yknow..

Antony: Yeah..

Geri: We dont see the diagnosis we see the person definitely first so everything is is just like uhh,
yknow you dont really. But then sometimes you step back and you think that okay hes got issues
accept it but really, its all part of getting on with life and um, accepting different peoples
personalities so um.

I say I dont see the diagnosis at all, I dont, I dont think the girls think about that

Antony: I dont think they do.

Geri: Hes him and thats that.

Antony: Hmm..




END OF INTERVIEW