Who can best support Autistics?

Blog from our Ambassador Sam Valavanis

As someone with autism, I usually find I require at least some level of support in my day-to-day life. I am very lucky to have such an incredible support network around me, ranging from past education staff to support services, and, of course, my amazing family.

Ever since kindergarten, I’ve had educational support for my vision impairment, which continued all the way up until I graduated high school. Only having received my official autism diagnosis in Year 12, most teachers and support staff didn’t know the true nature of my neurological state until it was almost the end of my schooling, but they’d always known something wasn’t quite right and did their best to offer the best support they could. (Again, mostly for my blindness, but also the mental health issues I suffered as well, including the later-diagnosed ASD.)

But my teachers and education support staff weren’t the only ones who have supported me during my time at school.

As part of an externally-offered curricular support program for blind and vision impaired students like myself, I, along with several other students in the program, had “social skills” sessions with a professional psychologist. He was one of the first professionals to point out to my mum that he saw many signs that indicated I had autism, yet all the other psychologists I saw through clinics concluded I’d simply experienced a tough few years as a young child, going through all my cancer treatment, and that had left me mentally impacted. Still, he gave his all to offer me the best support he could whilst limited to the program we both attended, as well as a few school visits, and I am thankful to him for what he did.

Several years later, I finally found a psychologist who, along with a paediatrician and speech pathologist, at last gave me an official diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), finally providing my family and I closure as to the many years of meltdowns, social isolation and differing interests from my peers. I have been seeing her now for 4 years, and I think she is the perfect match for me, offering the right support and advice I need at a professional doctor-patient level.

Last year I began attending a program for young adults to develop further life skills and acquire part-time work. I have found this program to be a great experience, as it caters specifically to people with disabilities, most of whom have autism and other neurological disorders, and it explains things and provides activities in a way that people like me can best understand and benefit from.

Of course, I could not forget to mention the incredible support of my wonderful family, specifically my parents. Ever since I was little, they always knew there was something different about me, not just because of my eye condition, but something mentally too. But no matter how many times they tried to get answers from psychologists, they were never satisfied, so they kept on trying until they were happy with the answer they got from my current one. They’ve always been there to support me through thick and thin, even in the times where I could be a very difficult child (and that was quite a lot in the past).

I think all these people, in some way or another, have helped me become the person I am today: a confident young adult who is comfortable with who he is and feels he has all the support around him he could need. I think all of these types of people: teachers and education support staff, psychologists, disability support services and, of course, family, are the people an autistic person should turn to when they feel they need support.

Sam.