I have been reading about how expression through various art media can be extremely helpful to those with various types of autism. Often, those with autism cannot communicate either through speech or writing. Research is now being conducted about effective alternative forms of communication, specifically through drawing or painting.
Even children who show no particular interest in art, once introduced to painting, are able to show how they feel about themselves, those around them and the outside world. Emotions are often difficult for the autistic to express.
The use of art to help people with autism express themselves has gained
momentum in recent years, and produced some notable success stories. One such story revolves around a young man named Jeremy, who is unable to verbally communicate. He was introduced to painting, and now, has an art exhibition which opened this month in San Diego.
Jeremy uses colors to express how he feels and sees a person. Each color represents an emotion that he attributes to the person with whom he interacts. According to him, the outside world, once closed, has now opened.
Temple Grandin, a professor at Colorado State University who is autistic, says that art has helped lead her to, "a very interesting career." She encourages parents to introduce autistic children to art and other non-verbal forms of expression. She states: "I encourage all parents to take the skills a child is good at and
develop them. Kids with autism have uneven skills. They are good at one
subject and bad at another. Areas of skill are often art, math or
music."
Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com
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