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11/18/2009 08:50:06 PM · #1
Kita is now 12 years old and is still blowing everyone away with her academic ability. Over the last few days she decided to write this piece on Autism. She often writes Essays for fun, but this would have to be her most powerful piece yet. Her Special Ed teacher had tears in her eyes and it has now been forwarded onto Autism Queensland. I believe this piece of writing can touch so many hearts, but also help others understand what these children are feeling. So...over to Kita's Words.

"AUTISM

Autism is free, but it’s restricting.
It is a curse, but it is a gift.
It is challenging, but easy to solve.
It is painful, but we get used to it.
It is mental, but can cause physical pain.
It is disturbing, but it is capable.
It is emotionally demanding, but it can be dealt with.
It is annoying, but we get used to it-we have to.
It is bullying, but we learn to fight back.
It is different, but aren’t we all?
It is an illness, but it isn’t’ catching.
It is misunderstood, but there will be a cure.
It is rejecting, but we make up for it.
It is time consuming, but we make time for it.
It is confining, but we still get our message out.
It is a hindrance, but we fight back.
It is a muzzle, but we still try to communicate.
It is a hobble, but we still move.
It is a prison, but we still escape.
It is a manacle, but we still try to run.
It is a handcuff, but we still are co-ordinated.
It is forbidding, but we still stand up.
It is an enemy, but we still fight back.
It is like prison walls, but we still scale them.
It is dejecting, but we don’t go down without a fight.
It is unforgiving, but we are used to it.
It is hard, but it is life.
It is like a storm, but we try to calm it.
It is hopeless, but we will bring hope.
It is depressing, but we will not be depressed.
It is Autism.
It is Life.

Autism is really annoying. There is virtually no cure for it but there will be soon. You are bullied if it is severe and just called ‘freak’ when it is slight. You look around at everybody and think “What if I was like everybody else? What if I wasn’t autistic? What if I had friends that understood what I was saying? What if people laughed at my jokes and recognized my attempts to fit in? What if I was different for a day and people would think I’m cool, and smart, and pretty, like my mum always says? What if people told me what they thought and just accepted me? What if people stopped teasing me for being freakishly smart and liking ‘nerdy’ things and having long hair and nails? What if people just accepted me for being me? What if? “

But these questions have to be left unanswered. Like the many other unanswered questions about Autism. Like will there be a cure? Will it finally be understood? Will kids give autistic kids a break? Or a chance? Will people give me a chance?

I find it hard to communicate with other people and for those other people to understand what I am saying. Many times what I say angers my friends and earns me a lunch break with no friends. I try to change to suit my friends but end up hurting someone else I’m close to and end up going back to being myself.

I like little children and animals because they can feel what I’m feeling and understand. They are young and innocent and don’t have to worry if the world will end tomorrow or your house will be set on fire in the middle of the night or if you will be beaten up mentally at school again.

Every night I lie awake thinking about stuff, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Sometimes I act out or imagine out a play or myself as different. In the darkness of my bedroom I can be anything. I can be a werewolf, a mountain lion, a snowy leopard, a hawk, a fox, a vampire, a human with magic powers or can transform into anything I want.

I like reading books because I get a break from the real world. I run because I can imagine that I’m breaking free of my worries and stresses. To me running is dancing. I don’t like to dance. But running is different. I make myself be the best because when I am the best, I can relax. I feel like people are looking up to me, not looking down for a change. I like to draw, because, while reading gives me the basics of other people’s ideas, I can improve their ideas or change them to my liking or other people’s liking. I am typing up a story on the computer just so that I can explain or communicate behind the mask of another character. Writing this, I have just realized, every autistic person I know acts behind a mask.

My litter brother Nikolas likes to make everyone think he’s tough and sporty and everything he’s not. I look out the window sometimes and see him shooting hoops or riding his bike around the block or kicking the footy (along with a self commentary) just to make him better at the things he does. My other brother Cai will just sit and study one of my books about Pokémon or play on the carpet with his stuffed toys and pretending they are Pokémon or mythical monsters or whatever his mind can make up. Cai is the freest out of us all. His friends impact greatly on him. Niko has no friends, I have friends that sometimes misunderstand me but Cai has friends that look after him and allow Cai to be himself. Nikolas has times where he is allowed to be himself with his footballs and basketballs, Cai with his imaginary and stuffed toy Pokémon and me with my books and computer.

Autistic kids also, can and will have fun. It can be from the smallest things like listening to a dad playing the guitar to the big things like rollercoasters.
Autistic kids are like normal kids except for the Autism. Autism is a disability that means the kid thinks differently, cannot do simple things like making friends, but excels at other things, like writing stories, getting top marks in things like physics to even artistry. Albert Einstein, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Alexander Nobel and Beethoven were all Autistic.

Just because you are autistic doesn’t mean you are stupid, careless, dumb, weird, a freak or gay. I have autism and I am the smartest in the class in literacy and numeracy. I have great balance and flexibility, I am one of the best girls in my grade in sport, and I take pride in myself, in what I do most of the time. I can draw really well and I have a great imagination. But that doesn’t mean I’m perfect. My writing is not good, I slur, trip over and mix up my words.
If I get a great idea and I need to write it down, I might, I might, I might repeat my words as my brain can go faster than my hand, making me repeat them. I am a people pleaser and sometimes cheat to get my way around or to get stuff right. I have a sugar problem, when I eat too much sugar, I hyperventilate, I twitch, I start talking really fast, my face breaks out, I can’t remember anything I do and I go hypo, bouncing off the walls, laughing crazy, suddenly crying hypo.
But I have to get used to it. That’s autism. That’s life. I can’t help it.

Another part of Autism is routine. Autistic kids have great memories but tend to forget or try to forget little changes in their routine. We have to have a routine for everything we do. Whether it is lining up our little houses in Monopoly or always doing a certain sport at a certain time, we have to have routine.

This is about as much as a twelve year old girl can explain. I do not know much about Autism but I have tried to explain it myself. I hope you like it and you understand it.


Kita Liosatos
12 Years Old
11/18/2009 09:01:45 PM · #2
Amazing. Thank you for sharing.

We always knew she was a special child, we just didn't how special.
11/18/2009 09:34:08 PM · #3
That's wonderful and touching. Our neighbor's daughter is autistic, and we all love her very much. If it would be ok with Kita and you Judi, I would like to print this out and share it with them.
Thank you both.
11/18/2009 09:45:24 PM · #4
thank you for posting this. it was wonderful.
11/18/2009 09:55:09 PM · #5
Judy and Kita,

That's really touching. I hope you don't mind if I pass it on, with credit, of course.

Thanks for sharing this with us.
~Terry
11/18/2009 09:58:22 PM · #6
Wow! Extremely eloquent -- she is an amazing writer.
11/18/2009 10:01:48 PM · #7
Thankyou everyone for understanding why I felt compelled to share this. Kita has given permission for this piece to be shared.
11/18/2009 10:32:20 PM · #8
This is a very powerful piece. Kita is a very talented writer. My daughter is doing her senior project on Autism, I would like to pass this on to her. Thank you so much for sharing.
11/18/2009 10:40:05 PM · #9
Originally posted by Hatchet:

This is a very powerful piece. Kita is a very talented writer. My daughter is doing her senior project on Autism, I would like to pass this on to her. Thank you so much for sharing.


I am sure she will be honoured to have your daughter use her words. I will get her to come online tonight and put a post in here to ensure that she has given her permission for you all to share her words.
11/18/2009 10:48:53 PM · #10
Originally posted by Judi:

Originally posted by Hatchet:

This is a very powerful piece. Kita is a very talented writer. My daughter is doing her senior project on Autism, I would like to pass this on to her. Thank you so much for sharing.


I am sure she will be honoured to have your daughter use her words. I will get her to come online tonight and put a post in here to ensure that she has given her permission for you all to share her words.


Thank you, I will wait to share until Kita gives her official ok. :)
11/19/2009 05:35:21 AM · #11


I had just finished maths and was waiting for everyone to finish, so I started righting randomly in my book. It wasn't until I got into a few lines of the poem, that I realized what I was writing about. I continued writing my poem and then I thought I would explain what it was all about and why I wrote that poem. I hope that helps people understand about this condition.

I feel honoured for any of you to use my words.


11/19/2009 05:59:05 AM · #12
Hey Kita/Judi

Do you two know about Temple Grandin? Her books are some of the most interesting I have read.

Temple Grandin

Message edited by author 2009-11-19 05:59:43.
11/19/2009 06:03:00 AM · #13
Originally posted by Ristyz:

Hey Kita/Judi

Do you two know about Temple Grandin? Her books are some of the most interesting I have read.

Temple Grandin


Hi Ristyz. I have been aware of Temple's work and remember reading some a few years back. When I spoke to Kita's SE teacher, I said the only other time I have read about Autism in a similiar perspective, was from Temple Grandin's work....but the difference was, this work was written by a child. Instead of only hearing specialists tell us what ASD people are feeling, this piece was from the person themselves, but in Kita's case....from the perspective of a child. That is what blew me away...the way she has explained things is so easy to understand. I don't know of many others like this.
11/19/2009 06:06:36 AM · #14
Thank you so much for sharing this. You are quite a talented writer!
11/19/2009 06:15:16 AM · #15
Oh, I didn't mean to shadow Kita's piece at all. It is really, truely remarkable and I was amazed when I read it earlier this evening. She is something and will continue to be.

I just threw Temple Grandin out there because I enjoy her reading about her work with animals so much and thought from that standpoint you both might as well. I haven't read near as much about her autism information,I found her work with animals amazing and I am a better horsewoman for having read it.

Originally posted by Judi:

Originally posted by Ristyz:

Hey Kita/Judi

Do you two know about Temple Grandin? Her books are some of the most interesting I have read.

Temple Grandin


Hi Ristyz. I have been aware of Temple's work and remember reading some a few years back. When I spoke to Kita's SE teacher, I said the only other time I have read about Autism in a similiar perspective, was from Temple Grandin's work....but the difference was, this work was written by a child. Instead of only hearing specialists tell us what ASD people are feeling, this piece was from the person themselves, but in Kita's case....from the perspective of a child. That is what blew me away...the way she has explained things is so easy to understand. I don't know of many others like this.

11/19/2009 06:32:10 AM · #16
Powerful words! Thank you Kita ((hugs))
11/19/2009 07:02:57 AM · #17
Originally posted by Ristyz:

Oh, I didn't mean to shadow Kita's piece at all. It is really, truely remarkable and I was amazed when I read it earlier this evening. She is something and will continue to be.

I just threw Temple Grandin out there because I enjoy her reading about her work with animals so much and thought from that standpoint you both might as well. I haven't read near as much about her autism information,I found her work with animals amazing and I am a better horsewoman for having read it.

Originally posted by Judi:

Originally posted by Ristyz:

Hey Kita/Judi

Do you two know about Temple Grandin? Her books are some of the most interesting I have read.

Temple Grandin


Hi Ristyz. I have been aware of Temple's work and remember reading some a few years back. When I spoke to Kita's SE teacher, I said the only other time I have read about Autism in a similiar perspective, was from Temple Grandin's work....but the difference was, this work was written by a child. Instead of only hearing specialists tell us what ASD people are feeling, this piece was from the person themselves, but in Kita's case....from the perspective of a child. That is what blew me away...the way she has explained things is so easy to understand. I don't know of many others like this.


I totally understand what you mean. I never saw your note as shadowing Kita at all, in fact I was amazed that you mentioned Temple in relation to Kita, which only cemented my own thoughts about the connection between Kita's piece and Temples. These 2 pieces are the only ones I have read that made me understand how they feel. I took your post as a compliment. :)
11/19/2009 07:29:29 AM · #18
That is really cool Judi, My Oldest Daughter had a classmate with Autism He was a very extreme case and required alot of extra attention dubbed a special needs student. But over the 3 years we spent with him in her class he made leaps of success and much like your daughter last I heard is doing very well.

On a side note if you are still going to be online in around an hour from now, PM me and let me know because I would like to get your opin on something.

11/19/2009 07:49:34 AM · #19
Originally posted by Bugzeye:

That is really cool Judi, My Oldest Daughter had a classmate with Autism He was a very extreme case and required alot of extra attention dubbed a special needs student. But over the 3 years we spent with him in her class he made leaps of success and much like your daughter last I heard is doing very well.

On a side note if you are still going to be online in around an hour from now, PM me and let me know because I would like to get your opin on something.


Thanks Brian. I don't know if I will be online in an hour...I am very tired and we went without power tonight for a couple of hours in the heat, so I am looking forward to bed.
11/19/2009 07:58:35 AM · #20
Sent you a PM

Originally posted by Judi:

Originally posted by Bugzeye:

That is really cool Judi, My Oldest Daughter had a classmate with Autism He was a very extreme case and required alot of extra attention dubbed a special needs student. But over the 3 years we spent with him in her class he made leaps of success and much like your daughter last I heard is doing very well.

On a side note if you are still going to be online in around an hour from now, PM me and let me know because I would like to get your opin on something.


Thanks Brian. I don't know if I will be online in an hour...I am very tired and we went without power tonight for a couple of hours in the heat, so I am looking forward to bed.
11/19/2009 08:35:31 AM · #21
Judi & Kita, Like I said on Facebook...Very powerful. I'm thinking this is probably going to go viral and we'll see it mentioned everywhere. I know I have several friends on Facebook that have shared it and the word is getting out there.

Kita, you should be very proud of yourself for writing such an eloquent piece on a very difficult subject.
11/19/2009 10:05:29 AM · #22
That is a beautiful and powerful statement/poem, and a touching and revealing bit of writing after. Well done, Kita.

I love that "KITA" is an acronym for "Kick in the Ass" -- that's what that poem is like!

Not trying to minimize autism or Kita's experiences, but I'm struck by how many of her experiences aren't all that different from what any other teen feels. The autism may magnify them or make them more poignant, but deep down they show we are all more alike than different.
11/19/2009 10:51:23 AM · #23
Judi and Kita, thank you for sharing this. My son has Ashpergers, which for those who don't know is in the same spectrum as Autism. This has given me a new perspective on what has been going on in Mikes head for the past 15 years. This is one, no, this is the most powerful piece I've ever read. I takes a lot to move me to tears, this did. I made my wife read it, she too was moved to tears. Kita, your courage and wonderful spirit are an inspiration.
11/19/2009 11:10:14 AM · #24
This is a lovely piece of work, Kita. I'm very impressed. Thanks for sharing it with us.

R.
11/19/2009 11:51:49 AM · #25
WOW. I am so glad I stumbled on this. It is fantastic.
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