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"It doesn‘t happen very often anymore"‘ Pam begins to take control of the class."‘ once in a while one of them will just blow Physically there are no unusual traits that are obâ€" vious signs of an autistic child. When an autistic child is approached the first sign is impaired speech. Range in speech capability is from mumbles and cries to the echoing of what the child hears. Sponâ€" taneous speech is lacking in most of the six children in the special class. "I knew this would happen today‘"" Steve Chris, a child psychologist with fiveâ€"years experience at Kitchener‘s Prueter School special class says, watchâ€" ing from behind a twoâ€"way mirror. Pam gets the child settled down and working while the aides tend to others. Almost as quickly as it startâ€" ed the commotion abruptly ends and the children beâ€" come abiding. Clinically an autistic child may be characterized by delayed speech, poor social relationships, behavior problems, hyperactivity, attraction to inanimate obâ€" jects and the lack of creative play. Teaching autistic children takes a special interest in the handicapped mainly because there is so little inâ€" Autistic children have a developmental disability usually developing in the first three years of life, and persists through the entire life. Statistically 10,000 and is 1 girls Pam goes to the child and firmly takes hold of his hand but he continues to swing, resisting the teachers effort to subdue him. The sudden burst of energy from one student spreads to the other five. One child walks away from the aide who was trying to get him to write the alphaâ€" bet. Another strolls over to a small green sofa in the comer and sits down. Others wander around doing things they are not supposed to. Pam Little is the solitary teacher her patience with children is a commanding quality of her teaching abiâ€" lity. One of the students, sitting by himself, suddenly starts to yell and throws his books on the floor. He stands up and continues to yell while swinging his arms violently around him. Pam Little, Steve Chris and a host of aides and voâ€" lunteers are involved in helping misunderstood chilâ€" dren, who are classified as "autistic‘. The student‘s are not quietly working on assignâ€" ments by themselves, but are going from place to place with teachers fast on their heels. In another part of the school, a little farther down the hall, is another class. But this class is different. There is one teacher and two teacher‘s aides. Inâ€" stead of 30 students, there are six. Instead of the teacher allowing students to work on their own the three adults spend their time trying to capture the youngsters attention. There is one teacher at the front of the elementary school class. Everything is under control. The teacher is busy marking previous assignments. Her attention is not directed to the students. A class of 30 students sit quietly at their desks comâ€" pleting reading and writing assignments. They sit siâ€" lently as they work, an occasional groan from a frusâ€" trated pupil. A classroom with a difference â€" at four By Mickey Leblanc affects five times more five children more common e1? I 28 yof out in \C0 "Autistic children like a jigsaw puzzle" he says as But every of every boys than x .\0‘\0‘ LRA RRLRLLELLLRLLLLELEACAA:® formation on the cause and treatment of autism. One point which has been accepted by most profesâ€" sionals is that it is not a result of bad family life and not an emotional problem. It is believed autism is an organic problem and there are no rules as to which family will give birth to an autistic child. A sixâ€"yearâ€"old walks into the room and gestures he wants to use the washroom. His friend, the only real friendship which has evolved in the class, insists on going with him. Nobody argues. "It‘s all part of the program‘"‘ Steve says as the pair stroll into the washroom. ‘"Getting the kids to work together is a large part of the program."‘ To s Autistic children need a structured, stable environâ€" KKR BIRLRRLLLLLALLLLLLLLLCAL: City of Waterloo es | “'."-' ‘ Cluafe Fgnt® | ; At this Hohday Season | take pleasure on behalf 49 " f of the Council and Staff of the City of Waterloo p in wish:i o C y 2 h , 3 wishing you a : < l ,,/”«fi f Werry s d P# ‘¢ T 3P and a * £ 7 j 4 J C s Happy Hew Hear prosas Wayer ~â€"_ «G@Mâ€" Season | take pleasure on behalf and Staff of the City of Waterloo in wishing you a 2kz PP es Waterloo Chronicle, Wednesday, December 19, 1979 â€" Page 9 *‘*We want these kids to get the most out of life," Steve says. ment which is offering a routine. They learn to adjust to a stable atmosphere and have a better chance to learn basic functions if they are not surrounded with too many things at once. Pam‘s class attempts to teach the children, ranging in age from six to 14, the most basic functions. One sixâ€"yearâ€"old needs to be taught to dress himself. Anâ€" other how to brush his teeth._ "It must be a terrible burden for a family" Steve says as he watches a child struggling to write in his scribbler. ‘"But I‘ve never seen a family that has not looked after their child properly.*‘