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((Well, I think it's a month))

Not many people know this but I have an older brother... He's about 18 now. Though he should be in collage or graduating from it by now, he isn't. He still talks like a baby and writes like first or second grader. He's a special child.

Though he was developing normally as a baby, my parents noticed sometime after his third birthday he stopped being responsive and hardly talked. Worried, they took him to a doctor. He was diagnosed with Autism, "a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime." This, of course, was a major blow to my parents especially my mother. "It felt like my child died," I heard one of my parents say one day when I was younger. (I cannot remember who it was)

Since we were able to detect this at an early age we were fortunate enough to give him enough care and training to live a somewhat normal life. Being a communication disorder, it was and still is a hard task to understand what he was trying to tell us. As I said earlier, my brother is only capable of baby mumbles. Things like "Ah-gi, Ah-gi" and "Ay-ay" are his words. Though, he can say some common words like "Mama" and "Papa" and he can recognize this people too. He can tell you what he wants by pointing at it and looking at you for permission. The hardest time for us is when he is in pain and cannot communicate his discomfort. This leds him to tantrum and when he tantrums, it's not a good idea to stick around. At a young age, I learned never to be close to him at that time. I've seen him hit head head several times on concrete walls and punch or bite people around him. Even my mother wasn't safe from this behavior, once I saw him punch her in the stomach. I've also learned how to tell if he was in a tantrum or not. "Ay-ay!" (pronounced as "eye-eye" wink he would say. After years of experience, I've learned to overcome my fear and help in calming him down. It's never easy. Somethings, he tries to head butt me or the others trying to calm him down. Other times, he'd try crushing my hand. I have suffered no serious or minor injuries though.

I've shared enough of the sad stuff, I want you to know that there is a wonderful side to having a brother like him as well! Basically, he may tantrum time to time but he sure smile a lot more biggrin . He's very obedient as well. ((More than his little sister even XD)) He lives simply and with no complication. I envy him for that but what can I do? But love him becuase of who he is, my brother.

I had come across a person with a sibling who was also diagnosed with autism. The difference is that his special relative is younger than him so obviously he has to care for the younger one. He found out I was the younger one and asked what it's like in my situation. I think it's important to mention that I am the youngest of two, my brother is the eldest. Because of the circumstances, I have more opportunity to go to places than him becuase it's hard to bring him around to travel but basically, I had to become the "eldest". I have come to realize even before my teens that I was to care for my brother when my parents cannot. I knew I was the one that will support him financially and emotionally in the future. It may seem like a hard life to live but I believe that with him I wouldn't be the person I am today. The only thing that frustrates me is that he'll never truly understand the words "Thank you" and how much meaning it has for me.

This disorder not rare, in fact, I've read that "1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined." This disorder is NOT subject to any one race or ethnic group.

CNN is devoting special coverage about this disorder. Please take time to read what are in the links for further info.


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