I-autism—Ukuhlangabezana Nezinselele Zokuphazamiseka Okuphicayo
UCHRISTOPHER wayengumfanyana omuhle, oziphethe kahle owaqala ukungasabeli uma ebizwa lapho enezinyanga ezingu-18 ubudala. Ekuqaleni, kwabonakala sengathi uyisithulu, kodwa wayekuqaphela njalo ukuhwashaza kwephepha likaswidi.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kwavela neminye imikhuba engaqondakali. Kunokuba adlale ngamathoyizi akhe ngendlela evamile, wayemane aphenduphendule amasondo. Waqala ukuba nesithakazelo esingavamile ezintweni eziwuketshezi, ezichitha noma nini lapho ezithola. Lokhu, kanye nokuthanda kwakhe ukugibela ezintweni, kwaholela ezimweni eziningi eziyingozi futhi kwamkhathaza kakhulu unina.
Okwakukhathaza kunakho konke, wayengabanaki abantu, evame ukubabuka njengokungathi abekho. Ngesikhathi eneminyaka emibili ubudala, wayengasakhulumi nhlobo. Wayechitha isikhathi sakhe esiningi ekhushukhushuza, futhi waqala ukuba nemizwa eguquguqukayo enobudlova, ngokuvamile ngezizathu abazali bakhe ababengaziqondi. Bekhungathekile, baqala ukufuna amakhambi.
Yayiyini inkinga kaChristopher? Ingabe wayetotoswa, enganakwa, ephazamisekile engqondweni, noma esangene? Cha, uChristopher ungomunye wabantu okungenani abangu-360 000 e-United States abane-autism. Lokhu kuphazamiseka okuphicayo kutholakala ezinganeni ezine noma ezinhlanu kulezo nalezo ezingu-10 000 emhlabeni wonke, kuveze izinselele zokuphila konke.
Iyini I-autism?
I-autism ukuphazamiseka kobuchopho okwenza ukuziphatha okwamukelekayo, amakhono okukhulumisana, nekhono lokucabanga kungathuthuki ngendlela evamile. Ithonya indlela ukwaziswa kwezinzwa okusingathwa ngayo, okwenza abantu abane-autism basabele ngokweqile kwezinye izinto ezishukumisayo (abakubonayo, imisindo, amaphunga, nokunye) kodwa bangasabeli kwezinye. Ukuphazamiseka okubangelwa i-autism kuveza izici ezihlukahlukene zokuziphatha okungavamile. Izimpawu, ezivame ukuvela ngaphambi kokuba umuntu abe neminyaka emithathu ubudala, zingahlukahluka kuye ngomntwana ngamunye. Cabangela izibonelo ezilandelayo.
Ake ucabange uzama ukubonisa umntanakho omuhle uthando kodwa angasabeli. Kuvamile ukwenzeka lokhu lapho umntwana ene-autism. Kunokuba bajwayelane nabantu, abantwana abaningi abane-autism bakhetha ukuba bodwa. Bangase bangakuthandi ukugonwa, bagweme ukuhlangana kwamehlo, futhi basebenzise abantu ngendlela abebengawasebenzisa ngayo amathuluzi—bengayinaki imizwa yabanye. Ezimweni ezibucayi kubonakala sengathi abanye abawuboni umehluko phakathi kwamalungu omkhaya nabantu bangaphandle. Babonakala beziphilela, bengabanaki abantu nezenzakalo ezibazungezile. Igama elithi “autism,” elivela kwelesiGreki elithi au·tosʹ elisho “ubumina,” libhekisela kulemfanelo yokuzikhathalela komuntu siqu.
Ngokuphambene nokubashaya indiva abantu, abantwana abane-autism bangase bagxile entweni noma emsebenzini othile, bewuphishekela amahora amaningana ngesikhathi ngendlela engavamile, neyisicefe. Ngokwesibonelo, kunokuba benze sengathi amathoyizi ayizimoto zangempela, bangase baklelise lezizimoto baziqondise ngobunono, noma bangase baphenduphendule amasondo azo bengaqedi. Babonisa ukuphindaphinda nangezinye izindlela. Abaningi abalubekezeleli ushintsho esimisweni sabo sansuku zonke, bephikelela ekwenzeni izinto ngendlela efana ncamashí ngaso sonke isikhathi.
Abantwana abane-autism bangase futhi basabele ngezindlela ezingavamile ezenzakalweni nasezimweni ababhekana nazo. Ukusabela kwabo kungakuxaka, njengoba iningi labo lihluleka ukuchaza lokho elibhekana nakho. Cishe ingxenye iyizimungulu; labo abakhulumayo bavame ukusebenzisa amagama ngezindlela ezingavamile. Kunokuba baphendule umbuzo ngokuthi yebo, bangamane baphinde umbuzo (isimo esibizwa ngokuthi i-echolalia). Abanye basebenzisa amazwi abonakala eyinqaba ngempela angase aqondwe kuphela yilabo abajwayelene ‘nesimiso sabo sokukhulumisana.’ Ngokwesibonelo, omunye umntwana wayesebenzisa amazwi athi “kumnyama bhuqé ngaphandle” njengendlela yakhe yokubiza “ifasitela.” Abaningi futhi banobunzima bokusebenzisa ukushukuma komzimba futhi bangase bamemeze noma bakhathaze ukuze babonise ukuthi badinga okuthile.
Ukuthola Ukwelashwa Okufanele
Phakathi nawo-1940, 1950, nawo-1960, ochwepheshe abaningi babebheka i-autism njengendlela yokuzihlukanisa ngokomzwelo kwengane evamile kwezinye izici. Abazali, ikakhulukazi omama, babesolwa kakhulu ngezinkinga zabantwana babo. Ngawo-1960, kwaqala ukutholakala kobufakazi obandayo obabonisa ngokuqinile ukuthi i-autism ibangelwa ukuphazamiseka kobuchopho okuncane (nakuba kungakaziwa ngokuqondile ukuthi kuyini). Lokhu kwenza ukuba i-autism ingabe iselashwa ngokwelapha ingqondo kodwa ngemfundo. Kwasungulwa amasu akhethekile okufundisa, aye aphumelela ekunciphiseni imikhuba eyinkinga nasekufundiseni amakhono adingekayo. Ngenxa yalezizintuthuko nezinye, abaningi abane-autism baye bathuthuka kahle, futhi ngosizo nokusekelwa okwanele, abanye bayakwazi ukuthola imisebenzi futhi bacishe bazimele ekuphileni.
Nokho, ukutholela ingane ene-autism ukwelashwa okufanele kungaba umshikashika. Ngenxa yezizathu eziningi, i-autism ingase ingaqashelwa noma ixilongwe ngendlela engafanele izinyanga eziningi noma, kwezinye izimo, ngisho neminyaka eminingi. Izinhlelo zemfundo eziklanyelwe okunye ukukhubazeka zingase zingazisingathi ngokwanele izidingo ezikhethekile zabantwana abane-autism. Ngakho, lapho bezama ukuthola izinkonzo ezidingwa umntwana wabo, abazali abaningi bazithola bebhekana ngokuphindaphindiwe nomsebenzi abangawujwayele wokufuna odokotela, abafundisi, nezinhlangano zezenhlalakahle.
Ukuphila Kwansuku Zonke
Ngokungafani nabantwana abaningi, abantwana abane-autism abakwamukeli kalula ukwaziswa okusendaweni ebazungezile. Ukubafundisa amakhono ayisisekelo adingeka ekhaya noma emphakathini kuyinqubo eyinselele yesinyathelo ngasinye futhi ehamba kancane. Isimiso sosuku singagcina umzali ephuthuma ukuze afeze imisebenzi ehlukahlukene; esiza ngokugqoka, ukufunza, nokuphipha; elungisa imikhuba ephazamisayo noma engafanele; futhi ehlanza ngemva kokuvela kwezingozi. “Kuze kube yilapho [indodana yami] isineminyaka eyishumi ubudala,” kukhumbula omunye umzali, “ngangimane ngizama ukubhekana nosuku ngalunye.”
Okunezela kulobubunzima indingeko yokubeka iso kumntwana ngaso sonke isikhathi. “UTommy kufanele abhekwe njalo,” kusho unina, uRita, “ngoba akayinaki ingozi.” Njengoba abantwana abaningi abane-autism benezikhathi zokulala ezishintshashintshayo, ngokuvamile ukubalinda kuphela kwesikabhadakazi. UFlorence, ondodana yakhe uChristopher ichazwe ekuqaleni kwalesisihloko, uyaphawula, “Ngangilala obenyoni.”
Njengoba lababantwana bekhula, ezinye zalezizinto ezidingekayo ziyancipha kuyilapho ezinye zingase zande. Ngisho noma bethuthuka, cishe bonke abane-autism bayaqhubeka bedinga ukunakekelwa okuthile kukho konke ukuphila kwabo. Njengoba amalungiselelo okuhlala afanele abantu abadala abane-autism eyivelakancane, abazali abanabantwana abane-autism kungenzeka babanakekele ukuphila konke ekhaya noma, uma lokhu kungenzeki, babhekane nomsebenzi wokuyisa abantwana babo abakhulile ezinhlanganweni ezithile zomphakathi.
Ukubhekana Nomphakathi
“Njengoba uJoey eseneminyaka engu-18,” kuphawula uRosemarie, “into enzima kakhulu kithi ukumkhiphela emphakathini. Njengabantwana abaningi abane-autism, ubonakala ephilile, kodwa ngenxa yokuziphatha kwakhe, abantu bayamgqolozela, bahleke, futhi basho okuthile. Ngezinye izikhathi uma phakathi nomgwaqo aqale ukubhala emoyeni ngomunwe wakhe. Uma ezwa umsindo ophakeme, njengezinhlabamkhosi zezimoto noma ukukhwehlela kwabantu, uthuka kakhulu bese ememeza, ‘Hhayi! hhayi! hhayi!’ Lokhu kuyasikhathaza ngempela ngoba kungenzeka nganoma isiphi isikhathi.” Omunye umzali uyanezela: “Kunzima ukuchazela abantu. Lapho uthi, ‘Une-autism,’ abaliqondi lelogama.”
Ngenxa yalobubunzima, umzali ongumzanyana (ngokuvamile umama) angaba unkom’ idla yodwa kalula. “Ngingumuntu onamahloni futhi angikuthandi ukuba umbukwane emphakathini,” kusho uMary Ann. “Ngakho ngangiyisa uJimmy enkundleni yokudlala ngezikhathi abantu ababengekho ngazo ngokuvamile, njengasekuseni noma ngezikhathi zokudla.” (Qhathanisa neHubo 22:6, 7.) Kwabanye abazali inselele iwukuphumela ngaphandle ngokwakho. USheila uyaphawula: “Ngezinye izikhathi ngangizizwa njengesiboshwa ngisendlini kwami.”
Ukugcina Umkhaya Ndawonye
Kwethi Children With Autism, uMichael D. Powers uyabhala: “Into eyodwa ebaluleke kakhulu kumntwana one-autism . . . ukuthi umkhaya wakubo uhlale ndawonye.” Lena inselele enkulu. Ubunzima bokukhulisa umntwana one-autism bubangela ubuhlungu obukhulu ngokomzwelo. Kuphakama imizwa ejulile, ebuhlungu, nesabisayo engaphazamisa ukukhulumisana phakathi kwabangane bomshado. Lapho bobabili bedinga uthando olwengeziwe nokusekelwa, angase angabibikho kubo ongakunikeza. Naphezu kwalokhu kucindezela okukhulu, izinkulungwane zemibhangqwana ziye zabhekana nalenselele ngokuphumelelayo.
Incwadi ethi After the Tears kaRobin Simons, inikeza ukusikisela okuthathu okulandelayo kokuhlangenwe nakho kwemibhangqwana enjalo ephumelelayo. Okokuqala, tholani indlela “yokuhlola ngisho nemizwa ebuhlungu ngempela, futhi niyihlanganyele.” Okwesibili, phindani nihlole izindima namalungiselelo asekhaya, nenze ukulungisa ukuze umsebenzi uhlanganyelwe ngokufanele. Okwesithathu, hlelani njalo izikhathi zokwenza izinto ndawonye, nobabili kuphela. UDkt. Powers uyaqhubeka ethi: “Lapho nihlela okuza kuqala kini, nihlukanisa isikhathi senu, nilinganisela izidingo zabo bonke, futhi ninquma ukuthi kungakanani ngempela eningakusingatha, ningalokothi nivumele izidingo zomntwana wenu noma ukuzinikela kwenu kuye kuphazamise ukuphila komkhaya wenu.”—Qhathanisa neyabaseFilipi 1:10; 4:5.
Nakuba imiphumela ye-autism imikhulu, abantu ebathintayo bangaluthola usizo. Isici esibalulekile ukuyiqaphela zisuka nje, okuholela ekwelashweni okufanele. Khona-ke, kungaqondiswa imizamo ezenzweni ezizuzisayo. Umkhaya ngeke ukhathazeke ngokungadingekile uma kukhona ukukhulumisana okuhle nokusetshenziswa kwengcebo ngokulinganisela. (Qhathanisa nezAga 15:22.) Ukuqonda kwezihlobo nabangane nokusiza kwabo ngentshiseko kunikeza abazali ukusekela abakudinga ngempela. Ukuyiqaphela kwabantu i-autism, kanye nokwamukela abantu abanayo emphakathini, kubavimbela ekunezeleni ngokungenangqondo imithwalo yalemikhaya. Ngaleyondlela sonke singaba nengxenye ekuhlangabezaneni nezinselele ze-autism.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:14.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 21]
“Kuze kube yilapho [indodana yami] isineminyaka eyishumi ubudala,” kukhumbula omunye umzali, “ngangimane ngizama ukubhekana nosuku ngalunye”
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 22]
Amakhono Akhethekile
Abantwana abane-autism ngezinye izikhathi babonisa amakhono akhethekile, njengokukhumbula ngokumangalisayo imininingwane nezinto ezincane. Abanye banekhono lomculo elibabazekayo futhi bangadlala izingxenye zomculo eziyinkimbinkimbi nakuba bengakwazi ukufunda umculo. Abanye bangakutshela ngokushesha usuku lwesonto oluqondene nosuku lwesikhathi esidlule noma esizayo. Abanye banekhono lezibalo.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 23]
Indlela Abanye Abangasiza Ngayo
Londolozani Ukukhulumisana: Ekuqaleni lowomkhaya ungase ukhungatheke kakhulu kangangokuthi ungakwazi ukuhlanganyela indlela ozizwa ngayo nabanye. Ngesineke, ukuqonda, nokuphikelela, zenzeni nitholakale ukuze niwusize. Lapho sebekulungele ukuxoxa ngakho, lalelani ngesineke.
Ningasheshe Ninikeze Amacebiso: Njengoba abantwana abane-autism bengase babonakale betotoswa futhi bedinga nje isandla esiqinile, ngokuvamile abazali bazithola benikezwa abanye amacebiso anezisusa ezinhle kodwa abonisa ukungazi. ‘Amakhambi alula’ kanjalo angase abalimaze abazali abakhandlekayo, abashiye benomuzwa wokuthi akekho oqondayo.
Hilelani Lowomkhaya Ekuzilibaziseni: Ngokuvamile imikhaya enabantwana abane-autism izizwa ibekelwe eceleni emisebenzini yokuzijabulisa neyokuzilibazisa ejatshulelwa eminye imikhaya. Yimemeleni ukuba nobudlelwane nomkhaya wenu. Uma kunezidingo ezifuna ukucabangela okukhethekile, zamani ukuzisingatha. Ngisho noma lowomkhaya ungenakusamukela isimemo esithile, uyokwazisa kakhulu ukuthi niwumemile.
Celani Ukugada Umntwana: Esinye sezidingo ezinkulu zalowomkhaya ukuthola ikhefu ezinseleleni ezingapheli ze-autism. Qalani ngokucela ukugada umntwana imizuzu embalwa nje ngesikhathi. Ekugcineni ningase nikwazi ukuvumela lowomkhaya ukuba ushaywe umoya kusihlwa noma uthathe ngisho neholide lempelasonto. Amathuba anjalo okuhlaba ikhefu afeza indima enkulu ekusizeni imikhaya ukuba ivuseleleke.
Okubaluleke kakhulu kunezinkonzo ezithile lowomkhaya ozitholayo umuzwa wokuthi abanye bayawuthanda futhi bayawazisa. Ngamafuphi, into enhle kakhulu ongayenzela umkhaya onomntwana one-“autism” ukuqhubeka ungumngane wawo.